"construction plant equipment"

Wakefield has had a sporting boost with the construction of its new Minsthorpe Leisure Centre which was opened February 2018, after the 14-month project was completed on schedule. Facilities at the centre include a 25m, six-lane swimming pool, a 60-station health and fitness club and a group exercise studio.The project cladding design underwent a value engineering programme and the originally specified product was changed to include our Trimapanel® smooth faced insulated panels for the external building envelope.

The re-development by Liveman Properties has converted the Dock Office into a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with an additional 14 new duplex apartments constructed on the existing building roof. DV Architects, Liverpool, specified Technal’s MX Toggle Glazing curtain walling for the steel frame extension and Technal FY65 windows. Architect Billy Hodge commented, “The Dock Office is a local heritage asset and great care has been taken to make sure that the character of the building is not altered.

We worked firstly with The Manser Practice to develop a floor that was within budget and also Bryden Wood Architects on the specification and subfloors. Henry Construction are the main contractors and we are now working with them to ensure a successful fit out and wood floor installation. Situated in a location close to High Street, Stratford and Three Mills Island, Strand East will feature a variety of new homes and workspaces. Forming a triangle south of High Street, The Strand East will be a landmark development for an industrial heritage.

As the first of its kind in Wales and costing £48 million, Penarth Learning Community has been described as a ‘super school,’ bringing mainstream and specialised educational needs together under one roof. A variety of Tobermore paving products were used to create a hard-wearing, vibrant hard landscape for both the pedestrian and trafficked areas on site. Penarth Learning Community won ‘Project of the Year’ at the 2015 Constructing Excellence in Wales Awards and was also crowned winner in the ‘Integration and Collaborative Working’ category.

Set on the Broadstairs campus of East Kent College, construction has now come to a close on extension works to an existing road at the college site, which was required to take place in the curtilage of a listed building. The project utilised Wienerberger’s Penter Dortmund Dark Multi and Dragfaced Square Edged Blue pavers, as a clay paving product was required in lieu of concrete to give the finish and longevity the client required, in accordance with planning requirements and ensuring that the colour and design of the road complimented and maintained the character of the building.

The man-made island group Al Bahrain comprises six atoll, five fish-shaped islands, and two half-moon-shaped islands on which five-star hotels, residences, an impressive yacht harbour, and a golf course reside. Location: Bahrain, Durrat Al Bahrain Construction time/completion: 2016 Architects: Atkins Design Studio: www.atkinsglobal.com Products: Pure Basic Bathroom furniture Pure Basic Washbasins Sunberry Toilets Squaro Shower tray

AOV or Automatic Opening Vent systems control the airflow of smoke in a fire. According to EN12102-2 it is a statutory requirement to have an AOV unit on a new construction. Since 2006, Europe has required that the AOVs meet with the standards set forth in DIN EN12102-2. As a result, many companies have made their versions of AOVs. Majority of these options only go as far as barely meeting the before stated regulations. However, the Coxdome Firejet SHEV exceeds the expectations and requirements of a standard AOV.

Designed to redefine what living on the water looks like, the floating home by House on Water LTD is a triumph of Scandinavian technology and construction, and UK engineering. Through sourcing it’s heat from the river it floats on, the innovative and sustainable show home fulfils the needs of a modern family and demonstrates how conformable life on the water can be. One of the first of its kind, the Floating Home can lead the way in this new innovative and sustainable style of living. The solution that was provided was the intelligent and innovative GlassLine system by Undrain.

This £7.88 million Student Accommodation project started in 2014 and is a Timber Frame construction specifically designed as a Student Accommodation Residential Development and Halls of Residence for Liverpool University.The specification for this project consisted of 231 studio apartments fitted with acoustic flooring. The project which is located close to the busy Lime Street Train Station in Liverpool City Centre, was extremely complex.The acoustic flooring of choice was a 23mm T&G profile dry screed pre bonded with 18mm wood fibre.

Contract interiors specialist Gradus has supplied primary barrier matting to the new Haymarket bus station, as part of a £13.5milllion new build project, which allows 23 buses to drop off or pick up at any one time. Gradus’ Esplanade 8500 primary barrier matting was installed throughout the new bus station. Constructed from double grey rubber wipers and silver anodised aluminium scraper linking strips, Esplanade 8500 is an ideal solution for this busy environment.

'The Portal' is a new £16 million public services hub in Ellesmere Port, delivered by Vinci Construction UK for Cheshire West and Chester Council. The new facility will be home to more than 500 council and public sector staff, a Job Centre Plus and a Citizen’s Advice Bureau.The building has been constructed with many environmentally friendly elements including solar panels, air source heat pump and electric vehicle charging points. The Portal’s envelope is wrapped at the top and bottom with an attractive, copper coloured metal cladding and a newly formed public realm area will surround the exterior, with bench seating and green landscaped sections.Internally, 'The Portal' consists of large open plan working areas with smaller subsection meeting rooms, break out and kitchen spaces which are present on each level and a main central staircase for circulation.Metal Technology Ltd supplied its 10-35Hi+ commercial entrance doors and System 17 capped curtain walling for the large, glazed sections of the build to approved fabricator and installer RED Systems Limited.Due to open its doors in Spring, it’s fantastic to have been involved in this state-of-the-art, commercial project, which is a catalyst for the wider Ellesmere Port Town Centre regeneration master plan.

Harmer Building Drainage, part of Alumasc Water Management Systems (AWMS), has recently supplied its leading SML below ground drainage system to a major London development. The project, sited at The Minories, Aldgate, sees the introduction of the first Canopy by Hilton hotel in the UK which is scheduled to open in 2018. Working with contractors PCW Drainage Ltd and A J Morrisroe, Harmer supplied below ground drainage for the hotel’s new double storey basement box.The Minories Hilton hotel is a prestigious development, close to London’s historic Roman and medieval city walls and a short walk from the East End. Wayne Wilmot, National Sales Manager for Harmer Drainage comments: “It’s an unusual site. The contractor, A J Morrisroe, constructed a double storey basement box and podium slab to support a 16 storey residential block and a 14 storey hotel extension. It covers a footprint of around 3,500 metres across a narrow site. There were multiple levels of earlier construction to work through, including foundations and piles that date back to the 19th century. And because it’s close to the East End, The Museum of London and 1st Line Defence got involved to establish if there were any WW2 unexploded bombs buried on the site! Definitely not a run-of-the-mill project!

The new £18.9 million Wallyford Primary School opened in February 2019.The school is the first of two to be built in the Wallyford area amidst the construction of 2,050 new houses in the area.Broxap were chosen to supply all external street furniture, cycle shelters and a Keep It Kool canopy.Products included a series of ‘Fallowfield‘ concrete seats which were dressed in Grey BG01 Dressed finish. FSC certified Hardwood Timber planters.Cycle parking is facilitated via Broxap’s Cambridge Junior Shelters with Sheffield Stands beneath.A waterproof Keep it Kool Shade Cairns sail was provided with a Moss Green coloured fabric. This was positioned above a bespoke steel framed bench featuring FSC hardwood Radial Slats, planed and sanded.Also provided in areas around the school were a series of Broxap Synergy 200 MDPE Recycle Bins with general waste and plastic bottles and cans indicators on alternate sides.Roddy Clark, project director for hub South East said, “We’ve delivered a first-class facility for pupils and staff alongside a range of benefits for the wider community. A great deal of work has gone into the design and construction of the new school and the feedback received so far has been extremely positive.”

A bespoke new home complimented by curved bespoke glazing and moreThe ChallengeOur client wanted to create a truly unique environment to enjoy wide open views of their ample garden, the countryside and stunning sky views for a spacious room that linked two parts of their new build’s dwellings together. The homeowner wanted to both emphasise and compliment unique features of the construction to let the outside in with an abundance of natural light and controlled natural air ventilation. The SolutionCollaborating closely with the client we create a bespoke curved multi-panel rooflights which followed the unique structure of this spacious room. These bespoke curved multi-panel rooflights had low-profile rafter supports so that from the ridge of the curved roof to the eaves the pitched glass roof gave the maximum feeling of height and space. This gave an abundance of natural light to flood in and with the addition of electric opening vent rooflights that allowed the homeowner to control the natural air ventilation in this stunning example of modern living in rural Hertfordshire. Whether you’re at planning or construction stage why not see how we could help you add natural light and space to your home; you can call us on  01223 792244 or pop us an email via info@nextgenrooflights.co.uk outlining what help you need.

The design brief Our brief from Heatherwick Studios was to design, supply & install a free spanning self-supporting 3D triangular rooflight, to replace a more traditional rooflight that was supported by secondary steel.The ChallengeA rooflight of this type would normally be fully fabricated and welded as a single frame off-site. The challenge was in the installation of the rooflight as stick construction to align the connection correctly so the glass lines would be true against the framework and the engagement correct. There was only a +/-2mm tolerance.The SolutionThe rooflight is 9m x 4m and is fully self-supporting, modelled with in our SOLIDWORKS 3D design software. The supporting members are a combination of 50mm x 120mm and 50mm x 80mm steel sections. The scope of the overall project was to provide offices for Heatherwick Studios. British designer Thomas Heatherwick founded Heatherwick Studio in 1994 to bring craft, design, architecture and urban planning together in a single workspaceGet in touchWhether you’re at planning or construction stage why not see how we could help you add natural light and space to your commercial office space; you can call us on 01223 792244 or pop us an email via info@nextgenrooflights.co.uk outlining what help you need.

Gent Sint-Pieters railway stationCHALLENGE Gent Sint-Pieters, the main railway station in Ghent, is undergoing a spectacular metamorphosis today. The listed main building, constructed for the 1913 World Exhibition, has to remain untouched. Behind the old building however the platforms, waiting rooms and the central passengers corridor are being entirely refurbished. Architect Voncke’s objective was to create a pleasant atmospheric site with a 35,000 sqm open and attractive central hall, broadened and completely covered platforms and renovated rails. Functional, well-designed and above all spacious! As the 12 rail tracks had to stay on ground level, the passengers alley was excavated to a lower level under the railroad tracks. This necessitated permitting considerable daylight to enter the underlying levels.SOLUTION Transparent canopies, featuring large glass sections and translucent floors were all designed with this purpose in mind. To gain even more light the architect chose RENOLIT ALKORBRIGHT for waterproofing the platform canopies. The six long rectangular platform blocks, differing in height, are interconnected and make one large roof. The white highly reflective RENOLIT ALKORBRIGHT membrane on top of the construction reflects the daylight through the high side windows. A clever way to add extra day-light to the underlying areas. 

Hush Acoustics was tasked with providing an acoustic separating floor solution in an extensive material change of use project in Southall. Phoenix House was being converted by Vascroft Construction from an office building to residential flats, in a project which involved building into the basement, adding two floors and expanding at the rear.The development of 149 flats, each of which comprises 2 bedrooms, 1 ensuite, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen/living area, required an effective design for the separating floors to ensure they would be effectively soundproofed throughout across multiple different floor finishes.After assessing a number of floor construction materials, Hush Panel 28 floating floor panels were selected to meet the acoustic performance targets. Using this panel meant that throughout the bedrooms and living areas a simple underlay could be laid before the finished carpets or engineered timber floor were installed. Hush Panel 28 was also suitable for the floors in the wet rooms and entrance hallways by applying Detromat on top of the panel to form an anti cracking surface.A team of more than 100 operatives worked on site, with every 1000 sq. m of floor completed per week, which Hush Acoustics supported to ensure Vascroft could meet the project’s strict delivery schedule.

This project consisted of many Helmsman products, with lockers, cubicles, vanity units and IPS panels being supplied. Alongside the team at Mixbrow Construction and Ipswich Town FC, we designed, manufactured and installed 8 bespoke 1 compartment laminate lockers, 1775mm high x 400mm wide x 500mm deep on a cantilevered seat stand. The theme of the changing rooms was kept slick and professional, with See Group’s Biocarbon Laminate used in colour Gabbro. This fantastic carbon neutral laminate is strong, moisture resistant, easy to clean and has antibacterial protection, perfect for a changing room project. The locks chosen for the lockers were Lowe and Fletcher 2800 combination locks, also a great choice for the coaches’ changing rooms.Whilst we offer a wide range of cubicle options, we worked with the team at Mixbrow Construction to design a bespoke floor to ceiling cubicle to fit their needs. The changing room design featured 2 Bespoke Floor to Ceiling shower cubicles and 1 Bespoke Floor to Ceiling Toilet Cubicle. Also included in the project were 4 sets of IPS (Integrated Plumbing System) Panels and a Solid Grade Laminate Vanity unit, all in matching Solid Grade BioCarbon Laminate in colour Gabbro.

Premium acoustics are a quintessential part of any modern-day theater or performance space. Noise coming in from other rooms or even from outside can disturb live performances.In ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, construction of the new performing arts theater is well underway. Planned to open in the second half of 2023, ‘Theater aan de Parade’ will house 2 multifunctional halls, each with its own atmosphere and programming. The different spaces are all connected by spacious foyers, with plenty of natural light and views of the Parade, the main town square.The new theater is designed to invite passersby to come in, enjoy one of the many performances or simply hang out and relax.The solution selected to acoustically decouple the multifunctional hall, one of the 2 main halls of the building, from the rest of the theater, was a complete box-in-box construction, using a Stravifloor Jackup-R floating floor system.The total hall surface area is about 543 m², divided over three zones. An impressive 272 boxes were installed. Boxes were installed with 2 different types of springs combined in three different configurations. The overall span between the boxes in this project is around 1,4 to 2 m.The added value of a jack-up system in this specific project was that despite the loads not being homogeneously distributed across the entire surface, it is possible to create a stiff concrete slab with a homogeneous thickness before to place it on springs.A jack-up system allows for better control of the slab level across all construction phases, concrete slab thickness, and the final deflection of each bearing, different in number, type and tributary area.The entire installation process was spread across two phases, the installation of the boxes together with the insulation material and PE-foil which took less than one week, and the second phase in which we were jacking up the boxes until the entire floor was raised to the desired level. This last step took 4 days, including cleaning and preparing the area for the next intervening parties.

WJL Contracts have been providing high-quality, bespoke joinery solutions to some of the largest contractors in UK construction for over forty years. Known for their expertise and design flair, their fire-rated doorsets and panels have been installed in prestigious building projects spanning the education, entertainment, and commercial sectors. They also offer a full installation service which ensures that their fire-rated and acoustic products are installed competently, setting them apart from a lot of other joinery manufacturers. One of these projects was for Crawley Town Hall in West Sussex on behalf of Kier construction. They successfully delivered bespoke joinery and acoustic panelling doors, an elliptical ceiling, a feature wall, mirrors and kitchenettes. The team overcame significant challenges to hit the deadline including managing the installation of 2700 large 2.7m doors.Fire and Acoustic Seals Fire Door FoamTM and Intumescent Acrylic Sealant were used to install all fire-rated doorsets to guarantee their compliance. Joel Mayer, Buyer & Commercial Manager at WJL comments“We’ve been using Fire and Acoustic Seals’ own-label Fire Door FoamTM and Intumescent Acrylic Sealant on our large construction projects for many years. Our team particularly like the Fire Door FoamTM because they think the quality is excellent compared to others on the market, it’s quick and easy to install and it’s backed up by specific fire door test evidence.We also love the service we get from the team at Fire and Acoustic Seals which is why we’ve continued to work with them for over a decade. They’re incredibly reliable and have a fast turnaround service which ensures our onsite team are never without the products they need when they need them. This is really important to us as we are constantly working to tight deadlines.” For more details about this and other WJL projects visit https://wjlcontracts.co.uk/portfolioContact our team for more information about Fire Door FoamTM and Intumescent Acrylic Sealant.0121 521 2179 | sales@fireandacousticseals.co.uk 

Pavement Shifting Protection for Roads in SouthwarkIn recent years, Southwark Council encountered problems creating and maintaining attractively paved surfaces in busy carriageways.David Farnham, Highways Design Quality Manager at Southwark Council, explained: “Southwark boasts some of central London’s great destinations – from the tourist sites around London Bridge, Tower Bridge and Bankside, to vibrant neighbourhood centres like Peckham, Camberwell and Dulwich. The quality of our streets is a big part of the appeal, and residents and visitors expect them to be attractively landscaped and well maintained.“Installing paved areas in roads at crossings and junctions helps provide that quality of place whilst also having a calming effect on traffic. This is something we support as part of a tool-kit of shared space design measures. However, it poses some real design and maintenance challenges.”David Farnham, Highways Design Quality Manager at Southwark CouncilWhilst the trend in central London over recent years had been to install natural stone sett surfaces within a rigid construction system, Southwark Council found this to be too costly for most locations and difficult to reinstate. Meanwhile, complex detailing was needed if all too common defects were to be avoided, even under moderate traffic. The Council identified concrete block surfacing, used within a flexible construction system, as a potentially simpler and cheaper alternative – provided certain requirements could be met.David Farnham commented, “We wanted to replicate the appearance of modern natural stone surfaces as faithfully as possible. In order to look the part, any concrete blocks had to be capable of being laid in stretcher bond on busy roads. That’s difficult with a flexible system as a herringbone bond is typically needed to increase surface interlock and prevent individual blocks from shifting. If not avoided that can lead blocks to work lose and the surface to rut. Also, in order to have a traffic calming effect we needed blocks to be quite large and to have varied finishes so approaching drivers would notice them. Traditional 200×100 concrete blocks weren’t compatible with these needs.”Tobermore introduced Southwark to their solution – the City Pave VS5 block paving system. The innovative product incorporates shift protection on five sides of each block via interlocking nibs and a specially profiled bottom surface that claws sand beds. These innovations provide continuous protection against shifting from horizontal and vertical loads, all within a traditional rectangular shaped block. The system even outperforms other interlocking blocks often used in goods yards and other heavy load areas. It gives designers the freedom to use flexible construction systems with confidence – even when laying blocks in stretcher bond on busy roads.City Pave VS5 also offers a hard wearing granite aggregate surface layer that produces a striking finish, similar to the appearance of natural granite. As well as the aesthetic appeal, the hard wearing surface layer improves the strength and durability of the product.Southwark Council specified the product in a mix of Silver, Mid Grey and Graphite colours to mimic the natural variability of stone. The combination of the three product colours and the larger element 300x150x100mm size of the City Pave VS5 block was used to create the desired ‘traffic-calming’ effect.City Pave VS5 was installed on streets across the borough, including Camberwell Green, Borough High Street and Blanchedown Road – typically as part of raised table features at junctions and crossings.David Farnham said, “Overall, the City Pave VS5 system helped to substantially reduce construction costs compared with rigid stone sett construction systems. Visually, the stretcher bond, mix of top finishes and large module sizes has been very successful.”

Avantage MP AOVAvantage MP is a 1 and 2 hour fire resistant AOV smoke control damper suitable for multi compartment applications of smoke control such as lobby to smoke shaft ventilators.The product is based on a damper door design and has been tested and certified to BS EN12101-8 achieving 1 and 2 hour fire rating. This is particularly important so to maintain the fire integrity of any shaft.The Avantage AOV smoke control damper is noted for its superior airtight properties. The damper is available as a motorised version providing a practical solution for large buildings where fire safety equipment is regularly testedThe unit is completed with a decorative silver anodised aluminium grille on the front. It fixes into a fire compartment shaft wall and is direct fixed within the opening through the sides of the damper. Once the damper has been securely fixed to the structure any shaft side perimeter gaps must be caulked with intumescent sealing material.Recommended fixing details are available on request to suit an array of fire compartment walls together with safety, installation and maintenance instructions.The front face grille is fixed to the damper unit flange and has the option of being coloured black behind the grille for improved visual appearance. The grilles are attached with concealed fixings.Key featuresSuperior air tightness (tested at -1500 Pa)Minimal pressure dropImproved energy efficiency and acoustic insulationRemovable grille for easy maintenanceAuxiliary switches for remote damper position indicationEfficient robust decorative finishing grille with concealed fixingsThe wiring connection and the drive motor mechanism is accessed lobby side of the ventilator behind the decorative grilleEasy access for service and maintenanceWide range of sizes for optimal selection considering pressure drop and space available

The Head of Security at a prominent London University was faced with key security issues when the organisation took over the security of an old building. The large ground floor building led directly onto a public pavement and housed academic and research staff with valuable computer equipment. The Security Team needed to find a way of securing the building, especially the large windows, without replacing them entirely.Bernadette Duncan (MBE) Chief Operating Officer of AUCSO explained the options they looked into:“We considered installing bars on the windows but did not want the building to look like a jail block or draw attention to it. The staff were also concerned about the sunlight on the south facing side of the building, so we would also need to install blinds. After looking at several options we selected 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒® as the best option to maximise security, as well as giving the occupants the option to use the blinds on sunny days.”Bernadette went on to explain the other benefits of 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒®:“From the public side, the blinds looked like normal vertical blinds, so did not draw attention as a highly protected building or a potential target for thieves. In the evening when the lights were on, the blinds could be closed to provide privacy and at night time could be locked to provide a secure screen against vandalism or a forced entry. It was the ideal solution for us.“The 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒® team measured the windows and manufactured them for a bespoke fit. The delivery and installation timings were agreed and everything was fitted in time for the building to be occupied. The blinds gave the staff the required feeling of privacy and security, without feeling barred in. A great product which suited the building and a good team behind them.”Bernadette Duncan (MBE) Chief Operating Officer of AUCSO

The 65-year old Altro safety flooring that is still performing todayWhen West Bridgford Baptist Church refitted its kitchen, they wanted high quality flooring that was safe, durable and easy to maintain. They chose what was then a new product – Altro safety flooring – and hoped it would deliver. That was in 1950, and over 65 years later, after innumerable coffee mornings, christenings and other events, Altro revisited the site with the most modern testing equipment and found the original safety flooring still meets the latest HSE standards. A pendulum test achieved PTV 40, representing a one in a million risk of slipping in both wet and dry conditions.Church Secretary Carol Hodgkinson said: “Our kitchen has had much use over the years and is important to the people who attend the Church and use its facilities. We’ve run a lunch club, cooked up amazing Christmas dinners and plenty of simple lunches too. Today it’s mainly used to prepare refreshments for our own church activities and for other groups that use our building, which includes toddler groups, keep fit groups, uniformed organisations and U3A groups, amongst others.“We were amazed when we were told how old the flooring is, we had no idea! We just know that it’s easy to clean. It’s reassuring to know that it’s still helping to prevent people from slipping after all this time.”The flooring that was laid at West Bridgford Baptist Church was called ASF Classic X25 and was the first Altro safety flooring solution. Roll-on to today and Altro Classic 25 is still here, albeit with a few tweaks! It remains a popular choice, although these days you’re more likely to find it in craft, design and technology rooms plus circulation areas.

The challengePaper towels were the original hand drying method of choice. The tenants decided that hand dryers would be more cost effective and more eco- friendly. This would also match the eco credentials of the building. “The service provided by Intelligent Facility Solutions Ltd, especially Andrew Cameron was excellent, I can't recommend them highly enough. The hand dryers themselves are exactly what we required and have received excellent feedback.” Caroline Hodgson - Receptionist, One Station SquareWho are One Station Square?One Station Square is part of the regeneration of the centre of Cambridge. It is home to some major brands including Amazon, Deloitte, Thales and Carter Jonas. It is the largest building in the city centre, servicing around 800 people a day. It was built using sustainable materials and exceeding energy efficiency standardsThe solutionAfter initial energy and cost calculations were made, as well as discussions regarding suitability, Jet Force hand dryers were installed throughout the building.Model: Dryflow Jet Force ProDry time range: 15 – 20 secondsRated power: 700W – 1650W (intelligent heating system)Guarantee length: 5 yearsThe resultsAnnual paper towel cost: £16,848 (based on 0.6p per paper towel) Annual cost to use new equipment: £349.44 - £823.68 (based on 12p per kW/h)Annual cost savings: £16,024 - £16,498Annual paper towel carbon production: 21,060 Kg/CO2 (based on 22.5g/CO2 per toilet visit) Annual hand dryer carbon production: 1,572.48 – 3,706.56 Kg/CO2 (based on 1kW = 0.54 kg/CO2)Annual carbon savings: 17,353.44 – 19,487.52 Kg/CO2Estimated return on investment period:Payback period: approx. 0.48 – 0.5 years

Manchester Museum has opened a new gallery dedicated to South Asian culture where Junckers’ solid wood flooring forms an integral part of the interior scheme. The new gallery celebrates the lived experiences and contributions of the South Asian diaspora and is part of the Hello Future initiative, a Heritage Lottery Fund project to encourage diverse communities to visit the museum. Architects Purcell created a new two-storey extension which includes two new galleries, as well as re-designing the original buildings to add a new main entrance, foyer, and visitor facilities. The new building has achieved BREEAM Very Good standard and was designed to adhere to the conditions required for museum collections. The design also places a strong focus on inclusivity, with improved accessibility for all visitors. The interior, designed by Studio C102 and Mobile Studio Architects, takes its inspiration from South Asian architecture and design with a material palette of rich colours and textures. Junckers Oak Natural Pearl flooring is paired with hand-patinated brass panels and a deep ochre wall colour that brings South Asian culture and creativity to life, a fitting backdrop to the many interesting exhibits on display. Junckers’ oak flooring provides the museum with a durable surface to accommodate high foot traffic. Made in solid wood, the floor is easy to care for and maintain and with a proven long lifespan, the floor can easily outlast the building’s design life of 60 years. Junckers flooring contributes to a healthy indoor climate and helps minimise any static from electrical devices and equipment. Having undergone rigorous degassing and odour tests to ensure there are no chemical substances in the flooring which adversely affect the air quality in a room, all Junckers floors carry the Danish Indoor Climate label certificate. The South Asia Gallery is a British Museum partnership. 

We were delighted to have succeeded in a competitive tender to carry out the playground refurbishment works at Decoy Park, Newton Abbot, Devon, in the summer of 2021. Decoy Park is a beloved recreational space in the town, with a large lake, woodland trails, and adjacent football pitches complimenting the play equipment at the park. Our design reflected the semi rural nature of the landscape, with a huge Treehouse structure sitting as the centrepiece of the area, standing almost 6m tall with a tube slide coming off the top level.A dynamic area aimed at older children featured two aerial runways, a beautiful glue laminated hardwood robinia climbing frame, and an overhead rotator. A spinning machine, a unique play piece that spins the seated user vertically 360 degrees, added a unique twist to the zone, something not seen in your everyday playground!The toddler zone is a heaven for the smallest children, with tastefully designed animal graphics, a variety of spinning, balancing and rocking activities, and a fun play ship featuring telescopes, play panels and steering wheels.A variety of different safety surfaces were laid at the area, to suit the various requirements of each zone. Wet pour rubber was used for the Toddler area, as its array of colours made designing and creating the animal graphics a possibility. TigerMulch was chosen for the adventure zone, with its natural looks and hard wearing properties ideal for the dynamic activities taking place here.Decoy Park was one of those special, unique projects that don’t come around very often, and we had so much fun designing and building the new playground. Thanks to Teignbridge District Council for commissioning us to do the works, we hope you enjoy it as much as we did making it!

The new purpose-built Health & Allied Professions (HAP) Centre forms part of Nottingham Trent University’s vibrant Clifton Campus and features an array of innovative resources and amenities, including mock hospital wards, specialist equipment and creative teaching spaces, to assist students in their study of nursing, paramedicine and healthcare.The impressive building has been designed by architects Pick Everard and incorporates a number of sustainable features to achieve an ‘excellent’ BREEAM rating. Senior’s fenestration systems, which offer cradle-to-cradle recyclability, were the ideal choice and the building’s striking main façade features both Senior’s thermally-enhanced SF52 aluminium curtain wall system and integrated SPW600 aluminium windows. Senior’s products were fabricated and installed by supply chain partner Logic Aluminium Systems for main contractor Henry Brothers Ltd.As well as a creating a welcoming gateway to the University’s Clifton Campus, the new two-storey building has been designed to provide both visual interest and maximise the use of daylighting. The use of Senior’s slimline SF52 aluminium curtain wall systems floods the main atrium with natural light and provides each of the rooms with extensive views of the campus and surrounding areas. Ventilation is provided by Senior’s robust SPW600 aluminium windows which have been seamlessly incorporated into the curtain wall.The interior features of the new HAP Centre are just as impressive, with flexible teaching and study areas interspersed with state-of-the-art facilities including a virtual reality wall, which enables students to practice emergency medical responses in ‘real life’ settings, and mock hospital wards and domestic flat settings which feature robotically controlled mannequins that allow a range of patient symptoms, illnesses, and scenarios to be simulated and studied.

The FM company of a large Yorkshire Hospital engaged with wall & door protection specialists, Yeoman Shield, to resolve the unsightly and problematic damage that was occurring to fire doors in a busy specialist unit.Such damage, caused by the everyday passage of people, trolleys and equipment, if not attended to, may have become detrimental to the functioning of the fire doors.Yeoman Shield were able to provide a comprehensive fire rated door protection system, which when installed does not affect the fire integrity, to help combat and break the damage cycle, helping to prolong the life of the doors.Door Edge protectors, either FD60 or FD30, according to a doors rating, were installed to the vulnerable leading and hinged edges of the door to prevent chipping and splintering and helping to maintain the recommended 3mm gap between doors and frames.The leaves of the doors were covered with Yeoman Shield’s 2mm thick FalmouthEx protection panels at either full or half height dependent on where the impact was more prevalent, preventing dents or holes from manifesting in the future.Standard glazing beads were replaced with PVCu clad units, complete with corresponding intumescent strip, helping to protect an element of the door much prone to damage.A further part of the fire door refurbishment project was the addition of an Architrave and Stop Lath protection system. These systems come complete with hardwood (stop lath) or MDF core (architrave) with a PVCu cover and as such not only becomes resilient to impact damage but eliminates the requirement for redecoration and repair.Yeoman Shield were able to provide fire certificates for all parts of their fire door protection system offering compliance assurance to the client.For more information on Yeoman Shield cost effective wall & door protection systems go to www.yeomanshield.com or call 0113 279 5854.

When the Coleg y Cymoedd (translated meaning is the College of the valleys) in Wales needed to totally refurbish the flooring element of their campus in Ystrad Mynach (near the town of Caerphilly), they turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor to supply over 1000m2 of flooring for numerous areas and spaces throughout the campus. It was a project that provided Gerflor with the perfect platform to showcase a raft of high-quality flooring solutions ideal for the concerned demanding education environment.Tony Thorne, Gerflor Sales and Specification Manager - South Wales commented, “This project started at the specification stage with the Architects Austin-Smith: Lord. Over several meetings, we looked at a number of products to be used in various areas of the building scheme. The installation at the Ystrad Mynach campus is an outstanding example of how a mix of Gerflor innovations can achieve world class results. Mixing gym tiles with sheet vinyl, safety flooring and LVT, yielded incredible results for this college refurbishment project.”Kate Thomas, Director Austin-Smith: Lord commented, “The refurbishment project, part-funded by the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme, formed part of the college’s plans to continually invest in new facilities and equipment that will allow learners across its catchment area to have access to the latest training opportunities and career paths.”Mark Bond, Estimator and H&S Manager at Floor Furnishings commented, “The client is extremely impressed with the end results. We regularly work with Gerflor products and recommend Gerflor where suitable, in line with our client’s requirements and expectations. Gerflor’s staff are particularly skilled in being able to work in collaboration and alongside both the end user clients, as well as contractors in achieving an excellent final result that is pleasing to the client and meets the complicated design brief.”

Twinfix have been working their magic to help Network Rail restore Kettering Railway Station to its former glory. They have been helped in this project by the Railway Heritage Trust (RHT). The Railway Heritage Trust was created in 1985 by British Rail on the advice of railway heritage campaigners following the destruction of Derby Midland Station. The RHT is an independent company which assists the operational railway in its preservation and upkeep of listed buildings and structures. Network Rail and National Highways (Historic Railways Estate) sponsor the work of the RHT which currently holds an annual budget for restoration work, ensuring that high quality and the best materials are used to restore and preserve assets. Kettering station was opened in May 1857 by the Midland Railway, on a line linking the Midland to the Great Northern Railway at Hitchin. The Midland later gained its own London terminus at St Pancras Station. In 1857 the leather trade was in recession with over half of Kettering’s population on poor relief. The railway enabled the town to sell its products over a much wider area and restored the town’s prosperity. Originally the station had a single platform but in 1879 the station was quadrupled, and three new platforms were built. The Midland Railway commissioned waiting rooms, cast-iron columns, spandrels, and canopies for the new platforms to match the original 1857 design by Charles Henry Driver. In the 1970s, the glass canopies became a maintenance headache for British Rail, who proposed removing the glazing along with the cast-iron column heads and replacing it with sheeting. Thankfully, Kettering Civic Society intervened and saved the canopies and columns. 50 years later these important architectural elements needed some refurbishment but faced another threat. The Midland Mainline electrification programme meant that structural changes would be needed to the canopy structures to allow the overhead line electrical equipment to be installed above the tracks. Once again, the canopies were under threat but this time it was Twinfix which came to the rescue. Twinfix, the Warrington based pioneers of polycarbonate were the specified experts in the Network Rail business plan for the station refurbishment. Having already helped bring new life and importantly light into old stations as part of refurbishment work, Network Rail stipulated using Twinfix’s polycarbonate roofing panels and their mounting system to keep the overall aesthetics of the station but add a much-needed resilience to the canopies.  Twinfix recommended their Multi-Link-Panel glazing with 6mm solid clear polycarbonate to help the restoration project. The Multi-Link-Panel is an innovative, modular system that is incredibly quick to install and outperforms more traditional systems in terms of cost, performance, and appearance. Multi-Link-Panel canopies consist of pre-assembled modular glazing panels, manufactured to size for each individual project. Each panel comprises aluminium structural bars that are glazed with lightweight, yet tough, solid polycarbonate. The aluminium can be powder coated to a range of colours for a rust and maintenance-free life. As panels are pre-assembled in a controlled factory environment possible contamination and errors in installation caused by on-site cutting of the glazing sheet are avoided. These properties can result in saving two thirds of the time taken to install traditional split bar glazing systems. This can save on labour costs and drastically reduce any necessary premises shutdown time required while work is carried out overhead.  The team at Everlast roofing who installed the Twinfix Multi-Link-Panel were a great partner in this installation process and this partnership resulted in a great finished roof.Handling during installation is easier and safer than with traditional glass systems as panels are constructed from materials that are both strong and light in weight. The reduction in weight compared with glass systems has the added benefit of lowering the overall weight of the roof construction, decreasing the stresses on the existing fabric of a building, especially important where a roof refurbishment is being undertaken. It is this weight reduction that removed the need for reinforcement of the original columns and resulted in the restoration remaining faithful to the original design. As Twinfix manufacture the multi-link panel system they are in an ideal position to be able to help with designing out potential problems. Each roofing system is unique and bespoke, so Twinfix took advantage of their deep understanding of their product and the legislation covering such projects and added access hatches to the canopies which allow access above the glazing for maintenance, finally curing that 50-year-old headache. Vicky Evans, Director at Twinfix said; “The result of the restoration is truly breath-taking. Kettering Station is now awash with natural light and the platforms are a light airy place to wait for a train and shelter from the elements.” Tim Hedley-Jones, Director of the Railway Heritage Trust, says of the project: “It’s a great example where the use of modern materials helps to protect and sustain a truly beautiful historic station. Our grants have helped Network Rail to preserve Kettering Station using Twinfix technology, to continue to make it fit for purpose for today’s rail passengers.” So, if Charles Henry Driver were able to see the station today, he would instantly feel a sense of familiarity and be proud of the restoration work on this piece of railway treasure. CREDIT: Photographs taken by Paul Childs, Spheroview

VICTORIA VIEWS - ARUNDEL CRESCENT DEVELOPMENTS, PLYMOUTH CLIENT: TIMBER PAK (SW) LTD PRODUCTS USED: PROTECT TF200 THERMO PROTECT TF INTERFOIL PROTECT VC FOIL ULTRA THE CHALLENGE Timber PAK (SW) Ltd, a specialist in closed panel timber frame manufacture from a dedicated factory in Ivybridge, Devon, was given the contract to construct the apartments in structural timber. This involved the production of closed and insulated wall panels, followed by delivery and installation on-site, ensuring strict build tolerances and timescales were met.

Boyco with Amey Consulting to design bespoke Classroom storage solutions for Broadheath Primary School. Boyco worked with Amey Consulting (in partnership with Trafford Council) to design bespoke Classroom storage solutions for Broadheath Primary School. Boyco took pleasure in collaborating with Amey on project designs and solutions for the project. The project was later awarded to Conlon Construction, and Boyco worked with Conlon to provide a quality turnkey installation. All those involved in the project were highly satisfied with the end result, and Boyco received extremely positive feedback.

In 2019 as part of Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s £3.6million visitor centre development, AATi were approached to manufacture Cast Iron anti-slip floor plates to construct the “Walk of Art 2”. This, a striking 100 metre long installation designed by Gordon Young, a well-renowned artist known best for his large public art installations. 51 cast Iron plates make up one of the entrance walkways and bear over 10,000 names of supports of YSP, immortalising them for future generations.

In February 2020, we were approached by GD Construction who we have worked with in the past; they were working on a project at Ickenham Clinic in Uxbridge, London for Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust. The clinic had an existing canopy which was supplied by a different supplier, yet it had received extensive wind damage and they were therefore looking to replace it.Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust were keen to replace the canopy promptly, so we needed to supply the estimated costs swiftly.

University of Leicester have recently introduced their renovated £24m Percy Gee campus. The four-storey expansion features a new dedicated informatics lab, a high-tech media centre and a performance studio, an integrated student and library hub, as well as new food court.University of Leicester engineer: Rick SturgessContractor: Henry Boot Construction LtdArchitect: Shepheard Epstein HunterAspex supplied: Novista concealed timber doorsets, Salto access solutions, integrated with automated doors internally and externally