"wood block and strip flooring"

GEC Anderson’s stainless steel worktops, sinktops, doors and splashbacks have been chosen for the modern Café Bar at The Hepworth Wakefield art gallery in West Yorkshire, for their contemporary and accurate appearance as well as their hygienic qualities associated with food service. The stunning building is formed of ten different sized trapezoidal blocks constructed using pigmented, self-compacting concrete and recently listed in The Times ‘Top 50 Galleries in the World’. The continuous stainless steel worktop installed behind the main serving counter of the Café Bar incorporates sinks, plinth, cupboards doors and splashbacks, all in brushed satin stainless steel.

LKAB Minerals is pleased to supply Gypsol on one of Vistry Partnerships' most challenging projects in London.Brunel Street Works is one of the largest regeneration sites in London, Canning Town, E16. This exciting new urban development is helping support and attract new homeowners and revitalise a disused site in Canning Town. The site is close to major rail links, a short walk to Canary Wharf and to London City Airport. In addition to the strong transport links, the apartments offer stunning views of the city landscape, including the O2  Arena. The development project in total consists of 996 apartments and a Premier Inn Hotel over 5 Blocks.

A new mixed use development in East London, which features apartment blocks and individual residential plots along with an underground car park. This development lacked sufficient substation capacity for the electric vehicle charging infrastructure required to meet London planning conditions. This case study shows how we were able to prevent installing a further substation or having to upgrade existing power supply by load managing the load allocated to the electric vehicle charging points. Using an Array Charging/Load Management system is the only way you can allow for diversity for the load you allocate for electric vehicle charging points (BS7671).

Wedding ceremonies are made more peaceful in the Grade II and II* Listed Reading Town Hall following acoustic secondary glazing adaptations to block noise from the town centre. 23 units were installed. Each gothic arch was treated with a combination of transom coupled secondary glazed units with a Series 42 curved fixed light system affixed at the top. Series 10 horizontal sliding units were specified for the lower units on the wider windows, whereas the Series 45 side hung casement was selected for the narrower windows. 6.4mm acoustic laminate glass was specified which reduced noise levels by 40-45dB.

Brookland House is the latest refurbishment project by Beech Holdings, who are known for taking unloved buildings and transforming them into sustainable homes.Formerly a neglected office block, Brookland House now provides 25 contemporary eco-friendly apartments for both students and professionals. Built with sustainability in mind, the apartments benefit from an energy efficient glazing package from Senior Architectural Systems. This includes double glazed SPW600e windows, elegant and thermally efficient SF52 Curtain Walling with slim sightlines and arched frames at the head, plus robust SPW501 commercial doors, which are certified to PAS24 and Secured by Design standards.

“If you ask pupils what aspect of the facilities is their top priority for the school to improve, it will always be the toilets. We now have a space that is bright, colourful and looks smart. These facilities are great!” - Ian Parnaby, School Business Leader. The washroom area at York High School was a unisex block, which meant that privacy was a key priority when selecting their cubicle range. They also had to be smart, robust and easy to clean and maintain. With all this in mind York High School selected Centurion Full Height cubicles and Venesta’s pre-plumbed panelling system, Vepps®.For more details read the full case study.

The London borough of Camden’s extensive heating system renewal and refurbishment programme at the St Silas Estate is using bespoke manufactured metal pipe boxing boxing from Pendock to conceal external pipework on several high rise blocks where the community heating system is being upgraded.The metal boxing from the Pendock Profiles range is bespoke manufactured from 2mm thick aluminium to ensure it fully conceals the vertical and horizontal pipework used on the new heating system. Incorporating two PPC finishes in brown and dark yellow to integrate with the brickwork, the boxing not only conceals the pipework, but also protects it from damage.

3 x high-rise tower blocks in Essex received new ground source heat pumps, 3 x more energy-efficient than their old night storage heaters, reducing heating and hot water bills by up to 66%.Award-winning project:Winner of ‘Regional Large Scale Project of the Year’ at The South East Energy Efficiency Awards 2023Winner of ‘National Renewable Heat Project of the Year’ at The National Energy Efficiency Awards 2023Winner of ‘Climate Action – Decarbonisation / Retrofit Award’ at the Essex Housing Awards 2023Shortlisted for ‘Domestic Installation of the Year’ at the PHAM Energy Saving Awards

Built on the site of the former East London Bus Garage, The Forge creates 192 residential apartments clustered around communal courtyards. Working alongside installer Ravenworth, a two-million pound systems package of 1,000 aluminium windows, 170 aluminium patio doors and 20 aluminium commercial doors were provided to this project.The light buff buildings range from three to five storeys with a contrasting white brick 14-storey focal building. This forms the gateway to the development together with a row of interestingly designed townhouses. Each block displays frequent openings with contrasting areas of glazing and cladding, softened with balconies.

DescriptionSmet Supported Partner, B Team Shopfitters machine applied the LIDL External Render System onto Poroton blocks externally using as Base Coat: Bauprotec 850 M – Lightweight Lime Cement Render and as Finish Coat; Mineral Finish Coat K.  As Key Coat: Change of substrate concrete/steel pillar/Poroton block or mass concrete and insulated plinths: Bauprotec RHS Multi-Purpose Render with the addition of Bauprotec SLP for plinths.The Internal Render System specification onto Poroton blockwork consists of a base of Coat: Bauprotec 850 M, Lightweight Lime Cement Render, sponge floated in warehouse areas, and skim finished in sales areas. Key Coat: Change of substrate concrete/steel pillar/Poroton block: Bauprotec RHS is used.The LIDL render spec, available from SMET consists of:Bauprotec 850 M is a factory-produced Lightweight Lime Cement Render, specially designed for machine or hand application produced to EN 998-1: 2010 and is CE Marked.Bauprotec RHS is a CE Marked, factory-produced highly polymer-modified render specially designed for hand and machine application produced to EN 998-1: 2010.Mineral Finish Coat – K is a CE marked, factory-produced mineral-based, high-quality finish-coat render, specially designed for hand and machine application to EN 998-1, 2010.Bauprotec SLP is a CE Marked, factory-produced Lightweight Sand & Cement Render specially designed for hand and machine application produced to EN 998-1: 2010.The special render properties; lightweight, low thermal conductivity, high yield, and Smet Supported Partner superior technical backup, are key factors in choosing SMET. SMET is committed to delivering consistently superior quality, German-made Render Systems to Lidl Plastering and rendering/plastering contractors across the UK and ROI.  If you’d like to speak to us about your Lidl job – contact SMET.All LIDL spec SMET Render System products are available directly from Smet Building Products Ltd, which ensures the contractor has a superior level of technical backup in the machine application of the LIDL specification.Related DownloadsTDS CASEA Bauprotec 850 M – Lightweight Lime Cement RenderTDS CASEA Bauprotec RHS – Multi-Purpose RenderTDS CASEA Bauprotec SLP Tanking and Plinth RenderTDS CASEA Mineral Finish Coat – KSMET Render and Plaster Product Selector

Located on the iconic Berawa waterfront, the Atlas Beach Fest in Bali is decorated with contemporary charm thanks to stone-effect porcelain tiles from Atlas Concorde. Explore the project.From solariums that seem to float on the water to the show beach bars featured in the club, the luxurious beach club's choice of style comes across as sophisticated, with a clear multi-ethnic feel. In this heavenly setting, the stone-effect tiles of Atlas Concorde used to decorate the floors in several areas of the beach club add a touch of Made in Italy to the building. The area adjacent to the beach consisting of swimming pools, bars and relaxation areas thus takes on an allure with a timeless appeal. Inspired by split quartzites, or metamorphic stones composed almost entirely of quartz and small amounts of other minerals, stone-effect floor tiles retain all the natural roughness of the original material. Porcelain tiles evoke this trait by offering a surface with a strong, earthy appearance that is easy to clean and pleasing to the touch. Used in four different shades ranging from warm, intense nuances to grey tones inspired by the colour of the original natural stones, Atlas Concorde surfaces adorn the spaces of the beach club with highly accurate details. An attention to detail was critical both for the look and for the design itself. In fact, Atlas Concorde tiles are the ideal solution for those seeking design and technical functionality in spaces intended for public use. The resistance to foot traffic, the healthy nature of the material and the anti-slip properties of Atlas Concorde surfaces have made the beach club spaces an oasis of beauty and superior technical performance. With just the right mix of eye-catching visuals and technical properties, stone-effect porcelain tiles offer Atlas Beach Fest guests a relaxing moment of hospitality and safety. The decision to use stone-effect surfaces also tied in perfectly with the theme of the entire venue, creating a stylistic mix capable of combining eastern elements and the luxury of fashionable Mediterranean locales. And so it is that wood, stone, and soft fabrics typical of Spanish beach clubs coexist with the inevitable Indonesian canopy beds and furnishings with an eastern flavour. Atlas Concorde's stone-effect porcelain tiles helped to boost all the stylistic components included in the architectural design thanks to a material with a natural flavour.

Danish manufactured Troldtekt panels are commonly specified throughout the UK and Europe to improve the interior acoustic environment. Two recent Danish projects are the transformation of an old building into a car dealer’s offices for Karvil Biler, while the other is an extension of Randers Architects’ own headquarters into a mix of offices and exclusive residential units. Both projects use Troldtekt® line with its perfectly symmetrical vertical lines to balance walls and ceilings with great aesthetics, conveying warmth and providing a modern look coupled with high performance sound absorption.For the Architects’ washrooms, Troldtekt® line was chosen to add visual vibrancy to the rooms. It also exhibits different appearances depending on the angle from which the wall surfaces are viewed. The edges have been milled where the panels meet the ceiling, around electrical sockets and switches and also at floor level where bamboo skirting has been integrated. All have been elegantly cut to ensure a neat finish and fine detailing.In the car dealers, Troldtekt® line was selected in order to enhance and benefit the whole indoor climate. “We wanted to create a coherent look. The milled grooves have a visually calming effect and contrast well with the new raw concrete floor,” the project manager explained. Troldtekt® line forms nine acoustic solutions that make up the “design solutions” range which combines the best ideals of form and function. Founded on the Cradle to Cradle design concept, 100% Troldtekt’s natural wood wool panels are manufactured in a new state-of-the-art production facility. With a variety of different surfaces and colours, they can be supplied in the FSC® 100% category (FSC®C115450) contributing to a building’s BREEAM, DGNB and LEED rating. In addition to their high sound absorption and tactile surface, the panels offer high durability and low cost life cycle performance, as well as inherent sustainability. They are also a natural, breathable material which can absorb and release moisture, which is why they have been awarded an Allergy Friendly Product Award by Allergy UK. Samples, case studies and technical information are easily sourced from tel 01978 664255 or visit www.troldtekt.co.uk

The architect has created a connection with the outdoors in, utilising large fixed rooflights from Glazing Vision to bring daylight into the house and frame the surroundings.‘The most beautiful spot in the Netherlands’; that is the description of this country house in the marina ‘t Raboes according to the owners. Located on the Eemmeer, a place in the middle of nature, and away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The architect has created a connection with the outdoors in, utilising large fixed skylights from Glazing Vision to bring daylight into the house and frame the surroundings.Bringing in daylight with large minimalist skylights was a key requirement for the architect. The horizontal application of large glass surfaces demands a lot from the design and after many discussions, the architect was confident that Glazing Vision was the rooflight manufacturer that could implement what they had in mind.No framework in sight. Insulated glass with excellent insulation values. Glass that blends seamlessly into the architect’s design. A way to bring the outdoor feeling inside.Three multipart skylights have made this architectural vision become a reality.The back-to-back angles fit in very well with the rest of the modern contemporary interiors. To make it possible to darken the rooms, Glazing Vision has applied custom-made sun protection from Topshade.At the spot where the river Eem flows into the Eemmeer, architect De Kort van Schaik designed the country residence ‘t Raboes. The clients wanted to create a place where they could fully experience nature, but also withdraw from the hustle and bustle of the city.The house consists of three parts, connected by three covered terraces. Concrete walls and floors which blend seamlessly into the environment and large windows that frame the polder landscape.All energy on ‘t Raboes is generated locally. The solar cells on the roof of the marina building supply electricity. A heat pump that uses the surface water of the Eemmeer provides heating for the house and swimming pool.In the living areas, wood stoves have been used, all which use wood from their own grounds, providing readily available extra heating capacity.A beautiful contrast is created by the yellow epoxy bathroom furniture, designed by Sabine Marcelis. A piece of furniture consisting of a bath, wash bath and shower stands as a free-standing sculpture in the concrete bathroom. The skylight forms a completely frameless glass roof, which gives you the feeling of being outside even more.Sabine Marcelis states that she has designed her dream bathroom. The subtle rotation of the furniture gives you a fantastic view of the landscape from the bath.Taken aback by this stunning property, the architectural press has been impressed with all aspects of the design. De Volkskrant gives the Huis op ‘t Raboes five stars. “The Rotterdam architectural firm De Kort Van Schaik designed a house in which you live with the elements and at the same time are protected against them, thanks to a thick concrete coat.”

The town of Filderstadt wanted to develop, upgrade and further develop the campus of two neighbouring schools in the district of Bernhausen. For the project, it hired Stuttgart-based, international architectural firm, Behnisch Architekten. The stunning piece of architecture features our special coloured synthetic surfaces – which we are immensely proud of!The guiding principle of the architectural design by Behnisch Architekten: a lively school campus in a pleasant environment for students. The result is a building with levels of different shapes and sizes, which appears playful yet balanced, and stands out perfectly from its relatively heterogenous surroundings with its free-flowing, organic design. The harmonious, vertically staggered horizontal lines and terraces around the circumference of the building make a striking impression.A facade consisting of a wood and aluminium construction with opaque wood elements reflects the idea of an open learning landscape. The central foyer, containing functional spaces and a cafeteria for common use, leads to all other areas on the levels above. On the upper levels, the building branches out architecturally and functionally. The daylight-flooded atrium, which spans all four levels, forms the vertical core of the building. From there, students can easily navigate the school and find their classrooms almost intuitively.Each level also has a small vestibule with niches and seating areas for sitting or relaxing. The third floor features a large terrace, which is easily the highlight for the Bernhausen students: it can be used to hold lessons outdoors – at least in the summer months.As well as thoughtfully planning the spatial structure, Behnisch Architekten specially designed the school to be experienced through the senses. To give the individual learning areas a distinctive character of their own, individual colour schemes were used on the walls, in which the colours not only indicate the respective year group, but create a lively, stimulating environment in intense orange, yellow, green and earth tones.Our durable all-rounder, PolyPlay SE, which is designed for ball sports and leisure activities on playing fields and school sports facilities, was used for the coating of the terraces around the circumference. The single-layered surface offers many advantages in Bernhausen: for example, it has a smooth surface, dries quickly thanks to its permeability, and is nevertheless slip-resistant at all times. Another advantage is its high wear-resistance and low maintenance – along with its colour scheme, which chimes perfectly with the design concept by Behnisch Architekten. It is installed in the colours light grey and pearl white, as well as three fresh shades of yellow.Our PolyPlay FS fall protection surface is used on the school’s playground. The shock-absorbing surface offers a clean and safe solution for various uses – usually playgrounds and parks. The bulk-coated, water-permeable covering is particularly easy to care for and, thanks to its cushioning effect, protects against injuries in the event of falls. In Bernhausen, the surface is installed in three colours and different thicknesses between 42 and 122 mm – coordinated with the respective fall height of the playground equipment.

The new part of Sct. Hans hospital, designed by KHR Architecture and Rubow Arkitekter, is a beautiful example of the healing architecture of our time. The total 20,700 m² building contains a brand new forensic psychiatric department with 126 beds. The architecture is based on the beautiful surroundings in a hilly and varied terrain that slopes down towards Roskilde Fjord. The new part of St. Hans Forensic Psychiatry incorporates the surrounding nature into the architecture, where the location of the buildings is adapted to the landscape's topography, so that the buildings become part of the landscape and the landscape a part of the building. Throughout the project, there has been an intensive focus on creating healing architecture based on the latest knowledge in the field.Nature and light have a documented positive impact on patients' well-being and Sct. Hans is therefore built into the landscape in a way that ensures beautiful views both from patient rooms and corridors and common areas. There is never a view from one patient room to the other, and high-placed windows provide a view even for bedridden patients.Throughout the construction, nature has been thought of, where wood in both interior design and furniture creates a sense of homeliness, sensuousness, and presence. Nature is constantly drawn into the building via large windows and window sections from floor to ceiling. Outside, fantastic sensory gardens, outdoor activity areas as well as gardens and spaces for quietness and reflection have been created.Hudevad has delivered Our P5 Vertical in a beautiful, muted color for installation in the beautiful wooden panels that create warmth and coziness in many of the building's rooms. Our white P5 Vertical adorns many of the long corridors and ensures that the cold draft from the large windows is limited.

Fircroft House in Essex has been completely transformed from a tired 1980s detached property into a distinctive home with a contemporary edge.Renovated throughout, Fircroft House features a new ground floor extension, pale grey timber-effect external cladding (replacing a brick and render façade), and brand new Rationel alu-clad windows and doors. In fact, sixteen new windows are installed across the property, including opening and fixed units, two large sliding patio doors, and a solid, grooved front door flanked by glazed side lights and set beneath an arched portico. When planning the refurbishment of Fircroft House, window and door replacement was a project priority, as the original property had single glazed, leaded, all-timber windows which made the interior very dark and were thermally inefficient. All-aluminium glazing was initially considered because the homeowners wanted an affordable, durable and contemporary frame design which looked more attractive than uPVC. They changed their mind, however, when they saw Rationel AURAPLUS alu-clad windows installed at a friend’s home: ‘The idea of a frame which combined timber and aluminium was very appealing,’ they say. ‘It offered the best of both worlds with hardwearing aluminium outside and thanks to the wood, a more tactile finish to the inner frames, so we decided to find out more.’ The homeowners are delighted with their new windows and doors and would happily recommend Rationel: ‘We are very impressed with the package offered by Rationel,’ they say. ‘The windows and doors are all high quality, low maintenance and look great, and the service we received from okoHaus was amazing from start to finish.’

When building their forever home, Cibes Lift UK’s latest customers decided on including a Cibes Air platform lift. Guaranteeing they future-proofed themselves and their property from any potential mobility issues was a key consideration of their projected build.The customisability of the Cibes Air allowed for a perfect fit within the clients’ aesthetical palette and has since become a focal point of their new entrance hallway.Having the opportunity to design their home from scratch they benefited from a smarter, cleaner, and more flexible blueprint with the unique ergonomic design of the Cibes Air fitting effortlessly within their space. Simultaneously complimenting their lifestyle with its timeless Scandinavian design.Thanks to the modular design of The Cibes Air, your lift can be installed in as little as 2 to 3 days, with minimal structural intrusion making it perfect for renovation projects or just like our latest clients, building a home from scratch.The couple were able to find the perfect combination of colour and texture to fit in with their style, finishing their Cibes Air with a granular bamboo back plate and surestep black seagrass flooring.The panelled glass door fits seamlessly with the other modern architectural features of the home and supports in accentuating natural daylight throughout the property.A combination of intuitive design and timeless elegance makes the Cibes Air the perfect choice for a future-proofing endeavour. The Cibes Air home lift comes with a breadth of personalisation to ensure you can create the lift of your aesthetical dreams.Designed with wood, fabric, and metalClose to 300 different coloursLift shaft with panoramic glazingAvailable in 17 platform sizesReduced work and building costsMinimal interruption of your daily life

When building their forever home, Cibes Lift UK’s latest customers decided on including a Cibes Air platform lift. Guaranteeing they future-proofed themselves and their property from any potential mobility issues was a key consideration of their projected build. The customisability of the Cibes Air allowed for a perfect fit within the clients’ aesthetical palette and has since become a focal point of their new entrance hallway. Having the opportunity to design their home from scratch they benefited from a smarter, cleaner, and more flexible blueprint with the unique ergonomic design of the Cibes Air fitting effortlessly within their space. Simultaneously complimenting their lifestyle with its timeless Scandinavian design. Thanks to the modular design of The Cibes Air, your lift can be installed in as little as 2 to 3 days, with minimal structural intrusion making it perfect for renovation projects or just like our latest clients, building a home from scratch. The couple were able to find the perfect combination of colour and texture to fit in with their style, finishing their Cibes Air with a granular bamboo back plate and sure step black seagrass flooring. The panelled glass door fits seamlessly with the other modern architectural features of the home and supports in accentuating natural daylight throughout the property. A combination of intuitive design and timeless elegance makes the Cibes Air the perfect choice for a future-proofing endeavour. The Cibes Air home lift comes with a breadth of personalisation to ensure you can create the lift of your aesthetical dreams. Designed with wood, fabric, and metal Close to 300 different colours Lift shaft with panoramic glazing Available in 17 platform sizes Reduced work and building costs Minimal interruption of your daily life.

More than 1,600 litres of Textrol Oil Clear were applied to the Velodrome and whilst we still cannot produce a proper case study until the games has finished, there is some evidence out there now.The 12,000 square metre roof is constructed using a very lightweight double curving cable net, suspended from a steel structure. Beneath it, the oval track is 250m in length, engineered for speed and constructed with great precision entirely from wood.The exterior of the building is clad in 5,000m2 of custom-cut Western Red Cedar shiplap boards. The entire exterior cladding was coated with Owatrol Textrol oil.

The redevelopment of Whitechapel Station in London has become the latest construction project in the capital to feature bespoke cladding panels from Proteus Facades.The new and improved Whitechapel Station, designed by BDP Architects forms a key part of a seven-year construction programme for the new Elizabeth Line Crossrail route – a high-speed train and tube link that will connect the outer western edges of London to the outer east.Hailed as the biggest transformation of the London transport system in recent years, the route passes through 41 stations and stretches over 60 miles, from Reading and Heathrow airport, through central London then on to Shenfield and Abbey Wood.

Launched just in time for the Spring season, Sadolin Shed & Fence All Weather Barrier woodstain is the latest product to join the superior woodcare range – providing the perfect blend of five years’ protection, fast drying times and ease of application for specifiers. Available in five and ten litre pack sizes, Sadolin Shed & Fence All Weather Barrier woodstain preserves and protects sheds and fences and features a wax enriched water repellent, as well as UV protection, to ensure long-lasting colour from the shades available, Grey Shadow, Woodland Walk, Sylvan Grade, Cedar Red and Ebony Wood.

The Sash Window Workshop were contacted to provide a quote to upgrade the timber windows for a customer's property in Hertfordshire.The sales surveyor met with the customer and provided them with a quotation for a mixture of complete new windows and installing new sashes into the existing frames.The customer proceeded in two separate orders, with work initially being carried out in the kitchen and dining room.The windows were made in Accoya wood, which comes with a 50 year anti-rot guarantee, and were double glazed and painted white.After the initial work was complete, the customer was very happy and decided to place an order for the remaining windows and two timber doors to be replaced.

A winning combination: outstanding weather resistance with the look & feel of wood siding“For a small city like Dopiewo, which is located about 12km west of Poznań in the western part of Poland, a new high school highlights the city’s status as the centre of the‘gmina’ – as municipalities are called here in Poland”, says Bart Kosinski, trespa’s area account manager. “therefore, when the project was initiated a few years ago, the ambitions were lofty, as the city council wanted their brand new school complex to make a clear statement. It had to reflect at first sight the central part it would play in the local education system”.

We have installed our stunning full-height Flow cubicles at the St Botolph building in London. A delicate pale wood grain laminate across both the cubicles and the sentry ducting sets off the washrooms beautifully. The washrooms at St Botolph required an upgrade after having the paint on the previously installed cubicles began to chip, and the hardware started to break down. With Thrislington’s market-leading 15 year guarantee for Flow, St Botolph are safe in the knowledge that problems like this will not occur again. All our products are produced in the UK factory using materials designed and tested to perform in the washroom environment.

We installed new male and female washrooms on four levels and created a new staff shower and changing area in the basement of this recently refurbished office. Our full height, flush front Alto toilet cubicles and Concerto duct panels were finished in the same dark walnut straight grain real wood veneer. The integrated duct panel system is easy-to-clean and allows ease of access for future repairs or maintenance. The crisp white Zodiac stone vanities complete the high specification design. The staff shower and changing area features white Zodiac stone vanities plus our bespoke locker system.

Washroom's off-site service allowed the design to be carefully fine-tuned prior to installation on site for this prestigious office refurbishment project. Washroom's full height Alto toilet cubicle doors were specified with a real wood veneer finish, stained to match the solid Douglas fir timber panelling in the reception area. The bespoke polished cast concrete vanity units feature integral waste bins and Tego hinged mirror units above. For the new staff shower and changing room area Washroom's full height Alto FENIX shower cubicles were installed along with Z style Forza SGL lockers.

Working together with in-house joinery division, Cre8 Joinery Solutions, Washroom created new washrooms using a mix of different materials including dark wood veneer, concrete and bronze. The long trough shaped and wall-mounted, floating Arpeggio cast concrete vanity units in a traditional dark grey shade, reflect the industrial inspiration of the design, with the addition of black power-coated taps and soap holders providing a contemporary twist. The Cre8 joinery team delivered the bespoke lift lobby panels faced in exactly the same dark oak dyed veneer used on the full height Alto toilet cubicles installed in the washrooms.

The reception area had to set the tone for the rest of the building so we designed the bespoke Corian reception desk to mirror the angular lines of the unique feature staircases in the building’s central atrium. The new washrooms feature our full height Alto toilet cubicles, specified with a real wood walnut veneer finish. We designed the bespoke white Corian trough-style vanity units with an integral handbag shelf, back-painted glass splashbacks and Tego hinged mirror units. In the basement staff shower and changing area, our SGL Forza lockers provide staff with a durable, secure storage facility.

Complementing the exposed services and industrial design aesthetic, whilst fulfilling modern acoustic requirements was a challenge.HERADESIGN® with its acoustic credentials and raw wood wool texture ticked all the boxes. Specified in Grey, HERADESIGN® was installed throughout the main reception area, office spaces and the lift lobbies, providing a strong visual contrast to the exposed structural elements. Architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, “The conversion retained the original irregular structural gridlines of the building, so we had to create a consistent pattern across the ceiling- but HERADESIGN® is a really versatile material that worked exceptionally well in the space.”

Leeds Arts University completed a 5-year £22m building expansion with HERADESIGN® Sonic Element and Baffle Element, installed throughout the main entrance, library and the new group spaces to minimise noise disturbance.The design for the project meant all the mechanical services had to be exposed and the lighting integrated into the hanging canopies.Paul King of DLA Design Group said, "We chose HERADESIGN® because, aside of the acoustic performance, we liked the natural, raw wood wool. It’s a striking and versatile material and we were really impressed with how the individual panels could be matched to the chosen colour scheme.”

Marking a £10.6m investment, a Hampshire County Council (HCC) designed school in Wellesley, Aldershot provides an excellent start to a child’s learning. Knauf Ceiling Solutions' HERADESIGN® Superfine contributes to this vision by helping to create a healthy acoustic environment. HERADESIGN® is manufactured from sustainably sourced wood wool with a unique, organic aesthetic that can match any colour as ceilings, baffles, canopies and wall absorbers. Thanks to the technologically-advanced mineral wool core, HERADESIGN® demonstrates exceptional sound absorption which makes it suitable for a variety of environments, from schools and leisure buildings through to offices and hospitals.

It is interesting how design trends are quickly mirrored across the world. A few years’ ago, for example, lifestyle and interior design magazines were all about plain white walls, hard surfaces and minimal furniture. Today, heavier materials are being revitalised and darker colours are being used in more and more projects. Troldtekt has seen a steep rise in the specification of its wood wool acoustic panels in dark greys and black. From residential houses, hotels and music venues to London’s iconic Design Museum, black acoustic ceilings have been used to add to the ambience and enhance atmospheric design.

This leading high-tech company has recently expanded its office premises to cover its growing needs.Located in a prestigious business park, this office building occupies a stunning lakeside position.The interior setting is equally impressive with abundant natural light from the windows, which span the length of the wall.To keep the space light and airy, the design team left the existing ceiling exposed, adding instead suspended acoustic rafts, featuring Vtec MaxiBeam system in a light wood laminate finish.Take a look at the beautiful break-out spaces and dynamic hexagonal rafts that bring this office design to life.

West Cliff Hotel is a two six story Premier Inn which hosts 105 guest rooms and a third block with 88 residential units. The project included the demolition of a previous building then the construction of the hotel, with underground car parking. The hotel is only a 15-minute walk away (0.5 miles) from Bournemouth Pier and the Oceanarium.Cellecta ScreedBoard 28 was specified by HGP Architects in this luxury refurbishment to improve upon its existing acoustic properties. It's high density, and unique resilient layer provides unrivalled acoustic performance, typically 5dB better than legislative requirements.Inland Homes was awarded this 3,000m² contract to construct this development in Bournemouth.

Profile 22 has supplied its Optima Casement solution to 84 social housing properties in Hulme, Manchester. The three blocks of two and three-storey buildings belong to People First Housing. David Smith, director of A&D Joinery, said: “We’ve been working with Profile 22 since 1991. On this particular project we were fabricating and installing windows from the new Optima range, which we’ve been using since it was launched in 2016. “Profile 22’s specification manager had done an initial window design survey and technical design drawings, which we were able to use during the tendering process.”

Leviat’s Ancon MDC Masonry Support and Ancon CombiDeck, along with Ibstock Kevington’s Nexus® Brick-Faced Units have played key roles in constructing a major student accommodation complex in the heart of Lincoln, offering overall efficiency and ease of construction.The complex is spread across ten blocks, ranging from 4 to 10 storeys in height, which have been sub-divided to reduce scale and facilitate a progressive change in character across the development. The first phase included 1,222 bedrooms in apartments, comprising six to 12 en-suite bedrooms. Students will also benefit from associated internal and external amenity space.