"natural plant based glues and adhesives"

Sherwin-Williams polyurethane floor coating Resutile provided a bright solution for this large museum area full of famous aircraft which have been part of aviation history. Lots of natural light came into this area so any coating chosen had to be UV stable to avoid discolouration over time which would spoil the aesthetic appearance. Resutile has great chemical reistance and is fully light resistant. The product has been used in Aircraft hangars around the world for twenty five years to create and enhance bright modern environments.

The new sixth form college located at the site of the city’s former Masonic Hall has been sympathetically restored and extended to provide a number of new facilities, whilst maintaining the building’s architectural grandeur. The construction materials for the new build elements were carefully specified to both complement and enhance the existing Italianate Villa style. Doors, windows and curtain walling from Senior’s innovative Hybrid range, which features aluminium on the exterior to provide a durable and low maintenance solution and engineered timber on the interior for a natural look and feel, provided the perfect solution.

This contemporary style, five-bedroom detached house commands a floor area of 10,000sq ft and includes an indoor swimming pool together with gym and leisure facilities. Rear facing, the property has been constructed on raised land that slopes down to a natural stream with breath-taking countryside views beyond.Following the initial design with the architect, TECHNAL provided a full NBS specification for the aluminium systems with typical through sections and full thermal value calculations, as well as budget budget pricing pre-tender to ensure an accurate tender package.

When it came to Ty Oriel (‘Gallery House’ in Welsh), the brief was ambitious. Architects Nic Downs and Carolyn Merrifield wanted something sleek but striking. Eco-friendly, but instantly classic. A family home that was angular and modern, but that could simultaneously blend with its more conservative suburban surroundings. And they were that demanding for a very good reason. The house wasn’t just for anyone. It was theirs. Clean and minimalistic, the resulting build is stylishly open-plan, incorporating an office and an art studio as well as four bedrooms, all south-facing to maximise natural light.

A Stannah people-moving platform lift is welcoming mobility compromised patrons to Dishoom Kensington, a London restaurant that rekindles the cosmopolitan romance of Irani cafés in 1940s Jazz Age Bombay. Filled with original period and bespoke pieces, this atmospheric venue calls on its access lift to escort people of all mobilities, from bag-laden buggy-pushers to wheelchair users, between ground-floor entrance to the bar / dining room with its Bombay comfort food and live jazz. Does the platform lift mirror Dishoom’s carefully curated design? Naturally…

We worked closely with Brown and Carroll, The Architects Make and Lend Lease the main contractor to create a competitively priced high-quality floor. There are two palette colours a “Latte” light board and an “Expresso” dark board. These were prime oak, fumed and then finished with a colour oil for maintenance and repair to create a uniform natural floor. We are supplying a 190mm wide board and a 260mm wide board in a very select clean grade 20mm thick engineered flooring. We also altered the tannins in the top layer to create a unique brushed finish.

How powder coating light-weighted a new buildPowder coated aluminium would solve the issues of weight and expense and is also low maintenance. The designers were impressed with the Powdertech Landscape™ ‘Stone’ range which replicates the colour and random markings of different natural stones. ‘Kilkenny Stone’ was the shade chosen, a Qualicoat Class 2 powder with high performance corrosion protection, weather resistance and colour stability. Over 3500sq metres of aluminium cladding panels, window reveals, column casings and soffit panels were coated.

The Courtyards is an extra care housing scheme in Preston designed by Levitt Bernstein Architects, for Community Gateway Association, a community-led organisation that empowers residents and local people to shape its services and improve their homes. 60 apartments, split into 40 two-bed and 20 one-bed homes, are arranged around two landscaped courtyards and set within existing mature trees, affording all residents a strong connection to nature. A striking black barn sits between the courtyards and features PREFA Rhomboids in P.10 Black colour.

Leading property developer, Related Argent, installs three TopBrewer coffee machines in its new, sustainable London headquartersRelated Argent incorporated biophilia, natural light and sustainable design into their award-winning office that was designed by Basha-Franklin.Two TopBrewer Pro Series and one TopBrewer Compact Series were seamlessly integrated into the modern, stylish space alongside one TopWater machine, offering a full menu of hot and cold beverages."The choice of beverages is essential for inclusivity, and this can be achieved in such a seamless, non-intrusive way with TopBrewer."

The Building Centre, London’s premier architecture and construction gallery, invited Q-railing to re-design its central staircase. It supplied a staircase balustrade with LED lit handrails and a frameless glass balustrade for the void. John Bonning, the Building Centre’s commercial director said: “We applied glass risers to each solid oak tread, which safely created the same floating stair effect as the original but made the stair compliant with modern building regulations. The materials reflected the quality of the Building Centre, whilst drawing natural light into the lower gallery.”

The contractor was relaying a waterproof membrane immediately above the London Aquarium and naturally the client was concerned about leaks with such precious livestock beneath. The waterproofing was torch-on bituminous felt membrane, due to be covered with road grade asphalt. Protecto-board was laid onto the waterproofing and secured with tape. It was cut to shape around the curbs cleanly and effectively without leaving vulnerable areas and without delaminating or crumbling, or leaching bitumen. It protected the waterproofing from temporary construction process damage and permanently protected it when covered with hot road grade asphalt afterwards

Bedales School is set in an area of outstanding natural beauty on the edge of the South Downs National Park in Hampshire. Its new Art and Design building designed by architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios has a strong sense of countryside drawing references from traditional agricultural buildings by creating a series of connected barn forms. Their dramatic pitched ceilings comprise Troldtekt acoustic panels on one side to absorb sound and improve acoustics.In what is otherwise a lightweight building, the thermal mass of exposed concrete surfaces contributes to a stable internal temperature.

Selfridges is one the UK’s most famous high-end department stores founded in 1908. It’s Grade II listed flagship store is located on London’s Oxford Street. Buzon UK were commissioned to supply and install over 200sqm of the Buzon ALUrail and pedestal system to the newly renovated roof terrace area. The ALUrail installation system offers a complete structure for the raised installation of outdoor spaces. The system can be used for various substrates, 20mm porcelain, concrete and natural stone pavers. Practical and functional, the ALUrail system can be used where the void is limited.

In the first phase of their plans for Charlottehaven (or Charlotte Garden) – a 178-rental-apartment development on Strandboulevarden in Østerbro, Copenhagen – Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects exhibited great deftness in their treatment of both light and shadow, and texture and detail. So, it was natural that these interplays should continue into the project’s second phase: 37 furnished hotel apartments known as Charlottetårnet (or Charlotte Tower).A perfect example of these two interplays is seen in the hotel’s light-yet-warm bathrooms, which are characterised by creamy-hued floor-to-ceiling terrazzo surfaces punctuated by d line sanitary pieces in PVD Charcoal.

The project was developed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects, and its glazed structure has created a new independent global hub for debate on sustainable urban living. Its design intends to both reflect the building´s context and at the same time having a degree of transparency to help connect the building with its surroundings. In this project was used insulated glass materials with varying levels of transparency, allowing spaces to be naturally lit whilst controlling solar gain. Effisus Ecofacade system was applied as an integrated solution to ensure water and air tightness of all facade elements connections.

Spinnaker House is a residential building located at Battersea Reach, with views over the River Thames. It was designed by Broadway Malyan Architecture firm, with a contemporary specification, including full heigh glazing to enhance natural daylight. The location of the building is very attractive, because it offers prime transport links to London´s most fashionable area. In order to protect the façade building from moisture, driving rain and wind the solution Effisus A2 Fire Rated Breather FR System was applied, using an A1 Fire Rated Breather FR Membrane.

The stadium’s vast size and increased capacity required washrooms capable of withstanding large volumes of people that will be using the facilities during a variety of events throughout the year, including everything from conferences to sports fixtures. For this project, Dolphin Solutions supplied its BC925 Mini Jumbo Toilet Roll Dispensers and BC924SS Soap Dispensers, as the site needed something that was durable. The lockable nature and stainless steel exterior of these products makes the dispensers vandal resistant and easy to replenish, whilst the non-drip, push-action soap pump prevents the build up of soap on the vanity.

Havas Media Group is a global network of entertainment, media and communications agencies, that has recently opened its new ‘HKX’ village in Pancras Square, London to unite twenty-four of its UK operations in a stunning new European headquarters. Given the nature of the fast-moving office environment at Havas, the combination of 14,000m2 raised access floors and 3,000m2 of Attiro magnetic engineered timber (supplied by Fieldmans, one of Kingspan’s supply and install partners) allows for the easy reconfiguration of office layouts and furniture, as well as providing instant access to the underfloor void.

We supplied a range of Flooring Accessories and Barrier Matting Systems to Colindale Gardens, an ongoing development of luxury townhouses and apartments in north-west London. James Holmear, Sales and Marketing Director at Redrow’s Greater London region, commented: "We wanted to create interior solutions that would reflect the luxury nature that Colindale Gardens offers and would also be hard-wearing and long-lasting for our customers. The solutions provided by Gradus not only fit with the premium feel of the development, but also provide a high level of safety for our residents and visitors."

The Las Fluras residence was built on a beautiful, sunlight-soaked raised ridge in Flims Waldhaus. The multifamily residence feels part of the surroundings: generous, room-high windows and glass balustrades offer unrestricted views of the forest and mountains. Be it on the recessed terrace or in the living/dining area: nature is always included in the ensemble and is a part of the whole. The 3rd floor apartment on serves a married couple as a refuge; a large part of its furnishings and fittings are made from local materials. Internal sliding doors feature space-saving Hawa Junior 40 B

Acoustic consideration was critical for the design of a new generation cycle studio in London. An isolated sound box was constructed to form the studio with stud walls built to separate it from the café – using a lift shaft model allowing for air and acoustic separation.To complement the paired back industrial ‘Scandi’ design and monochrome pallet, HERADESIGN® in black was specified throughout. Joe Stuart of Warehome Architects said, “Heradesign was perfect for this project. It provides excellent acoustic properties and we love its natural, raw wood wool texture. Specified in black it is really striking.”

The overarching challenge was to establish an enhanced level of security at the premises, combined with effective, easy to manage access control, but with absolutely no compromise on the overall aesthetics of the site. This product is supplied as standard with natural timber slats, which (as per all Jacksons timber) have been kiln dried and Jakcure pressure treated to offer long lasting and highly effective protection against rot and wood boring pests. However, the client required the timber slat inserts to be provided in the house colour grey, which we sourced from Denmark to remain consistent.

Our modular Stainless-Steel Balustrades offer a luxurious aesthetic as a result of the natural metallic sheen and precision-engineered detailing. Another benefit of incorporating our Stainless-Steel Balustrades is that they are completely resistant to fire and retain their strength at high temperatures. Our Brise Soleil Solar Shading grilles provide a modern, durable and maintenance-free alternative to curtains and blinds and are also A1 Fire Rated. Robin Hughes, Castle Retirement Living’s CEO, says about Neaco’s contribution “good quality products and great people to deal with. We’ll work together again”.

Neaco’s Techdek aluminium decking has been specified for an innovative internal cycle park at the XYZ building, a cutting edge workspace in Manchester designed by Cartwright Pickard. Robert Phillips, Associate at Cartwright Pickard, said: “We specified Techdek for the cycle ramp due its robust construction and the simplicity of its design – the modular nature of its construction, its excellent drainage capabilities and the ribbed profile for surety under foot. Its track record of being used on similar, high profile projects gave us the confidence that the product was suitable for the application.”

Simple design and soft light… The Victoria & Albert museum of London, famous for Art and Design, has recently renewed its art gallery and its coffee shop. The challenge of Gareth Hoskins' architects was to bring natural light into this space without damaging the exposed works, drawing 400 years of history. Thus, the architect imagined and created lighting paths and wells of light using Barrisol Lumière® ceiling. Today, the place benefits from a soft and pleasant light. A Barrisol® matt stretched ceiling offers a simple and minimalistic design on the remaining surface.

The new generation of M-Tray® modules were used on this office building in Poklington, Yorkshire. This project was in the heart of the Vale of Yorkshire, within and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and planning sensitivities dictated a green roof was needed on the office building. The clients wanted the existing farm buildings, which had been converted into offices and storage space, to blend into the hillside with the structures having the very lowest impact on the surrounding countryside.The timber framed building meant a low weight solution was required so the 100mm deep pre-grown modules were ideal.

The sheer volume of passengers visiting Stansted Airport on a daily basis puts an enormous strain on the airport facilities, including the washrooms. System M was specified for the refurbishment due to its strength and durability. System M’s patented emergency access system is made possible by an innovative pivoting pilaster. The pilaster is ‘squeezed’ allowing normally opening inward doors to be pulled outwards in the event of an emergency at the airport. The finish was completed with Clipclad precision wall panelling; bright and sleek with a fresh colour palette of greens and natural wood effects.Read the full case study for more information.

The frontage of the Ocean Terminal shopping centre in Edinburgh has received a radical makeover as part of a major investment to increase footfall by enhancing the visitor experience. The extension has been covered with STEREO-KINETIC cladding; hundreds of freely-moving stainless steel sheets suspended from grating panels. Gusts of wind, traffic, even people walking by cause the metal rectangles to ripple in an ever-changing display. The kinetic artwork has been designed in such a way as to allow the passage of natural daylight through the underlying window openings on the second floor level.

Due to the increased popularity of outside living space, this property in Northwest London has maximised this opportunity to increase their privacy from one neighbour with an unusually shaped extension providing the freedom of opening up the entire area. To try and keep in with the local surroundings they wanted to use copper for their cladding that would complement their design. Natural copper can take a long time to weather to a green finish. Metal Solutions offered Aurubis Nordic Green which is a pre-patinated copper where they can benefit from the aged finish from the day it was installed.

Standard Life Investments’ new £75m development at St Andrew Square in Edinburgh, as with many modern builds, it is fronted with lots of glass. It looks amazing and delivers plenty of natural light, but often requires robust shading solutions to protect people from the sun’s glare and heat. The fit-out company opted to use YewdaleDefiant® R20 systems with side channels throughout, and the YewdaleDefiant® R20M with double bracket. This allowed the installation of a dimout screen fabric and a blackout fabric, which can be easily switched between at the touch of a button. Read more...

London Brick wall panels in Sandy Brown were specified for this office redesign for their strength and natural characteristics. Our highly durable Texture panels are ideal for busy areas with high footfall so are perfect for the large wall in the social breakout space. In addition,Texture wall panels can support decoration and integrate features with ease, such as the television screen in this project. London Brick Sandy Brown also provides a perfect backdrop for the orange neon-lit sign. Throughout the design, the execution is impeccable with high quality fixtures and colourful furnishings bringing the office to life.

When a Manchester blind company were tasked with fitting the blinds for the apartments in a £650 million redevelopment project in Salford, called New Bailey they had no hesitation in specifying Yewdale for the job. In the high-rise buildings, residents of luxury apartments enjoy enviable views of the city, but blinds were still needed for shade and privacy. To suit the environment, 448 YewdaleDefiant® R20 roller blinds were chosen with a 3% Roe white fabric to allow some natural light in the living rooms and blackout Medway chalk fabric in the bedrooms. Read more about this project.

For pristine sound, a manufacturer of hi-fi amplifiers relies on air springs from ACE. This effectively eliminates disruptive ambient vibrations that enter the demonstration room from a neighbouring workshop and disturb the listening experience. The PLM-1 air springs, which have a low natural frequency of 3 Hz, are used as a bearing in the hi-fi rack for decoupling. ACE was able to prove the effectiveness measurably with the company's own app VibroChecker PRO. In the meantime, the manufacturer offers the high-end amplifiers optionally with the air springs and the app from ACE to the end customers.

Vtec's SupaSlat and Supaline panels were key design elements in this high specification, luxury residential development in London. The foyer area showcases BESPOKE TIMBER BATTEN WALLS and a unique FEATURE STAIRCASE, whilst the post room is crowned with an impressive SUPASLAT RAFT. Vtec were specified due to the intricate detailing, integrations, complex interfaces and technical nature of this residential project. We supported the designer, an industry-leading international architect and contractor, throughout the design stage and development process through to installation, overcoming some particularly challenging programme requirements.

Make an Impact With Office Entrance Matting AXIS House, office design and fit-out company, is in the business of Shaping Futures and with this project, they revolutionised the past by transforming a dull, industrial, 1950s warehouse unit in Dorset into a modern masterpiece of functional office space with inspiring showrooms.The matting brief was to create an entrance with an unexpected wow factor, marrying design, performance and sustainability. The team wanted to create a lasting first impression for visitors coming in from the drab industrial surroundings outside, to enter a modern building filled with possibilities.Create a Dramatic TransitionEntrance Matting fills the entire lobby. But it’s not your average Entrance Mat. The enclosed space offers a dark, dramatic transition area with one of our more exclusive products INTRAshape and using the higly moisture-absorbent Ultimate fibre. This delivers a luxurious, carpet-like impression as visitors pass through into the double-height, open plan office beyond. A space filled with light, plants, and natural materials.AXIS House chose INTRAshape in a small rectangular form and brickwork pattern for the mat well. Ultimate fibre inserts in Anthracite (907) fill the matwell, which is four metres long.The overall effect is thick and luxurious, more like plush carpet than Entrance Matting and absorbs everything the British Weather throws at it too!Wow, Wow, Wow; Design, Sustainability, and PerformanceAs our sister company, AXIS House naturally looked to INTRAsystems for their Entrance Matting!The team hadn’t worked with Agata, the Interior Designer before, but she was “impressed with the choice of colours and designs” and “thrilled with the project.” We helped the team visualise a more striking finish; taking what is a functional product and turned it into a real design feature.It works, looks brilliant, and will stay that way for a long time.DesignThe Entrance Mat design mirrors the LED ceiling light-well above as well as the width of the double doors. The shape also echoes other dynamic rectangular design features throughout the building.Bronze, anodised aluminium adds a layer of luxury and ties in perfectly with the die-cut company logos on the facing wall. To complete the look, the perimeter border is laid in sheet form with INTRAlux Ultimate in contrasting warm neutral Lichen (912), a beautifully on-trend grey green.INTRAshape breaks design boundaries and Entrance Matting traditions, offering distinctive design possibilities. There’s nothing else like this on the market. With an extensive range of shapes and colours to choose from, you have the freedom to unleash your creativity, combining forms and textures with infinite possibilities to create rhythm, movement, and perspective.Sustainability INTRAshape and INTRAlux Ultimate perfectly aligned with AXIS House’s commitment to sustainability and their SKA rating ambitions.INTRAlux Ultimate features ECONYL®; 100% recycled content and they specified PureBase; our PVC-free backing option. Sustainable choices that help shape a better future.PureBase has a significantly lower environmental whole-life impact, from production to disposal. It’s also much easier to handle and install as it is 20% lighter and 3 x more flexible. ECONYL® is regenerated waste nylon. It has the same properties as brand new nylon, but can be infinitely recycled and re-moulded. ECONYL® is cradle-to-cradle certified and eligible for LEED® v4 points.PerformanceOur products helped AXIS House achieve the prestigious WELL Building Standards and SKA Gold rating (soft flooring criteria) for the entire building.High-performing Entrance Matting contributes to WELL Standards on air quality management by absorbing dust, liquids, and air pollution efficienty.The final specification also delivers outstanding performance and aesthetics. This office Entrance Matting provides excellent protection for hard floor surfaces, ensuring durability and longevity for commercial office settings. The INTRAlux Ultimate inserts have a 900g/m² pile weight and feature the latest fibre innovation for three-times-faster moisture absorption. Excellent Bfl-s1 fire resistance and a 10-year warranty complete the high performance stats.INTRAsystems Provide Everything You NeedAs always, we supported AXIS House throughout their project. Our dedicated team helped find the perfect specification to meet the brief. Combining high-end design with sustainability, as well as emphasising AXIS House’s attention to detail for potential clients visiting their offices. We shared samples, specification documentation, environmental credentials, and BIM data.“INTRAsystems provided everything we needed and made the design process much easier – CAD and BIM helped us to incorporate the product fully into our design. We could see things and adjust the design easily with 3D modelling.”Agata Stachnik, AXIS House Interior Designer

Radmat has supplied a comprehensive range of systems for 20 Fenchurch Street, AKA the ‘Walkie Talkie’, in the City of London. Radmat’s PermaQuik, ParaFlex and EshaUniversal roofing membranes were installed during the creation of the Sky Garden – one of the highest green roofs in the world, offering breathtaking views over the capital.Designed by world-renowned architect Rafael Vinoly and jointly developed by Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group, 20 Fenchurch Street is constructed with impressive sustainability credentials to achieve an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM rating. The 38 storey tower incorporates a vibrant garden spanning the top three floors which is open to the public and by appointment. Described as the terraced ‘hanging gardens of modern Babylon’, the fifth-of-an-acre garden utilises drought resistant Mediterranean and South African flowers, shrubs and ferns, in soil up to a metre deep. The gardens also provide Rosemary, Thyme and other herbs to three restaurants within the building.Now London’s highest public park, the publicly accessible roof gardens include a viewing area, terrace, café, bar and restaurant. For such a unique space, it was crucial that the roofing system chosen delivered thermal performance, watertightness and long-term reliability for the client – specialisms of Radmat products. Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group awarded the work to Radmat on the basis of the company’s established reputation and expertise in all types of flat roofing.For the pitched green roofs, sectioned into a series of individual 45° slopes, EshaUniversal waterproofing was specified as part of a Radmat roofing system that included insulation and drainage layer. Made from recycled materials and 100% recyclable – EshaUniversal proved ideal to meet the demands at this sustainable development.Offering an efficient and safe installation, EshaUniversal is ideal for green roofs. More durable than elastomeric roofing, the system is also weather proof, UV stable and offers flexibility, durability and high puncture resistance making it ideal for challenging applications.Project Manager, Paul Nelson, said: “We have installed waterproofing systems over the concrete decks from ground up to second floor level then levels 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38. This required our installations teams to make repeated visits to site, using both internal and external hoists for access; with work completed in March 2014.”“The inverted roof arrangement means the waterproofing is covered by insulation and either paving, ballast or planted medium,” he added. “Then there is also the sky garden at an angle of 45 degrees planted with trees and shrubs, which will be accessible to clients using the restaurant there.”For public-access terracing across levels 34-38 – as well as a series of applications on the Ground Floor, second floor and the concrete staircase – over 1,200m² of Radmat PermaQuik PQ6100 was applied. With an independently verified durability ‘for the lifetime of the building’ and a market leading guarantee, the liquid-applied PQ6100 waterproofing system delivers exceptional performance befitting of this unique build.On level 37, where visitors can enjoy 360° views of the capital, additional waterproofing was required following the installation of a glass internal cladding system. With the glass already in place and challenged by high winds and low temperatures, the fast curing, cold applied ParaFlex waterproofing system was specified. Suitable for application at temperatures below zero reliable sealing can even be achieved at -5°C. Utilising collaborative working practices and a responsive and interactive design process, Radmat have created a stunning waterproofing and green roof application of the highest standard. Radmat’s proven range of waterproofing solutions met all the client’s demands and has ensured that visitors from all over the world can enjoy this stunning venue for many years to come.