"internal wall coatings"

When the idyllic village of Tormarton nestled in the Cotswolds wanted to transform the main room in their village hall, the committee responsible for organising and specifying a replacement floor would choose Taraflex® Multi-Use from international flooring specialist Gerflor.Tormarton has a population of about 350 people from a wide variety of backgrounds. At the centre of village life is the parish hall which provides a blank canvass for a raft of local community activities.Stewart Waters, Chair of the Tormarton Parish Council commented, “We specified Gerflor Taraflex® Multi-Use indoor sports surface as it would cater for a variety of needs. The new Taraflex® sports vinyl floor is much easier to maintain and clean and so much brighter than the old, dated tiles.”Commenting on the project Chris Pursey, Gerflor Area Sales Specification Manager, Southwest & Channel Islands said,” The existing subfloor consisted of old vinyl tiles, which although were well bonded to the substrate, presented a health and safety risk if removed due to possible presence of asbestos.” Chris Pursey added, “For this reason, we specified that the installation should ideally be over an Isolsport membrane, which left the tiles undisturbed and also enabled the installation to be done quickly with minimal floor preparation.”Stewart Waters ended by saying, “We have had lots of positive comments and all parties are really pleased with the refurbishment. We would definitely choose Gerflor flooring again.”Taraflex® sports flooring has been fitted at every Olympic Games since 1976. Approved by many National and International governing bodies as a world class sports surface, it is also widely installed within the education, community, leisure, health, and fitness sectors.

GEC Anderson were chosen to supply stainless steel classroom worktops, drinking fountains as well as fabrications for the main school kitchen.Classroom worktops have integrated sink bowls and are mounted on wall hung stainless steel base cabinets, also by GEC Anderson. The cantilever arrangement allows for uninterrupted floor cleaning and easier working and access to the sink units. It also facilitates the ability to mount the worktops at the height appropriate for pupils. GB4000 wall hung drinking fountains were specified in the corridor areas. The units can be mounted at any height to ensure access for the children. Within the main kitchen, sinks and and worktops include leg frames with solid undershelves in order to maximise the limited space available.Brushed satin stainless steel (EN 1.4301 grade) was used throughout.

The recently refurbished reception of 25 Copthall Avenue by QOB Interiors and John Robertson Architects for developer Helix, includes new floor to ceiling glass, contemporary signage, virtual daylight luminaries and a stunning 120m2 curved Armourcoat 'KonCrete' polished plaster wall to create a striking entrance.The hand-applied polished plaster wall leads through into the transformed reception area, with a design feature that incorporates a custom stencil of the office address. The full height atrium floods light into the heart of the building creating a bright, spacious environment with a business lounge and in-house café.Armourcoat ‘KonCrete’ is an urban range of polished plaster colours and finishes designed for contemporary projects. The range offers a wealth of design options to achieve a distinctive modern look, including distressed effects or recessed ‘shutter’ markings. Photography: © Photobanks

We recently completed a refurbishment of the washrooms at Fulwell Bus Depot in Twickenham, regularly used by over 300 bus drivers. As part of this project we installed:-4 No. Samoa Deluxe WC packs complete4 No. Urimat Ecoplus urinals with Visutal digital screen upgrades1 No. Tristone wash trough4 No. CONTI+ Ultra GM 20 tapsNew under vanity by Formwise in Grey Zebrano laminateNew WC duct IPS panels by Formwise in Grey Zebrano laminateNew lighting throughout by Ineco EnergyNew hygienic wall cladding throughout by JemicladNew suspended ceiling grid by Gemstone InteriorsNew air extraction system completeNew R12 Safety Vinyl c/w marine style wall upstand by Jemiclad

This beautiful new build home, close to the shore on Long Island, was to be the Client’s luxury beach house. UK architect David Russel, designed all windows and doors to be pocket style, disappearing into the walls.Much consideration was given to concealment and where possible the curtains also opened out of sight, into their own wall pockets. All Lutron curtain tracks were flush-mounted using TrackTrim by Blindspace, including a number of curved tracks.In some of the windows, Lutron blinds were concealed within Blindspace boxes behind the curtains, all disappearing when not required. These Blindspace products have the additional benefit of being plastered in during construction for minimal visual impact.The unique ground floor design brings the outdoor indoors, using hidden doors and curtains with amazing results.Transcript

Installed by Kawneer’s approved specialist subcontractor FK Group, the £25.3 million project, designed by FCB Studios, was the first to use Kawneer’s newly enhanced AA®110 Curtain Wall system that features a bespoke expansion joint, which allows a building movement tolerance of +/- 15 mm. Creating a sense of scale and vibrancy, the white profiled terracotta ceramic façades contrast the earthy tones of the perimeter buildings in a modern interpretation of the grand Victorian warehouses nearby. The high-performance Curtain Wall was accompanied by AA®720 Side Hung Open-In Windows to deliver a high level of thermal performance throughout. Using passive principles, the high insulation building fabric coupled with solar control glazing, address the energy requirements for heating and cooling.

The indoor sports facility has utilised one of our wall systems(Topperfo M 16/16/8) to combat sound reverberation, voice intelligibility and to lower the sound pressure levels typically created in such a large hard surfaced area.

The British interior designer and DIY connoisseur Luke Arthur Wells has styled the Fat lever handle in charcoal to perfection. The deep charcoal hue of the inflated lever handle becomes a sharp, elegant accent against the cream-coloured walls. 

Bespoke Kawneer curtain walling adapted for the 11-storey commercial element of the £200 million Atlas building - at 40 storeys the tallest tower in London’s Tech City area - at 145 City Road, Clerkenwell, at the heart of London’s architectural sector.

Western Red Cedar Shingles with FRT Exterior® Fire Retardant Treatment (AA Rating) provided the Welsh Primary School in Swansea with feature cladding to the curved external walls, in order to create what the architect described as a ‘cedar shell’.

For what is one of London’s tallest residential towers, Siderise, leaders in the development of fire, thermal and acoustics insulation solutions, has provided cavity barriers and perimeter fire seals as part of the glazed curtain walling system for the Landmark Pinnacle Tower.

11,500m2 of Optima TFC+ in 3.0mm Aluminium PPC Interpon D2525 YW206F, Y4312I, Y4317I has been used in the completion of Abbey Place in London.Sitting within walking distance of Cross Rail station, with excellent links to central London, the development comprises two energy efficient residential buildings, one standing at 22 storeys, and the other at 12 storeys.Optima TFC+, Sotech’s through fixed cassette rainscreen, was selected as the perfect solution for creating the three-sided vertical and horizontal column units, whilst maintaining optimum system performance.To validate system performance against the project specific loads and panel profiles, Sotech undertook many FEM studies to ensure the system performed in line with expectations. This also ensured that the correct number of stiffening members and the appropriate fixing requirements were dealt with prior to the project commencing, ensuring a smooth flow of information.The Interpon D2525 Stone Effect range was selected to provide GRC and Natural Concrete look-a-like finishes. Along with the metallic YW206F, all finishes are Qualicoat Class 2 approved and offer an A2-s1,d0 fire rating to the façade.Abbey Place is a development of 245 new homes across two buildings. Linked by a shared communal garden, the new homes provide quality housing, with connections to central London and beyond via the Elizabeth Line.Optima TFC+ has been fire tested to BS8414-2:2015, and classified to BR135 for high rise buildings. A full range of Euroclass A1 and A2 – s1,d0 panel materials from 2mm – 4mm are available. Click here to learn more about the materials and finishes available, and to explore 3D models of the system in Sotech’s virtual showroom.Aluminium PPC is a type of dry coating, rather than a conventional liquid paint, and is applied to metal rainscreen as a free flowing, dry powder. The powder is applied to rainscreen panels electrostatically and is then cured under heat to allow it to form a ‘skin’. This electrostatic powder process means we can ensure complete coverage of the panels, even on more complex shapes.Powder coating can produce a much thicker coating than conventional liquid coating leaving PPC rainscreen cladding with a hard finish. This is much tougher than normal paint and its strong abrasion and corrosion resistance properties make it extremely durable and long lasting.TESTIMONIALS James Harris, Managing Director at OCL said: “Sotech are long-term supply chain partners of OCL. At Abbey Place Sotech once again provided a first class service from start to finish.The façade was originally specified as GRC, but with early engagement and a collaborative approach, our respective teams were able to come up with a look-a-like solution, using the Interpon D2525 Stone Effect range, which was both cost effective and aesthetically appealing.The completed scheme looks exceptional and is a testament to all involved” Craig Skidmore, Radan Programmer at Sotech, said:“Abbey place was a great job to work on, utilising both of our punch machines. For the complex parts we punched them on our Pullmax punch machine. On our Salvagnini S4 & P4 the standard TFC+ parts flew through our production line using parametric programming it was great to see the line work so efficiently on this job.” Jamie Brown, Business Development Manager at Sotech, added:“Like the rest of the industry at the time, we were facing considerable cost increases across the board. It was therefore vital that we engaged a supply chain that could offer us cost certainty and could confidently meet the clients programme and keep up with demand throughout. The outcome is another amazing project delivered with OCL Facades. The quality of work from early stage design to installation was exceptional by the OCL team. A massive thank you to our supply chain for their continued support. The two buildings look fantastic!”

AG was delighted to continue our partnership with Braidwater Homes at one of the house builder’s most prestigious private housing development, Castlehill, located just off the Ballygowan Road in Belfast.Braidwater Group’s Chief Operating Officer, Ryan Boyle said:“AG’s paving and walling products which are aesthetically pleasing, tie in totally with Braidwater’s ‘living the dream’ aspirations. For the Castlehill development we had a number of requirements, which included ensuring that the landscaping tied in with the modern feel of this high-end development.” To this end, we utilised AG’s Vertica® and Diamond® retaining walls, where appropriate, together with AG’s River Stone 3’s set pavers in contrasting tones.”AG’s Regional Sales Manager, Barry Scott commented:“We have a really good relationship with the Braidwater Group and are currently involved in a number of their sites across Northern Ireland. The Castlehill contract was an important one for us and we have worked hard to ensure we live up to their high standards. As part of our commitment to Braidwater I personally make visits to their sites to ensure their team always have the products they need. Our personal service supported by speed and ease of delivery is something they appreciate. They also like the fact that by utilising our Anchor® Diamond® mortarless/pin-less segmental retaining wall system their team can work on in wet weather with no breaks in construction.”

IssueA rental property in Stourport-on-Severn needed a quick refurbishment, allowing the landlord to turn the property around for tenants who were keen to move in. The main areas to be refurbished were the kitchen and bathroom, both of which needed to be fully re-fitted, providing a fresh, clean home for the new residents. ApproachThe landlord had previously worked with Altro products and needed quick to install products, which would provide ease of installation, durability, and ease of cleaning. “We had received information about a new product, Altro Walls ShowerKit, and were keen to try it out. The house needed a quick turnaround as our tenants were waiting to move in. The installer was also keen to have products that were easy to manoeuvre, carry up and down stairs, and resulted in less waste” said S.Birch, Landlord.SolutionAltro Ensemble luxury vinyl tile in colour Pewter Concrete was selected for the kitchen, providing a luxury feel together with comfort underfoot and impact sound reduction.Altro Walls ShowerKit in colour Cool Mineral and Stacked Metro design was selected for the bathroom, partnered with Altro Wood adhesive-free in colour Post Oak. The combination of an Altro floor and wall results in an easy-to-maintain and safe space, giving the bathroom a homely aesthetic, with ease of cleaning and our Altro one in a million slip-resistance reassurance.

Today, visual learning has been recognized as the easiest way the human mind can perceive information. The more technology is developing, the more people get drawn towards the screens. While tech devices have a definite advantage in providing a highly interactive way of introducing ideas, there are also some drawbacks that most people are very familiar with. Sometimes it’s just best to use a whiteboard wall instead. When we think of a classroom we usually imagine a narrow space with a teacher podium and a wall-hung writing board. The whole attention is drawn to the front centre of the room towards a confined writing space. The teacher-student conversation is a one-sided one where students often feel pressure and inability to respond when asked to step in front of the whole class. Who likes being tested before the judging eyes of a whole room of people, anyway? Teachers understood this problem and decided to take action. Driven by the idea to bring learning closer to students, teachers from the 125th Middle School in Sofia, Bulgaria have reimagined the typical classroom with the help of a product that ESCREO has developed especially with children in mind. The school added a clear dry-erase writing space to one of the side walls of a classroom. What happened after that turned their whole teaching system upside down.

Architectural glazing systems by Kawneer were specified for their “robustness and quality” for two linked 16-storey apartment blocks on the last plot to be developed in one of Britain’s fastest-growing property hot spots - the £37 million BTR (Build To Rent) towers at Erie Basin in Salford Quays, Manchester, a stone’s throw from MediaCityUK.Kawneer’s AA®100 curtain walling features as strip curtain wall to copper-coloured rainscreen areas of the towers at Erie Basin. In addition, AA®110 curtain walling features on link bridges and as floor-to-ceiling screens facing the water. While the AA®100 system uses 50mm sightlines, the AA®110 system uses 65mm but both in this case were zone-drained. They are complemented by AA®541 open-out casement window inserts and AA®720 ultra thermally-efficient entrance doors.The Kawneer systems were installed over eight months by a team of up to 35 from approved specialist sub-contractor FK Group for main contractor GRAHAM and client Glenbrook, the privately-owned property development and investment company, who acquired the site from the Peel Group.The prominent dockside development is GRAHAM’s second project with Glenbrook, with work also underway on another £27 million BTR project in Ellesmere Street, Castlefield, Manchester, which also features Kawneer systems.

PROJECT OVERVIEW Jaguar planned a £500m investment for their first in-house engine manufacturing facility. Opened by Her Majesty, it currently produces 400,000 Ingenium petrol and diesel engines a year. Norwood worked with Interserve to deliver this ground-breaking project to the highest standards. The overall project won the Regeneration award at the RICS Awards Grand Final.OUR SCOPE OF WORKThe main challenge was to provide a 120Min fire-rated demountable compartment wall at 11 meters high. Norwood teamed up with Interserve, developing our 200mm Mediline system, which was subjected to excessive laboratory testing to achieve the 120Min Fire Rated certification. In addition to solid partitions, Norwood supplied a 90Min fire-rated 9-meter high glazed partition wall which provided a viewing gallery from the grand reception onto the manufacturing floor.In addition to the fire-rated compartment walls, Norwood provided a self-supporting machine and QC enclosures. The enclosures had to give a clean environment to a GMP standard; therefore, they had their own mechanical equipment, which was all supported by the Norwood enclosure. This was delivered by designing and installing a bespoke PodSolve system which consisted of a hidden ceiling joist system that provided the structural support for the mechanical equipment.Norwood often returns to Jaguar Land Rover providing modifications without business interruption to the build as their product cycle changes.

With a proven track record of successful work in the education sector, Senior Architectural Systems was more than qualified to deliver the fenestration package for this new secondary school in Brighton.The new Chailey School in South Lewes has been designed by leading architects Jestico + Whiles and features a full range of aluminium fenestration solutions including Senior’s thermally-efficient, slimline SF52 aluminium curtain wall system and robust SPW501 aluminium commercial doors. The new school has also reunited Senior with main contractor Bowmer & Kirkland, with whom Senior has an established supplier framework agreement. The two companies have collaborated together on numerous projects, with Bowmer & Kirkland being the first contractor to specify Senior’s patented low U-value PURe® aluminium window system when it was launched back in 2015. The main contractor has gone on to work with Senior and specify its aluminium windows, doors and curtain wall systems on many other education projects across the UK.Chailey School is itself part of Department of Education construction framework agreement to modernise educational facilities and improve the environmental efficiency of this sector. Senior worked closely with specialist contactor RKN Aluminium to design, fabricate and install the fenestration package for the new school building which comprises some 85 windows, 14 section of curtain wall and 12 door sets!

DAYLIGHT FOR SHOWCASING STUDENT SUCCESSWe have always recognised that daylighting is both an art and a science, which makes it an appropriate focal point for Mahwah High School’s new STEAM Lab. The STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) approach to education takes an important step in recognising the importance of and integrating the arts into a science-and-technology-geared curriculum. The arts foster creativity and ingenuity that allows for the successful application of other skills.The 9,000-square-foot facility—designed by Tokarski Millemann Architects and fondly nicknamed the “Thunderbird Think Tank” in honour of Mahwah High School’s logo—houses classrooms, indoor and outdoor labs and a gallery to showcase student projects.Tokarski Millemann was looking for the perfect material to use for the art gallery component of the facility. According to principal architect, Michael Millemann, “The vision was to create a ‘cube’ shaped space for the display of the students’ creative works which were previously tucked in a hallway. The material needed to create a beautiful glow from the exterior along with permitting only serene, diffused light to the interior.”Kalwall’s museum-quality daylighting™ delivers full-spectrum, diffuse natural light to allow for high visual acuity and accurate colour rendition within the gallery space. This creates a comfortable, welcoming environment for viewing artwork and other projects or hosting gatherings.A custom blue face sheet was developed to match the school’s logo. The blue is not a coating, but rather full-colour thickness through the entire exterior face, utilising Kalwall’s super-weathering technology. Due to the panel’s power of diffusion, the blue exterior does not affect the quality of light within the space, but it allows for a beautiful, soft glow at night that acts as a marquis for the school. During the day, Kalwall’s best-in-industry solar heat gain control prevents the cube from becoming a hot box and superior thermal performance ensures a comfortable environment all year long while lowering HVAC loads. Combined with daylighting’s ability to reduce reliance on electricity, Kalwall plays a major role in the project’s overall energy efficiency.Cost efficiency is another benefit Kalwall provided. Panels are low maintenance with a self-cleaning surface, meaning normal rainfall helps to keep the exterior free of sediment while at the same time retaining its original colour during the weathering process. The lightweight panel system minimised the need for additional internal structure for a very clean design, while rapid installation kept the project on schedule and on budget.“The Kalwall translucent panels exceeded our vision,” said Millemann. “We worked with Kalwall’s Steve Del Guercio and their team to develop a daylighting and structural strategy, and the custom panel colour. The Kalwall cube anchors the addition to the existing building and is a visual beacon located on axis with the entrance to the campus. Along with the client, we could not be happier with the final product.”The Mahwah High School STEAM lab will be an environment in which students can thrive for generations to come.Photos: Courtesy of Tokarski Millemann Architects

Almost four years on we look back at a distinctive Manchester tram stop within a landscaped park setting that boasts a ‘living wall’ of plants and wildflowers surrounded by extensive landscaping, offering a calm and peaceful environment for passengers who are waiting for the tram.

The Mary Webb School & Science College in Pontesbury, Shropshire has undergone major refurbishment. The first phase of the project was to install a completely new front to the main school building, replacing the old windows with Kestrel thermally efficient windows and curtain walling.

Walsall based fabricators Aluminium Glazing Solutions (Midlands) Ltd won the contract to manufacture and install Kestrel Aluminium’s curtain wall and window systems for a prestige development of five and six bedroom detached houses on the Coton House Estate, near Rugby.

The data sets for SIEGENIA's ventilation units can now be found in the CAD/CAE software Trimble Nova. This enables architects and planners to carry out easy and reliable planning with the facade and wall-mounted ventilator data as well as components contained in the software.

The Body in White Facility is an extension (60,000sqm) at the Castle Bromwich site of Jaguar Land Rover. This new facility utilises an interesting blend of Trisomet and Trimapanel roof and wall cladding and also benefits from the Colorcoat Renew transpired solar collector system.

The ChallengeIn 2015 a joint venture of Balfour Beatty, Costain, and Skanksa (A14 integrated delivery team) was awarded £1.5bn by Highways England to improve the A14. These improvements included a new major 12-mile bypass, the widening of the A1 and the existing A14, improving the junctions on the A14, and building new access roads.The A14 carries around 85,000 vehicles per day; 26% of this is HGV traffic. It is frequently congested and traffic is often disrupted by breakdowns, accidents, and roadworks.As part of the A14 major scheme, a new retaining wall was needed to be constructed as new road works were encroaching on the pre-existing embankments. A durable, long-lasting, and low-maintenance wall solution with a Highway Authorities Product Approval Scheme and British Board of Agreement (BBA) certificate was required.The SolutionA vast number of EcoCrib mass gravity retaining walls are now constructed to support the embankments along the A14. The EcoCrib Mass Gravity Retaining Wall began its erection on 24th July and was completed on 10th October 2019. With a design life of over 120 years, EcoCrib is durable, and the most highly sustainable retaining solution. Designed, supplied, and installed by PC Construction, certified by the BBA and HAPAS in 2012.EcoCrib profiles are manufactured entirely from recycled UK plastic (bottle tops, car bumpers, etc) with any wastage or surplus material re-processed to form new EcoCrib profiles. Developed from timber crib technology, the 50mm x 125mm EcoCrib profiles are considerably more durable than treated timber but hold many environmental benefits.EcoCrib can be recycled when it reaches the end of its useful life.When considering solutions for developments of all kinds, the lifetime cost means EcoCrib is the more efficient choice.1838 SQM of EcoCrib was used in the scheme, equivalent to 212 tonnes of plastic waste diverted from landfill.

Location: Solihull, West Midlands Project Type: Hotel, Leisure Product: Spalding-Micropanel Material: Solid Sheet Aluminium 1050 AlloyFinish: Syntha Pulvin Architectural Polyester Powder Coating System in RAL 8002 Matt, RAL 8004 Matt, RAL 8012 Matt and RAL 8016 Matt Other products: System Flashings, Weatherstruck Coping, Window Surround System (inc. Jamb, Head flashing & Cill flashing inc. ventilation) in Syntha Pulvin RAL 7016 Matt, Column-Casings Syntha Pulvin RAL 7001 Matt Support system: Helping Hand Bracket & Rails Architects: Nixon Development Consultants Contractor: T. N. V. Construction Ltd Sub Contractor: G. F. S. Supplies Ltd

Delamere is a residential like no other, raising the bar when it comes to care. Brining together the latest and best therapeutic, somatic and healing practices they insist on providing a welcoming, and nurturing environment and believe passionately that recovery can be fun. Wirquin were part of the project of building Delamere providing bathroom frames. The Initio was the obvious option for this build offering the perfect solution for compact spaces. The large front panel means there is easy access for maintenance, perfect for hospitality. The design and push plate offer a touch of class and luxury which the Delamere offers in bundles. There are number options of push plates to pair with the Initio making it even more versatile and enabling you to match to any decor. The Initio also boasts a durable metallic structure which is coated in a anti corrosion solution and tested up to 400kg. 

The brief for Clearstone was to install a 8m2 prominent resin Seagull logo for Brighton & Hove, Albion Football Club, to welcome all visitors to the club. Clearstone was chosen for the project as they are a specialist resin bound surfacing company with expertise in producing custom paved logos.Clearstone’s design team, overlayed the architect’s drawing, enabling individual elements to be laser cut, and calculated the quantities of materials needed for the complex installation. Clearstone’s team of highly trained craftsmen took the laser-stencil-cut letters and images, carefully pinned them in place, before infilling the design with PrismStone®, Clearstone’s colour coated quartz range, designed for decorative surfaces. This careful process enabled the graphic to take shape exactly as requested by the club. Dural were contacted and asked to supply DUROSOL flexible aluminium trim, 18.5mm.

Two jointly developed buildings in Harpenden have been highly commended in the 'Best Kalzip project under 1500m2' category at Teamkal 2015. Both buildings - the Lawes Innovation Hub and the Rothamsted Conference Centre Extension - are part of the Rothamsted Centre for Research and Enterprise.The two building projects involved installing a Kalzip insulated site-assembled standing seam roof system. They also installed secret fix fascias and soffits across both buildings.SFS supplied stainless steel fixings to suit the project. The solution included a range of fasteners: SX, ASC-D, TDC-S, and powder-coated SX-L12. The package also included the SXL3-SV16, with its flexible V shaped washer, allowing secure thick to thin fixing,

Project: Greenlaw Business CentreDate: 2018 Background:·        APL were involved from an early stage with the architects, providing design and costing advice throughout the tendering process·        APL’s strong supplier relationships ensured that long-lead items were all delivered to the project timeframes·        APL’s design expertise enabled a bespoke profile to be created to meet the architects vision and inhouse fabrication capability upto 6m in length resulted in single-length profiles and flashings Systems:·        1,000m² of Newton-range custom bespoke in aluminium with an anodised-bronze coating·        850m² of AP6ZS factory-produced standing-seam built-up system·        APL Tritherm™ GALV support system onto SFS·        LB4 live louvre system·        All flashings, fixings and accessories  Building Location:·        Glasgow

Rising 143 metres in the London skyline, this 42-storey tower located in Stratford near to the former Olympic park, consists of 248 luxury residential lofts and a 145-bedroom hotel.Designed by high-rise specialist architects Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, over 17,000m2 of ipasol Light Grey 60/33 glazing was chosen for the facade thanks to its aesthetic of a light grey tint when viewed from outside but highly transparent and neutral when viewed from interior spaces.As the facade includes full height glazing, a combination of solar control and thermal insulation coated glass was needed to allow the facade to achieve its energy efficiency targets. Some glazing types also utilise acoustic laminated glass to maximise the sound reduction properties of double glazing units.

Orbis OS211 Glass Infill Top FixOrbis OS221 Midrail Infill Top FixOrbis OS201 Vertical Bar Infill Top FixOrbis OS251 No Infill Top FixThe £4million campus modifications at Accrington & Rossendale College create a transformational green space to enhance the campus environment. Wildflower meadows are the backdrop to improved access, ensuring ease of movement around campus.A modern and refined aesthetic has been created at the new main entrance with the installation of Orbis balustrades with toughened laminated glass infill. Whilst powder coated Orbis with vertical bars guides the way from the street level access elevator to the main entrance.Incorporating Orbis with midrail infill to provide extra support for the high traffic main entrance steps, ensuring safety is paramount on campus.

Formerly the home of AstraZeneca, Alderley Park is a world-leading life science and innovation campus situated across 93,000 sqm on the outskirts of Manchester city centre. With a mix of new-build waterproofing requirements and existing roof refurbishments, the client appointed Garland UK as a roofing partner across the multi-building site. Alongside the refurbishment and new-build site works, Garland UK was also briefed to provide a tailored design specification for the Glasshouse Project, which would become the largest triple pitched standing seam roof in the UK.Garland UK's 3 system portfolio of high-quality bituminous membranes, cold applied liquid coatings and profiled metal ensured that each roof would get the right system for its unique challenge.

Take a read of our case study where our team manufactured and installed laminate lockers at Alexandra Park in Oldham. The specification of 55 two-compartment solid-grade laminate lockers was 1775mm high, 296mm wide, and 500mm deep. Along with 2 two-compartments with measurements at 1775mm high, 296mm wide, and 300mm deep. Additionally, 3 one-compartment laminate lockers with specifications of 900mm high, 296mm wide, and 500mm deep.The body of the laminate lockers was powder coated in the shade ‘Ice’ which is our standard shade for the mild steel body. Whereas the laminate doors were in a range of colours, ‘Red, Yellow Piper, Orange Crayon and Mountain Grey’ by Abet Laminate. These are excellent shades as it creates an uplifting atmosphere due to the bright colours whilst being in an environment of nature.

Altro solution brings life to design-led Hull birth centreA complete floors and walls solution from Altro has been used to create a relaxing, stylish home from home environment for mums-to-be in a new birth centre at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.The new midwife-led Fatima Allam Birth Centre meets the needs of women who want a more natural childbirth experience.Andrew Ledger, contracts manager for Apleona, which provides facilities management for the building, oversaw the new construction and was part of the team that devised the overall concept.“We specified Altro floors and walls from the start because we are using these products elsewhere in the hospital with a great deal of success. They meet all our clinical hygiene and infection control needs, while also offering a superb range of colours and textures, which makes them ideal for creating a modern and stylish environment.“The quality and durability of Altro is a major factor too because, as a PFI project, the long-term cost is under close scrutiny.Adele Howitt, from Studio Eleven Gallery & Workshop in Hull, won a commission from the hospital to design the interior concept.“Once we had decided on colours, we worked closely with Altro to look at the specific products. They completely understood our practical and aesthetic needs.”“I used Altro Whiterock Digiclad to create statement walls from floor to ceiling. This is a fantastic product for design-led projects because you can print any image or photograph onto it, and the quality is superb.”Adele chose Altro Whiterock Satins for the shower rooms. She says “It has some wonderful shades, and the subtle, sheer texture is very stylish.”Flooring for the birth centre was key to creating the homely, nonclinical feel. Andrew Ledger and the project team wanted natural, warm, wood-effect flooring and chose Altro Wood.Andrew says: “Wet areas in clinical environments need to be very safe underfoot, so we chose Altro Pisces safety flooring for both the shower rooms and around the birthing pool. This flooring performs superbly in both wet or dry conditions, and with bare feet or shoes, so it’s perfect for keeping both patients and staff safe. Altro Pisces also looks good enough to work within our design themes and there are some great colours.”The flooring was installed by Floorcovers UK. Partner Phil Morris said: “For quality and reliability Altro is the best, and they are a pleasure to work with."The Altro wall sheet was fitted by Richardson Claddings. Owner Joe Richardson comments:“The beauty of the Altro walls system is that it is so quiet, easy and clean to install. Altro sends the sheets to us ready-cut, which means minimal cutting or shaping on site.”Andrew Ledger says: “We get a lot of medical professionals visiting from around the world and they say the centre is the best of its kind they have seen anywhere.“Most importantly, the mothers who have given birth here are thrilled with it too.“After each birth, the rooms are completely disinfected and cleaned, and the Altro floors and walls are proving very easy to maintain.“We are delighted with this amazing facility.”

ASF were approached to manufacture and supply our Stowe pattern post and rail for a roof garden project on Great Portland Street in London.This meant a number of the posts had to be adapted to have a side mounted baseplate which would then fix directly to the steelworks of the building. A new pattern was created that hosted a very heavy duty baseplate. As standard and manufactured in our 100% recycled grade 250 Cast iron, ASF posts in isolation will meet and exceed the 3kN loading requirement (the highest requirement for any standard railing product), but we made these ones in SG420/12 ductile iron for even more strength. The posts were supplied with stainless steel rails that were pre bent and supplied so they could be easily fixed on site using internal connectors