"brick slips"

Sixmile Boardwalk is a wooden walkway located in Ballyclare, a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The boardwalk stretches for over a mile through Sixmile Water Park, providing visitors with stunning views of the surrounding natural beauty. The boardwalk is an accessible and family-friendly attraction that allows visitors to explore the park’s wetlands and wildlife, including ducks, swans, and otters. It is a popular destination for walkers, joggers, and cyclists, as well as families and nature enthusiasts. The boardwalk also features several rest areas and interpretive signage, providing visitors with information about the park’s history and ecology.The second phase of the Antrim Boardwalk refurbishment project involved an extension and upgrade of the walkway, including the removal of existing slippery timber deck boards and replacing these with new anti-slip timber deck boards. For this, Gripsure’s non-slip Premier decking were carefully chosen for the new raised boardwalk and viewing platform area, installed by Martin Contracting Services Ltd.Primarily chosen for its safety benefits, Gripsure’s Premier profile achieves a PTV rating of 78 assuring a safe and comfortable walking surface for visitors, even in wet or damp conditions. Gripsure decking has been tried and tested on projects for over 15 years and is now trusted by many household names, such as Center Parcs and Samsung.In addition to the proven safety benefits, the Gripsure decking used at Sixmile Boardwalk is also extremely durable and long-lasting, making it a cost-effective choice for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. The decking requires minimal maintenance and is resistant to rot, decay, and insect damage, ensuring that it remains in excellent condition for years to come.Overall, the Gripsure non-slip decking used at Sixmile Boardwalk has been a great success, providing a safe and sustainable solution that enhances the park’s natural beauty and functionality. The decking has helped to increase visitor safety and comfort, and has helped to make Sixmile Water Park a more accessible and enjoyable destination for visitors of all ages and abilities.The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Billy Webb, said: “These refurbishment works will bring more footfall to Antrim town centre and help us tackle the challenges of climate and environmental change by encouraging active travel whilst also proving a local business with the contract.”All media is courtesy of Martin Contracting Services. ©2022 Martin Contracting Services

An ambitious self-build project can provide the perfect opportunity to infuse a new home with creative flair, character and lasting appeal. Bringing together these attributes was front of mind for Luke Lawrence, an experienced builder and property developer, when imagining two adjacent family homes for a recent scheme in the affluent commuter town of Hornchurch in Essex. The prime location demanded something quite special and the finished project delivers with a development that marries an attractive, characterful aesthetic with a timeless, contemporary build, achieved with the help of Vandersanden’s multi-coloured Lithium facing bricks.To find out more about the bricks used in this project or to see the wide range of high-quality bricks available from Vandersanden, click on the 'View more' link 

Gripsure decking has been used on an office roof terrace in the heart of the City of London’s financial district. Workers in the tall building in Fenchurch Street, home to many corporate offices and company headquarters, can now take time out on a stylish, non-slip decking area.Gripsure supplied 586 of the MOSO® Bamboo X-treme with black Gripsure non-slip inserts and a smooth finish for the project, completed last year. The private roof terrace serves as a ‘breakout area’ for office staff to relax, meet and entertain in an outdoor setting, which has fantastic views over the Thames.The existing timber deck had come to the end of its service life and risks of slips and falls had meant that the terrace area had to be closed. Contractors MJ Ferguson stripped away the old boards and installed 150m sq of MOSO® Bamboo X-treme with Gripsure decking. These sustainable, durable boards are Euroclass B fire rated, providing further peace of mind.Company staff have already been making the most of their new safe, contemporary-looking rooftop terrace, which can be used in all weather conditions.Gripsure have been supplying bamboo decking to the UK market for the past four years as a sustainable alternative to composite and tropical hardwood products. There are thousands of species of bamboo and our decking is made from a giant species, called Moso. This bamboo is a woody perennial, so has more characteristics in common with a timber, rather than a grass. Like grass, however, Moso grows rapidly – up to a metre a day in the height of the season. There has also been a carbon study, which shows that the product is a net carbon sink over its lifespan, even taking into consideration transportation and manufacturing.

Gripsure has played a key part in the transformation of the Story Museum in Oxford. The much-loved attraction has undergone a £6 million revamp, which involved extending, altering and refurbishing a mixture of existing buildings to create space for interactive exhibitions, displays, theatre performances and activities.At the museum’s core, is a courtyard with a bespoke steel and timber feature staircase and walkways, which connect the three main buildings, including the 19th Century Rochester House and a former postal office. Gripsure’s Classic boards with three non-slip aggregate inserts have been used to provide a safe, non-slip surface on the courtyard’s feature staircase and along the curved walkways.Our Classic deck boards achieve the highest non-slip safety rating on the market, meaning museum-goers – many of them young children – can safely work their way up, down, back and along the circular route as they explore various magical storytelling worlds, including a whispering wood and an enchanted library.Project manager Barry Doyle of Buckingham-based construction firm Edgar Taylor said Gripsure decking was a great choice. “It had to be non-slip because it’s a museum and there are children going up and down the stairs all the time,” said Barry. “The decking needed to be safe.”Gripsure’s Classic boards were chosen with a mixture of widths selected to suit the curved nature of the staircase. Gripsure’s Step profile was also used, which has a wide insert. As well as being a safe choice, the contemporary look of the Classic timber boards blends in well with the style of the museum’s timber and steel staircase and walkways.“This was a project of passion for the people that ran it,” said Barry Doyle, adding that it was vital to get details, such as the decking exactly right. “The staircase and external walkways are an important part because they effectively tie the buildings together on all floors.”The Story Museum was founded in 2003 and initially operated as a virtual museum before moving to premises in Rochester House, Pembroke Street. The redevelopment project first started in 2018 and was broken down into ‘chapters’.The Story Museum, which has worked and associated with and associated with authors and illustrators including Michael Morpurgo, Philip Pullman, Terry Pratchett, Jacqueline Wilson and Quentin Blake, was finally able to open its doors again in 2020, to the delight of children and their families.The extraordinary renovation project - led by Purcell architects – has been mentioned in the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Journal.The museum was also a finalist in the Art Fund’s 2022 museum of the year.See storymuseum.org.uk; edgartaylor.co.uk

TG Escapes designed and built an early years eco-building for their client Colston’s Lower School in Bristol. The building was tailored to the school’s needs, providing a separate learning space to house all the early years' students in one building. When designing any environment for young children, safety is a priority. That is why TG Escapes chose non-slip decking to surround the new school building. Gripsure met TG Escapes' rigorous non-slip requirements on this project with brown-treated Gripsure Classic, featuring three anti-slip strips. This is the first project regular Gripsure customer TG Escapes has completed in a brown-treated decking. They chose this finish to complement the Western Red Cedar cladding used on the eco-building. It is also the first project for which TG Escapes has used three-strip non-slip decking to further reduce the risk of slips and falls. A representative for TG Escapes explained “In early years buildings some of the children are of nursery age. Their feet may be so small that they would fit in between the space of two anti-slip infills, and be offered no coverage at all. Having three anti-slips eliminated this risk.” With a PTV value of 100, Classic allows access all year round offering peace of mind.

Gripsure non-slip decking made from Accoya® wood was specified for the Rising Path Project at Cambridge University’s Botanic Garden. The Rising Path is one of the gardens’ biggest horticulture projects. It revitalises the three-acre Systematic Beds, which were first laid out in 1845. The striking structure offers visitors new ways to explore plant taxonomy. The 65-metre-long spiral structure was designed by Chadwick Dryer Clarke as a gently sloping path stemming off from the gardens’ existing path network. The path leads visitors to a viewing platform with a three-metre vantage point from which the full layout of the Systematic Beds can be enjoyed. The structural frame is formed from galvanized steel with the majority of the structure built from Accoya® wood, which was selected for its durability, stability and clean aesthetic. To ensure safe access all year round the walkway and stairs needed to be slip-resistant. We supplied over 1,300 hundred linear metres of Gripsure non-slip decking made from Accoya® wood, backed with our ten-year non-slip performance guarantee. Along the pathway are sections of landing points that highlight some of the plants’ significant evolutionary innovations, which allowed them to leave the water for life on land. At these points, Gripsure Graphics non-slip deck boards were supplied to create custom typographics. The boards needed to provide a visual contrast to the main decking as well as displaying information for visitors. Project architects Chadwick Dryer Clarke and Designmap (whose design was inspired by the work of the artist Gordon Young) developed the graphic design of the boards. A representative from Chadwick Dryer Clarke said “Gripsure’s approach was positive and collaborative, with a real interest in supporting the design team and project. A number of prototypes were developed that refined the depth, size and edge clarity of lettering, and the successful result has a crispness and quality that exceeds the design aspirations.” The Rising Path is a well-crafted and elegant structure which enhances the experience of the Systematic Beds which are of global heritage significance. It has had very positive feedback from visitors since its opening.

In Rugby, 57 aerial masts and a radio station are the genesis for the beginning of a new town, centred around the recently finished Houlton School. The carefully considered design of the School by Van Heyningen & Haward (VHH), is the successful retrofit of a collection of historic, grade 2 listed radio station buildings. Its cost-effective evolution into a thriving, sustainable secondary school comes through the careful integration of the previous buildings and by choosing to use products that fitted soundly within the pre-existing vernacular.Adapting the original framework to today’s standards was a job that took years to come to fruition, careful application of steel frame and the restoration of the original brickwork has meant that the two main listed structures, Transmission Hall and Power Hall will become a place of learning for generations of students. Handmade clay bricks provided by Michelmersh were vital to the restoration of the project, where they were used to ensure the structures could be repaired and retained rather than rebuilt from the ground up.Throughout the project, various elements of the building's industrial past have been retained, with arched windows and high ceilings to ensure that the history of this nearly century-old building is revered, but not overpowering compared to its newly instated modern sensibilities.Houlton School recently won the Refurbishment Category at the BDA Brick Awards.

Belle Vue is a 5,700 square metre retirement community of 60 one and two-bedroom apartments in Hampstead, designed by Morris+Company. It’s surrounded by carefully landscaped gardens and manicured courts, with which it offers a communal environment for its residents.Inside the feeling of community is continued with a restaurant, cafe, library, spa, gym, lounges and activity rooms. All are thoughtfully considered to ensure the residents are catered for in all ways. Journeys throughout the project are open to communal areas as well for further social considerations.Due to Belle Vue’s surroundings, Floren.be’s Avorio brick was used to retain a similar, but a visually distinct homage to the brick structures in the multiple local conservation areas. The lightness and fluctuating tonality of the red Avorio allows the building to appear as light and airy externally as it is inside, due to its large windows, open plan layouts and community spaces.With a clientele whose average age is around 77, it’s insightful that Pegasus Life Pegasus Lifestory chose to hire from architectural practices who had no previous experience in the retirement sector. Modern sentiments are clearly visible throughout, but care and consideration are shown to its inhabitants where a calm environment is melded with the benefits of inner-city living.Belle Vue was recently shortlisted for the 2022 RIBA London awards.

Sugar House Island‘s Cooperage Yard is part of a transformative project just south of Olympic Park intending to create a distinctive urban environment that has been carefully designed to create a balance between work, life and leisure. Designed by Waugh Thistleton Architects it offers a stunning riverside view to its users.Set next to the Islands creative quarter, Cooperage Yard covers 8000ft2 over of the area. Its immediately recognisable sawtooth-shaped roof overlooks the river and courtyard. Natural light floods both floors of the building and a south-facing roof terrace offers further space for its inhabitants.Freshfield Lane’s Danehill Yellow bricks are immediately recognisable and offer a positive contrast to the tones of other nearby brick buildings. The tones are further complimented by shafts of natural light that penetrate the pathways between buildings. When combined, the colour language and open space create a sense of optimism between the structures.

One of the first residential developments created and offered for sale by Westminster City Council, Cosway Street, in Marylebone, London is a collection of 49 contemporary homes set around an attractive communal garden. Vandersanden’s Cayenne, Woodland Mixture and Lima bricks are integral both to the pre-cast Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) panels, forming the facades, and the traditional hand-laid brickwork lining the balcony spaces. This landmark building was inspired by the area’s Georgian terraces and Victorian mansion blocks. From the choice of materials to the precise proportions and the gentle curves of the scalloped panels, every element of the architecture has been considered to help stitch the scheme into its setting. David Miller Architects took over the project post planning approval. The design intent was to craft the building as if it had been carved from brick. A key decision was to employ pre-fabricated DfMA brick panels for the main facades, alongside traditional hand-laid brickwork for the inset balconies. Using this approach allowed the construction team to build quickly to a precise, high quality and efficient standard in a controlled manufacturing environment, using less energy and carbon and creating less waste. The idea was to split the building’s mass using the materiality, colours and textures of the three different bricks and the scalloped form of the panels to respond directly to the context of the site. The choice of bricks was incredibly important and had to meet the planning design intent explains Sundas Rohilla, project architect at David Miller Architects. “It was essential to ensure we were picking up the right tones of reds, yellows and greys from the existing buildings; Vandersanden’s Cayenne, Woodland Mixture and Lima do this perfectly. They also harmonise with the pigmentation of the concrete sills and copings, as well as with the window and balcony railing colours.” “We’d used Vandersanden products on a previous project for Westminster City Council and we’re now using them to deliver two other projects in the same area, Ashbridge Street and Ashmill Street. It comes down to the hues and the textures that the bricks offer and the company’s commitment to sustainability.” The mass of the building is reduced not only by the different blocks of brick colours but also by the gradation of the mortar colours across the façade. In all, there are five mortars with the darkest at the base of the wall and the lightest at the top. Using mortars in this way meant that there was no need to use different brick types to achieve the same effect, but it did mean that it was essential to have bricks of the right texture and consistency. The brick panels were pointed off-site in the factory. With such a complicated design, off-site construction meant that precise tolerances could be achieved, and the quality of the brickwork could be seamless. In all, 285 precast panels were manufactured by Decomo in Belgium to create 3.500m2 of finished facades. Dueto the façade’s differing curvatures, Decomo had to cut and bond the bricks to various sizes with 117 different shapes for each of the three brick colours. The bricks used by Decomo in Belgium exactly matched those being used on-site by the bricklayers, with Vandersanden working closely with the design team and directly with Decomo to manage this process. “Vandersanden was incredibly helpful and responsive from the start, providing samples and initial quotes during brick selection,” notes Rohilla. “The company’s approach to sustainability and collective wellbeing resonates with ours as an architectural practice. Knowing that Vandersanden has Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) that are super open means that we can easily compare against other products. It feels like sustainability is really embodied into their culture.”  “Our experience with Vandersanden has been great and their products have helped us deliver top quality housing. Everyone involved is very proud of the building’s aesthetic and that is due to the bricks. It’s been a very good experience and we hope to keep working with them.”The design for Cosway Street was by Bell Phillips, realised by Osborne and David Miller Architects as their delivery architects. To find out more about the bricks used in this project or to see the wide range of high-quality bricks available from Vandersanden, click on the 'View more' link

Gripsure decking has been used to complete a landmark health building. The £41 million Health Innovation One is the new home of Lancaster University’s Medical School and Division of Health Research.The state-of-the-art building is also a regional hub, which brings together industry, research partners, health and care providers, the voluntary sector and local authorities. The focus is to help improve the health and well-being of the area.With such a variety of uses and needs, it was important to get Health Innovation One’s outside space just right.BAM Construction Ltd, the firm behind the project, came to Gripsure because they wanted a safe, non-slip decking area which blended with the style of the building and its natural surroundings. Gripsure Cumaru was the ideal choice. This hard-wearing, non-slip decking range comes with a 25+ year expected in-service life.Up to 3,500 linear metres of our Cumaru boards have been used outside Health Innovation One’s main entrance and for the flooring of an outdoor seating area.“The Cumaru product was offered as a value engineering option and offered a significant saving to the specified product as well as being a high-quality solution.” said Jonah Speaks, Assistant Project Surveyor at BAM Construction Ltd.As well as the quality and look of the product, Jonah said the construction team was impressed with Gripsure’s support and help at every stage.He said: “There was ongoing support from the technical team to propose the correct fixings and interfaces to ensure long term performance and robustness.”Work was completed last year on Health Innovation One, which features various meeting rooms and event spaces – including a dedicated Innovation Lab and Business Lounge and an on-site cafe.The building is part of the wider Health Innovation Campus at Lancaster University. The site will allow external organisations to work with university experts when addressing health challenges in Lancashire, the North West and across the country.Gripsure is proud to have contributed to such an important project.

The Stratosphere building in London, designed by Allies and Morrison, is a sleek and contemporary addition to the capital’s skyline. Its location in the Stratford area of London makes it a part of the vibrant cultural and business hub of East London.The building’s striking design is characterized by its distinctive saw-tooth facade, which is made up of a series of alternating angled and flat planes. The facade was inspired by the industrial heritage of the surrounding area, which was once home to factories and warehouses. The saw-tooth design also serves a practical purpose, allowing for maximum natural light to enter the building while minimizing solar gain and glare. The building’s interior spaces are designed to be flexible and adaptable, making them suitable for a range of uses from office spaces to residential apartments.The Stratosphere building uses Floren.be’s Sirius clay bricks. The deep browns help set it apart from its contemporary counterpart and also speak to the industrial heritage of the area.

Located on the edge of Cambridge’s De Freville Conservation Area, Clare College’s St Regis site has provided accommodation for postgraduate students of the University of Cambridge for over fifty years. In recent times, the need for regeneration became clear and Freeland Rees Roberts Architects was appointed to design a new scheme. The practice worked closely with Vandersanden, selecting brick as the principal element of the attractive new facades.While the old buildings failed to fit into the surrounding urban context and lacked the facilities required, the new scheme provides more and improved student accommodation for the college together with market flats. To achieve this successfully in a residential area, it was vital to consider the massing and perceived scale of the buildings. Consequently, the volumes were broken down to feel more like a series of big houses than large residential blocks.Clearly of a confident, contemporary design, the buildings respect their surroundings, repairing and maintaining the rhythm of the street scene. In large part, this is due to the choice of bricks and the splitting of the facades into separate gables with slopping roofs. Vandersanden’s Majestic and Luna Apollo facing bricks were selected and contribute to the detailing of the facades.“There is plenty of life and colour variation in the bricks,” explains Alexander Hobohm, director at Freeland Rees Roberts Architects. “This assists in breaking down the overall massing of the facades and works well with the dark zinc of the roofs.”The bricks act to soften the appearance of the facades and link the context of the new and neighbouring buildings. The beige grey Majestic brick predominates with the darker grey Luna Apollo providing detailing. It forms the plinth that anchors the buildings while a soldier course of Majestic bricks above provides the transition to the main body of the walls. At the junction with the zinc roof, the detailing is subtle with the transition provided by stepped courses of the Luna Apollo. Panels of projecting brick headers are a further feature, introduced to add a textural quality that brings light and shade to the facades.“The brick’s colour, tone and texture were qualities that other manufacturers couldn’t offer,” says Hobohm. “Usefully, Vandersanden invited us to see a number of projects using the same bricks which was so much more helpful than relying just on sample panels.”Another contributory factor to the look is the choice of mortar. This was specified to create a natural, lime mortar-like appearance and was achieved by fully pointing and, after the initial set, brushing back; there are no struck joint lines.A defining feature of the front facade is the public art. The college commissioned a carving featuring swifts in flight, inspired by the birds that were in residence in the original buildings. Swift boxes have been integrated into the new facades to provide a home for these beautiful birds. Using hand tools and following trials, stonemasons carved some 5-10mm into the face of the brickwork to create the design. A breathable paint finish was applied to highlight the indentations - a single bird at the very top is gold-leafed.  For Hobohm, working with Vandersanden was a positive, supportive and proactive process. “It was very straightforward. Early on, Vandersanden supplied product and technical information, plus a batch of the two brick types, enabling us to create sample panels. The bricks helped deliver the project vision and the client is delighted. It’s now one of the college’s signature buildings and has already won several awards.” To find out more about the bricks used in this project or to see the wide range of high-quality bricks available from Vandersanden, click on the 'View more' link 

The Lost Gardens of Heligan welcomes over 290,000 visitors each year to explore its 200 acres of rediscovered gardens. Heligan came to Gripsure for a non-slip solution for the Jungle, where decked walkways lead visitors through immersive tropical plants and giant ferns. The Jungle is in a sheltered, deep valley. It is very steep in places, so when it rains, it’s essential visitors are kept safe. We recommended Gripsure Classic, a smooth board featuring three non-slip inserts. We chose this decking because it has the highest safety rating on the market, making it the right choice for this project. Heligan staff welcomed the innovative solution to replace sections of timber covered in chicken-wire. "A quality product at a competitive price as well as a friendly and professional service, where nothing was too much trouble"- Heligan Gardening Team.

Native’s flagship boutique aparthotel in the bankside conservation area of Bear Gardens is an eight-storey scheme that involves the transformation of three of the five buildings located within the confines of the densely packed area. IG’s brick feature arch lintels feature on the front elevation of the former derelict 19th century Empire Warehouse that has been replaced and linked into a 75-room boutique aparthotel.Challenge:SPPARC in association with Southwark Council, Macro Investments and Native wanted to demonstrate that modern architecture can successfully cohabit with the historic collection of buildings informed by the industrial heritage that dominates the southern bank of the River Thames.A carefully considered restoration and modern intervention was required for a cutting-edge contemporary mixed-use development, offering an urban experience for its users but remaining sensitive to the colourful history, conservation area and surrounding developments.Solution:IG’s technical team designed eighteen brick feature arch lintels to accommodate metal paned and arched factory styled windows. A 2718mm opening span and 143mm rise was required for each prefabricated lintel, each including a 338mm high face brick and 223mm soffit return with either a 78 or 90-degree end skew.The massing arrangement across each floor ensures that natural light is maximised throughout the building with the intricate brick detailing prominent at street level appearing above impressive double height foyer windows. The offsite construction method used negated the need for skilled brickwork to be created onsite to achieve the decorative brick pattern at a raised height. This helped to reduce any health and safety concerns in a location surrounded by tourist destinations and narrow cobbled streets.The ground floor of the scheme provides mixed use units with the northern site leased by Bell English Language School and the southern site providing studios for the iconic Globe Theatre directly linking to their Sackler Education Building.The upper floors are lighter in composition, combining clear and obscure floor-to-ceiling glazing with rich bronze circular rods, creating a strong rhythm to the façade, and enhancing the appearance of the once-dilapidated buildings. The upper floors of the Rose Alley elevation have perforated bronze screens that offer privacy, referencing the loom patterns that were once manufactured in the original warehouse.

Built on the site of Warranty House, a now demolished office building, Middle Yard is a residential development located on Dudden Hill Lane in London. The regenerative development consists of 136 new homes set back from the road, creating a much sought-after sense of privacy and space. In addition to the 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, there is also a communal garden, pool and onsite gym for Middle Yard’s residents to enjoy.Designed by Union Developments and Lynas Smith Architects, the development was completed in 2022 and has been extremely popular amongst buyers, with multiple apartments being reserved before completion. The brick-centric homes align with the bricks’ proven record of high durability and low maintenance, and the location is extremely convenient for commuting into central London with multiple transport links extremely close by. The development is also close to a number of amenities, including schools, shops and parks.Middle Yard has provided much-needed new homes in northwest London. The timeless brick construction and eye-catching modern design have helped to regenerate an area of the city. Freshfield Lane’s eye-catching Lindfield Yellow bricks provide unmistakable character to the project and help settle it into the urban environment.

Alma-nac's "House-within-a-house" is a fantastic example of a building retrofitted to adapt to new challenges. Sitting in a row of typical 1950's houses, the project gave an existing home a contemporary facelift while complimenting the surrounding buildings traditional London brick.12,670 Michelmersh bricks were used in the project to provide an economical and thermally efficient shell to the original building, which is nestled inside the outer structure. Elements of the project that may have ended up in landfill were reused where possible and the combination of reused concrete and the brick skin means an increase of thermal efficiency that could save 4 tonnes of Carbon a year.House-within-a-House recently won the "Individual Housing Development" in the 2021 Brick Awards, judges praised it's complementary nature to the area without "trying to mimic the naturally aged material".

Woodcote House is the contemporary, carefully designed and sustainable replacement for what was previously a series of buildings that had fallen into disrepair amongst the beautiful scenery provided by the South Downs National Park.Designed by Design Engine and Paul Cashin Architects, Woodcote House consists of four large bedrooms, an open plan living, dining and kitchen area and fitted with bespoke joinery the interior is flooded with natural light. Huge windows that allow for picturesque scenes to filter into the internal spaces.Freshfield Lane’s First Quality Multi were used to provide a homage to the original brick buildings that sat on the site prior to development, as well as allowing the structure to impact the environment minimally.

Westoe Crown Village by Taylor Wimpey is a development of 685 homes near South Shields, Newcastle. The coastal neighbourhood offers a range of apartments, three-storey townhouses and two-storey houses. Designed with the assistance of local community organisations to ensure an innovative and stimulating environment, Northumbria Police also assisted and advised on the best ways to reduce the potential of crime within the environment.Westoe Crown Village also introduced a village square, primary and nursery school, community centre, healthy living facility, shops and offices – all essential for a growing area of Newcastle. The centre of the village was also designed to have a crucial emphasis on disabled access with ramps, dropped curbs and a lack of barriers implemented so as to create a fully accessible centre for those with additional needs.Carlton’s Ridings Gold Antique clay bricks were used to exemplary effect in the construction of the project with the soft pink, orange and red hues providing a summer-y, pleasant glow to the area, perfect for its close proximity to the beach. The brick also provides a fitting complement to the featured off-white facades that surround certain buildings.

Designed by SPPARC Architecture as a place for living and a space for learning, the 14-storey Music Box is a mixed-use development incorporating a campus for the London College of Contemporary Media and 55 residential units, including on-site affordable housing. The three-dimensional projecting brickwork pattern, which required special bricks glazed on all visible surfaces, reads like a sheet of musical notes across the page, providing relief, rhythm and interest. Those able to read guitar tab may recognise that the brick patterns resemble Eric Clapton’s guitar riff in Cream’s song ‘White Room’.

"When we started to plan our farm diversification project, a luxury, boutique, Glamping destination in North Yorkshire branded The Private Hill, it was imperative that every aspect of our guest experience would support our 5 star gold aspirations for the property. With some of the most newsy geodesic dome structures, luxuriously furnished with fully en-suite facilities, sitting on an exposed hillside whilst taking full advantage of our unique views we knew we had to ensure the safety of all guests when walking around the site. Gripsure offered a non-slip decking solution that was some way ahead of competitor product and having reviewed samples it wasn’t a difficult decision. We ordered a significant quantity of pre-cut non-slip boarding from Gripsure which, whilst a little more expensive than other suppliers, allowed us to be certain that we were exceeding all UK Health & Safety requirements. Not only did the property achieve 5 star status on completion, when officially inspected by Quality in Tourism, but it was also awarded their coveted Gold standard and, equally, a very rare Unique Accommodation Accolade on account of the high standards we’d set for The Private Hill Experience. Many guests have, since opening, commented on the excellent non-slip properties of the Gripsure decking product we use across the whole site and it has proved itself time and time again over the icy winter months. We absolutely wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Gripsure to any others considering similar diversification into the luxury Glamping sector" - Roddy Hamilton, Owner and Founder of The Private Hill.

When renowned house-builders, McAllister Developments were tasked with delivering a distinctive and upmarket detached residential scheme at Moneymore, they turned to AG.Working closely with the experienced team at McAllister we were able to provide a range of brick, paving and retaining walling products in a variety of complementary colour blends to help create a truly standout residential development.The highly-regarded Heritage facing brick was selected due to its hand-crafted aesthetic appeal and its renowned durability. The retaining wall used was Anchor® Diamond®, with caps, as it allows for fast installation and it blends in perfectly with the surrounding garden.The Long Stone Fiammata is AG’s newest range of premium, porcelain-effect plank paving and was chosen for its unique minimalist design style and ease of maintenance. Finally, for the paving AG favoured the Rosemount flag for its extreme strength and low slip potential.David Speirs, Head of Specification and Commercial Sales believes they met all the project criteria:“Using our vast experience and range of products for use within the residential market we were able to provide perfect colour blends and styles that complemented each other to help the developer achieve the goal of building an upmarket detached residential site.”

The Wave is a world class inland surfing lake set in the Gloucestershire countryside on the outskirts of Bristol. The Wavegarden Cove technology is capable of producing one thousand waves per hour, creating perfect surf for professionals and beginners alike. We worked closely with APG Architecture to find just the right decking for this exciting project. After visiting a number of sites where our boards are performing well in a similar environment, the design team specified Gripsure Classic. These boards feature three non-slip inserts giving an initial PTV of 100 which is the highest rated product in the range. The design team wanted to ensure the safety of surfers as they transitioned from dry and wet zones on the site. An APG Architect commented "Our biggest concern was safety and Gripsure managed to solve that". The Wave's mission is to get people back outdoors, enjoying physical activity and connecting with nature. Sustainability is at the heart of the project, with materials chosen for aesthetic beauty and low impact on the natural environment. Gripsure uses sustainable Scandinavian Vth grade European Redwood timber, carrying FSC or PEFC third party accreditation. Gripsure non-slip decking were installed on the central pier, giving guests the opportunity to watch the surfers in the lake. The clubhouse also features a first-floor terrace, with panoramic views of the site, making it an ideal spot to enjoy refreshments. Gripsure Classic was also used for boardwalks and seating areas in the nature reserve by the lake. Gripsure supplied a variety of sub-contractors on the site, making a number of deliveries throughout the build. They provided cutting advice, recommended spans and supplied lengths to minimise wastage. The team at Gripsure visited the site shortly after it opened in November 2019 for their team day and were delighted to see the finished project (and have a go, of course!)

Lee Valley White Water Centre offers a unique mix of white water rafting and paddle sports, including family activities. The attraction, which is in Hertfordshire’s scenic Lee Valley Country Park, needed a new decking solution for its Terrace Bar & Café. Because many visitors choose to relax over a drink or a meal straight from their water sports experience, it was important to have decking that would be non-slip, even with surface water. And with the Terrace offering a packed programme including live music events, it also needed to be hardwearing. Gripsure supplied nearly 4,000 metres of Balau Hardwood anti-slip decking, an extremely durable product with an expected in-service life of more than 50 years. Lee Valley Regional Park Authority’s surveyor, Robert Kearney said: “We needed decking with the greatest resistance to damp, which we could use to create safe non-slip walkways. We were looking for many years of durability, so this is a long-term investment for us.”

Gripsure decking has been used to provide safe outdoor areas at a learning centre and holiday lodges owned by a Cornish sailing charity. The Children’s Sailing Trust has taught more than 5,000 youngsters to sail since it was established in on the Helford River in 1997. The charity offers accessible sailing to children who might not otherwise get the opportunity to get out on the water, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.Gripsure’s non-slip decking has been used to create safe outdoor spaces at the trust’s recently opened public waterside Learning Centre at Trevassack Lake on The Lizard, as well as outside six holiday properties at the same site. The three accessible lodges and three cabins, all with inset hot tubs, are available for people to rent and help to raise important funds for the charity.Charity staff say the decking areas had to be non-slip and accessible, as well as in keeping with the style of the site. Up to 3,850 linear meters of Gripsure’s Contemporary profile boards have been used around two sides of public waterside at the Learning Centre, including the outside eating area.The Contemporary boards also form the large decking area outside each of the holiday properties. The lakeside has three architect designed lodges, two of which are fully accessible with integrated ceiling hoists, adjustable kitchen facilities, wide doorways and other aids.There are also three double-depth cabins, more suitable for non-disabled guests or those with some mobility limitations.Katie Chown, marketing manager at Children’s Sailing Trust said: “The non-slip surface is very important because we have children running around and people with mobility difficulties who need to have safe, level walkways. We chose the Contemporary profile because we are a brand new site with purpose-built, modern facilities to welcome all ages and abilities, so all the finishings and furnishings are classic, modern and good quality.”Gripsure’s low maintenance Contemporary profile boards are made from high-quality Northern European Redwood Pine. They have an expected service life of 15-20 years and a 15-year non-slip performance warranty.Katie said: “It does the intended job and looks smart,” adding that it is “very practical in day-to-day use.”The decking areas at Trevassack Lake were fitted through contractor Brady Construction. Alastair Knight from Brady said although tough to cut, the boards blended in with the look of the centre and holiday properties. “It all looked really good in the end,” he said. “Apart from blunting a few cutting tools, everything else was brilliant. The decking fitted in very well.”The Children’s Sailing Trust was established for local school children. The opening of Trevassack means it can offer a wide range of accessible and inclusive facilities.Trevassack is open to the public, for all ages and abilities or disabilities.To find out more, see childrenssailingtrust.org.ukAll media is courtesy of The Children's Sailing Trust. ©2022 The Children's Sailing Trust

Gripsure decking is helping to bring more visitors to an expanding network of scenic waterside trails in rural Ireland. Gripsure's Premier non-slip timber decking is used on a new 60-metre-long boardwalk at Acres Lake near Drumshanbo, County Leitrim. The boardwalk forms part of the Shannon Blueway, a network of multi-activity recreational trails providing routes into the heart of rural Ireland by canoe, bike or on foot. The boardwalk was officially opened by The Minister for the Department of Rural and Community Development, Minister Ring TD. Gripsure’s anti-slip decking is also used on Acre Lake’s new fishing and viewing platform, which is accessible to disabled visitors. Using one of the safest decking profiles available, it will ensure the waterside attraction stays safe underfoot– even in wet weather. Created by Waterways Ireland, the development is aimed at attracting more people to enjoy the waterways. In addition to traditional boaters, the family-friendly trails are now bringing walkers, canoeists, paddle boarders and cyclists to enjoy the trails. Deirdre Donnelly, Design Engineer at Waterways Ireland said: “The boardwalk is a fantastic facility that has been very well received. It is bringing in more visitors to use the Shannon Blueway, including walkers, cyclists, paddle boarders and anglers. When we were designing the boardwalk we decided we needed a non-slip surface that was also very durable. We are committed to making the boardwalk and fishing platform accessible to visitors with disabilities and safety has been an important consideration. The decking was very easy to install, looks great and works really well.” The Shannon Blueway encompasses more than 200km of waterborne or waterside trails. Its recreational trails offer walking, kayaking, and cycling routes in lesser-known parts of the State.

The Confetti Building was designed by Allan Joyce Architects and completed in 2017. Built to provide a new area for students and include a cafe, LRC, motion capture suite, roof terrace and classrooms, it is intended to mature the institute with enough space for students after a period of rapid growth.The building embraces its industrial heritage with exposed ductwork, structure and brickwork but has been designed to ensure modern experiences are intertwined with the original spaces.A striking external facade is comprised of Blockleys Smooth black with a special BD1.3 shaped brick used for detailing. The Brickwork naturally compliments nearby red brick buildings and provides a balance to the wood and glass used around the building in other areas.

The Hawley Wharf Masterplan has transformed a neglected part of Camden Down into a thriving, vibrant destination that has enhanced the identity of the area while paying tribute to the classic intents of London’s unmistakable architectural heritage.Eight new buildings sit between existing railway viaducts and allowing for open public space and connecting the project to the wider area through re-established pedestrian pathways. A variety of homes, educational facilities, workplaces and more help solidify the area’s growth without straining its resources. Two refurbished Grade II listed buildings are also integrated into the development.Our Freshfield Lane First Quality Multi & Selected Dark bricks look fantastic on the vast Hawley Wharf development cleverly designed by AHMM Architects Hawley Wharf has been announced as the Winner of Winners at the 2021 Housing Design Awards.

Victoria House is a £13 million 9-storey mixed-use development in Leeds. It consists of 106 apartments with offices on the ground floor. Victoria House is a stone’s throw from Leed’s city centre and St. James University Hospital. It provides affordable, high-quality homes to first-time buyers, key workers, graduates and those who work within the city.The development offers studio, 1-bed and 2-bedroom apartments, outdoor areas, ping pong tables and a basketball court with on-site concierge service for added security.Victoria House makes use of Carlton’s Wolds Minster Blend, its varied dark tones allow it to comfortably blend into pre-existing red brick vernacular whilst also creating its own identity amongst nearby green areas and surrounding buildings.

The first phase of Allies and Morrison‘s “Hale Wharf” development consists of 249 new homes across two buildings, and a pedestrian bridge that sits on a slender island overlooking the River Lee at Tottenham Hale. The venture also includes external spaces for communities to enjoy and easy access to public transport and nearby nature spot. Commercial areas are also included on the ground floor to further improve the area.Freshfield Lane First Quality and Selected Darks are used to striking effect as a homage to the characteristics of London’s historic canals. The hues embodied within the bricks allow for the structure to complement the modernisation of the area while also complimenting the waterfront green areas and the development of nearby nature parks.Hale Wharf represents an exciting opportunity for an area of London that needed a number of new properties to fulfil local needs, as such, a number of units in the development have been built to be affordable. Further developments are planned along the island with Phase 2 starting construction in 2022.

Meadowside is a small development of 23 eco-lodge holiday homes in St. Columb, Cornwall. The lodges are in the beautiful North Cornwall countryside. The area is teeming with wildlife, including a large variety of birds, rabbits, foxes and deer. The lodges are available all year round and benefit from unspoilt views of the surrounding hills and valleys. We supplied Gripsure Premier non-slip decking for a number of lodges. It was also used to deck the outdoor space surrounding the lodges, including steps, access ramps and hot tub areas, ensuring safe access for residents over the seasons. Income from the two- and three-bedroom holiday homes supports the neighbouring Cornish Birds of Prey Centre and Animal Park.

Resucoat HB the high-build epoxy resin manufactured by Sherwin-Williams is over around 12000 square metres of concourse floor area. For this project with heavy and intense footfall it was essential to have a hard wearing coating with a degree of texture for non-slip performance which also would be cleanable to provide a great looking floor for this high profile facility. A special very hard aggregate is incorporated into the coating which is the same product used for non-slip texture on areas such as the decks of United States aircraft carriers.

AATi supplied a staggering 2500 metres (1.55 miles) of cast metal anti-slip stair nosings for the major re-development at London Bridge Station! AATi worked closely with Laing O’Rourke to develop a phased delivery schedule in order to hit key milestones during the projects construction from January 2016 right through to December 2017. Due to the unique ability to manufacture bespoke cast metal products, AATi were on hand to resolve an issue on the project by designing a bespoke nosing to fit around the handrail posts throughout the station.

Manthorpe Building Products have been making subtle but effective modifications to their pioneering Swift Brick designed in conjunction with the RSPB and Barratt Developments Plc.

Envisioned as the first purpose-built music college in the UK since 1987, the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire of Music hosts 5 performance venues that have been created to service an increasingly digital environment.Its public concert hall contains seating for 500 and a full orchestra and is flanked by an organ studio, the Eastside Jazz Club, a 150-seat recital hall and “The Lab” – an experimental music space. It is additionally serviced by 70 practice rooms, a cafe, and a large three-level entrance foyer.Constructed in Birmingham’s Education sector, the project acts as a cultural hub by offering visual and performing arts to the city as well as its students. Special attention was given to creating a building that made access feel as easy as possible.Using our Floren Polaris bricks, and beautifully designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, the exterior of the project has been described as an ‘Urban Castle’, with the acoustic benefits of brick being employed to reduce external noise as well as enable the Conservatoire to carry itself visually amongst the surrounding campus.The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire has won the RIBA West Midlands Project of the Year, RICS West Midlands Project of the Year and the RICS West Midlands Design for Innovation Award.

As part of its ongoing work to improve the energy efficiency of its homes, over the last two years Clarion Housing Group has retrofitted 505 homes across Fenland, Tonbridge and Malling which had an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or below. Among them were 13 bungalows in the Chapel Gardens development in Benwick. The work was part-financed via the first wave of the government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF), which was launched in 2021 to help social housing providers and local authorities increase the EPC rating of their properties to C or above. All social housing provided by registered providers was eligible for SHDF wave one funding, regardless of archetype, and the work being carried out is designed to tackle issues associated with fuel poverty including mould and condensation.    As a registered provider of social housing, Clarion could apply for the funding as part of a consortium with Fenland District Council and Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council. The £4.35m secured by the two local authorities was match funded by Clarion, which is working closely with its main contractor Equans to upgrade the homes. “We were already carrying out works to improve residents’ homes under existing maintenance contracts, in line with the government’s 2030 EPC C target, but this funding has allowed us to accelerate and increase the scale of it all, ultimately improving more homes much faster,” said Daniel Archard, asset sustainability manager at Clarion. Meeting PAS 2035 standards  Sarsvati Varsani is part of Equans’ dedicated specialist retrofit team. As a senior technical retrofit advisor for the contractor, she is overseeing the process in terms of energy efficiency and compliance. She said: “The delivery of all SHDF projects must be PAS 2035 compliant, which specifies a whole-house or whole-building approach to retrofit. It means that energy efficiency measures should be installed with the requirement of the entire building in mind – both from a technical standpoint and considering factors like occupant comfort. “The SHDF facilitates a multi-measure approach to allow us to upgrade Clarion’s least energy-efficient homes to meet the PAS 2035 specification using more than one measure. For example, as well as replacing insulation we are also installing air source heat pumps at the properties where necessary. “I’m working closely with the site team, retrofit designer and contracts manager to address any issues throughout and ensure that every measure is compliant with the standard. Representatives from Clarion and the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero also conduct site visits to review progress throughout.” One of the key principles of wave one of the SHDF is a fabric-first approach. This ensures heat loss prevention measures are installed before other energy efficiency measures, to maximise the dwelling’s suitability for low carbon heating either now or in the future, and to benefit tenants in terms of comfort, health, well-being and bills. The Chapel Gardens bungalows had an original U-value of 1.43W/m²Km, so this was going to take considerable changes. Having been built between 1967 and 1975, the cavity insulation in the bungalows was no longer fit for purpose as it had slumped to the bottom or – in some cases – didn’t even exist. It has now been replaced with a polystyrene bead insulation. The benefits of external wall insulation As part of the fabric-first approach being taken by Equans and Clarion, Saint-Gobain Weber’s External Wall Insulation (EWI) system was specified for the bungalows to improve their thermal efficiency. It is being installed by FRT Property Services Ltd, which is PAS 2030:2019 certified – something that is required of all of the subcontractors working on this project. By gaining PAS 2030:2019 certification, retrofit installers can demonstrate that they have installed energy efficiency measures that meet the required specifications, and have delivered on customer requirements and expectations in accordance with TrustMark standards. FRT Property Services – which began working on Chapel Gardens in January 2023 – specialises in EWI and its director Farhat Ahmed and Operations Director Radu Ursache helped to ensure work was delivered to Weber standards, on time and within budget.  For this project, Farhat’s team installed webertherm XM with 100mm of webertherm MFD insulation. The SHDF stipulates an energy performance outcome of 90kWh/m2/year, with a target U-value of 0.30 W/m²K. The addition of EWI from Weber was critical in enabling Clarion to meet the SHDF space heating demand performance outcome, as the replacement cavity wall insulation alone wouldn’t suffice – with the properties only achieving 0.44W/m²K. Having requested that the retrofit work didn’t change the aesthetic of the bungalows, the planners wanted to maintain a brick finish. To achieve this, weberwall brick was specified along with the webertherm XM EWI system. This innovative brick slip system is lightweight and quick to install, containing the equivalent of 20 brick faces per sheet. It is available in a wide range of colours including Antique Buff, which meant it was possible to closely match the surrounding buildings.  Farhat said: “The team at Weber has been very helpful throughout the process and applications manager Linda Twidale showed my team how to install the product. It’s very simple and provided the like-for-like result the client wanted; as far as brick slip systems go, weberwall brick provides the closest match to real bricks I’ve seen while working in this sector.” It was important to Clarion that the residents of the bungalows were able to remain in their homes while the work was completed which is why EWI was the perfect solution. Farhat’s team worked closely with Equans’ retrofit liaison officers and other subcontractors, including the scaffolding and utilities companies, to ensure everything went smoothly and the homeowners were not inconvenienced.  By installing the webertherm XM EWI system, the U-value at the properties has been improved to an efficient 0.20 W/m²K – far exceeding the target of 0.30W/m²K. Once all of the retrofit work has been completed, the bungalows will undergo a post-works EPC assessment and are expected to achieve a C rating. The new insulation will provide improved thermal performance all year round, helping to keep residents’ homes cooler throughout the summer and warmer in the winter. It is predicted that those living in upgraded Clarion properties will save between £300 and £500 on their energy bills each year. Switchee smart thermostats have been installed in some properties to relay data to Clarion, enabling them to monitor the energy consumption of the properties. Within six months, Equans’ retrofit evaluator will issue a questionnaire to residents to assess whether everything works as it’s supposed to, and Farhat’s team has already received feedback. He said: “Residents have told us they’re already feeling the difference in the temperature of their home. “It isn’t right that people have had to choose between eating and heating but getting such positive feedback really highlights the role that we’re playing in improving these homes.” Daniel Archard, asset sustainability manager at Clarion, added: “We’ve received more funding via wave two of the SHDF and are planning to increase our retrofitting tenfold over the next three years, as pressure builds to upgrade all social housing to an EPC rating of C or above by 2030.” Farhat concluded: “We’re looking forward to continuing our support during the delivery of the future pipeline of work within this area for Clarion Housing under SHDF Wave 2.1.”