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Access to secure, on-street cycle parking can have a big impact on people’s lives, making cycling more feasible, easier and more convenient. However, conventional cycle parking solutions often cannot accommodate larger non-standard cycles such as handcycles, tricycles and recumbents. This creates a barrier to usage and ownership for non-standard cycle users who do not have convenient private storage space.Working in partnership with Lambeth Council, Cyclehoop provided a specially adapted Bikehangar to accommodate a recumbent tandem bike for the Charles family and their son Isaac, who has Down’s Syndrome.Cycling is a great activity for Isaac, combining exercise, socialising and the outdoors. He and his father Tagore ride a tandem bike with a recumbent front seat made by specialist German manufacturer Hase, which Tagore acquired with help from Wheels for Wellbeing and London Recumbents. The bike gives Isaac an unobstructed view ahead and allows the pair to communicate while they ride.Prior to the Bikehangar, the bike was stored indoors, taking up valuable space in the kitchen. Tagore had to carry the 20kg+ bike up and down a flight of stairs, making each outing a difficult undertaking.How Cyclehoop adapted the Bikehangar Having received the details and measurements of the bike, our design team got to work specifying the Bikehangar adaptations. The most important factor is to understand the specific needs of the user; in this scenario Tagore can operate the door and load the bike in and out of the Bikehangar. Further adaptations such as ramps or platforms were not required. The standard floating rack arrangement was removed and a high-security ground anchor with Sold Secure Pedal Cycle Diamond accreditation was chosen to provide a suitable locking point for the bike’s low slung frame. For the unit’s standard cycle users, a high density rack module provides support and secure locking points. The adapted Bikehangar was installed by the Cyclehoop team in March 2023.In Use The adapted Bikehangar makes a big difference to the Charles family, Tagore no longer has to lift the bike up and down the stairs, risking damage or even injury. The bike doesn’t occupy space in the kitchen and the process of going out for a ride is now substantially easier and safer, leading to more frequent outings for Isaac. The two Bikehangar spaces for standard cycles are rented to other residents on the street.“The adapted Bikehangar has transformed our family’s cycling experience. No longer burdened by the logistical challenges of storing and accessing our recumbent tandem bike, we can now enjoy the freedom and joy of riding together more conveniently. It has brought us closer, allowing us to explore the world around us with ease. We are grateful to Cyclehoop and Lambeth Council for making this possible.”– Tagore CharlesAt Cyclehoop we believe the benefits of the bike should be available to all. We’re delighted to help Isaac and Tagore enjoy cycling more conveniently and more often. We hope the adapted Bikehangar will inspire similar projects in the future. We would like to express our thanks to the Charles family and the cycle parking team at Lambeth for their help.“At Wheels for Wellbeing we know that the right secure cycle parking solution is key to owning your own cycle, especially if it features bespoke adaptations and/or bears a large price tag (both are often the case when you’re a disabled cyclist). I am therefore thrilled to see that the Charles family have been provided with an accessible cycle hangar, on their street, enabling them to cycle as often as they wish.This was thanks to the council putting in place a simple mechanism for residents to indicate what type of cycle they ride (not assuming that everyone rides a bicycle) and discussions with the provider of cycle hangars who made the modifications requested by this particular family. This is true accessibility in action: a system which works for the majority AND which is also ready to adapt when needed. Well done Lambeth Council and Cyclehoop!!”– Isabelle Clement – Director, Wheels for Wellbeing

Restoration of the Old Rectory in Clifton Village, Nottinghamshire: A Testament to Exquisite Craftsmanship and Heritage PreservationThe Old Rectory, a remarkable Grade II Listed Georgian-style property dating back to the mid-1700s, has undergone a magnificent restoration, showcasing the timeless beauty of timber sash windows. This noteworthy project, carried out with the assistance of Gowercroft Joinery's exceptional craftsmanship, serves as a testament to the commitment to heritage preservation and attention to detail.Key DetailsThe Old Rectory, a Grade II Listed Georgian-style property in Clifton Village, Nottinghamshire, has undergone a £5 million restoration project.Tomlinson Homes, a division of G F Tomlinson Group, collaborated with architects CBP, Nottinghamshire County Council's conservation team, and the local community to ensure the preservation of the property's heritage assets.The restoration project retained and reinstalled many period features, including the original square stairwell with wooden cantilever stairs and purpose-built rooms.Gowercroft Joinery's Classic Range timber windows and doors were chosen as high-quality fixtures and fittings that respected the property's heritage.Products Used48 traditional Chatsworth sliding sash windows with elegant Georgian glazing bars and durable Accoya® frames.23 Hardwick casement windows.6 Kedleston tilt & turn windows.12 Melbourne doors with traditional styling and performance features.17 sets of internal decorative shutters in various designs, maintaining the period look.OverviewThe restoration of the Old Rectory in Clifton Village, Nottinghamshire, stands as a remarkable example of a meticulously executed heritage restoration project.Tomlinson Homes, a division of G F Tomlinson Group, collaborated closely with architects CBP, Nottinghamshire County Council's conservation team, and the local community to ensure the preservation of the property's historic character.The £5 million development, known as Rectory Gardens, encompasses the conversion of the iconic landmark into luxury homes while respecting and restoring its heritage.Preserving the HeritageThroughout the restoration process, great care was taken to retain and restore the property's distinctive period features, including its original square stairwell with wooden cantilever stairs and spacious purpose-built rooms.The project aimed to honour the heritage assets that had withstood the test of time, ensuring that the finished design harmoniously merged the old and the new.Exquisite Timber Windows and DoorsGowercroft Joinery's Classic Range timber windows and doors were meticulously selected as high-quality fixtures and fittings, perfectly suited for this prestigious restoration project.The Old Rectory's original wooden sash windows were replaced with 48 traditional Chatsworth sliding sash windows. These windows faithfully replicated the elegant Georgian glazing bars, featuring slim and durable Accoya® frames with a stunning maintenance-free white finish.Complementing the sash windows, the restoration included 23 Hardwick casement windows, six Kedleston tilt & turn windows, and 12 Melbourne doors. All these products were carefully chosen from Gowercroft's Classic portfolio, offering a perfect blend of traditional aesthetics and high-performance features.A Thoughtful RestorationAs part of the restoration, Gowercroft Joinery also supplied 17 sets of internal decorative shutters in a range of opening and fixed designs. These shutters beautifully complemented the carefully restored period look of the property, adding a touch of sophistication and functionality.Andrew Madge, Managing Director of Gowercroft Joinery, expressed immense pride in contributing to the conversion of this historic property into a collection of exceptional residential homes. He emphasised how the Classic windows and doors from Gowercroft offer architects and specifiers an ideal solution for upgrading older properties while preserving their traditional appearance, thanks to their well-balanced proportions, exceptional energy efficiency, and remarkable durability.For architects and specifiers involved in large construction firms, the Old Rectory restoration project exemplifies the meticulous attention to detail and commitment to heritage preservation that elevate any development into a truly exceptional masterpiece. The inclusion of Gowercroft Joinery's Classic Range timber windows and doors ensures a seamless blend of timeless aesthetics, superior performance, and enduring quality.

Altro Serenade reduces noise and increases comfort for schoolIssueThe newly-constructed £17 million Reach Free School has created places for 840 secondary level students in a cutting-edge environment. Architect ADP’s concept for the school was an open plan space with a lot of openings that connect the various floors. This meant the potential for noise and reverberation throughout the school was quite high. The Reach Free School specified vinyl flooring rather than carpet, for robustness and ease of cleaning. It was also important for the school that the flooring would bring comfort underfoot. Reducing noise throughout the new building was a priority.ApproachADP consulted an acoustician at the early stages of the design, and were advised that a flooring with an acoustic rating greater than 17dB would give significant reduction in noise from footfall, chairs scraping in the classrooms and overall background noise volume.Altro Serenade flooring was recommended by Horizontal Limited, which installed 1500m² of the flooring on the ground and first floor in all communal areas, stairs and classrooms.SolutionAt 3.9mm thick, Altro Serenade provides 19dB impact sound insulation to reduce noise and provide comfort underfoot. The Reach Free School selected the shade Encore, a pale grey with a good textural design which complements the strong school colours of teal blue and purple."I would recommend this flooring to anyone that wants a hard-wearing, great looking modern solution that also helps to reduce noise and increase comfort in the environment."Richard Booth Headteacher at The Reach Free School"Altro Serenade fit the brief perfectly. It’s ideal for this type of busy, noisy environment where there is a great deal of foot traffic. Many manufacturers struggle to make good acoustic flooring that doesn’t mark or indent but, with Altro Serenade, Altro has cracked this issue with a superb quality product."Jonathan Bown MD, Horizontal Limited

Patalab architects were commissioned to convert an intriguing building off Acton High Street in the London Borough of Ealing into a new certified school for children with Special Education Needs and one with a special focus on pupils with severe autism. Snowflake School is an Ofsted-outstanding teaching environment in a building which was originally a purpose-built hall for the Salvation Army before being turned into an animation studio. Inserted steelwork mezzanines over a herringbone-floored hall contributed to a mishmash of conversions. Given the nature of the school and the links between autism and noise sensitivity, Troldtekt’s acoustic wood wool panelling was specified to minimise sound reverberation and to promote a healthy sound environment and calmness.Project Architect Sophie Fuller explains “The double-height central space works really well as the school’s main hall. In order to minimise sound reverberation, we chose to clad the upper half in acoustic panelling made from wood wool. The texture and neutral colour of the panelling also help to make this tall space feel friendlier and warmer.” Following design guidelines, as well as meeting fire protection and safety requirements, meant many aspects of the building’s history had to be covered although glimpses remain. For example, the original parquet floor used in the assembly hall, original metal handrails protruding from new plywood balustrades and relocated doors as internal windows. At the same time, ramps and a platform stair lift have been added to create accessibility. Founded on the Cradle-to-Cradle design concept, Troldtekt’s natural and inherently sustainable panels are available in a variety of different surfaces and colours and contribute positively to a building’s BREEAM, DGNB and LEED ratings. In addition to their high sound absorption and tactile surface, they offer high durability and low cost lifecycle performance. Available in various sizes and in four grades from extreme fine to coarse, the panels can be left untreated or painted in virtually any RAL colour.

Duke Court is a development of 37 affordable homes for rent, built on the site of Fred Styles House, formerly a sheltered housing block, providing 42 bedsits, that had been empty since 2013. The development is part of Royal Borough of Greenwich’s commitment to delivering new high-quality homes and sustainable communities.The new development of 29 houses, 7 flats and 1 maisonette creates a pretty neighbourhood of terraced houses running along Charlton Church Lane, and a series of mews streets which run perpendicular connecting into the urban fabric behind the site. Glazed screens lead into a generous open plan kitchen dining room. Stairs lead up to bedrooms and to a light and airy open plan living room with fully glazed screens leading out onto a secluded sun trap roof terrace.The buildings along Charlton Church Lane alternate in height between two, and three storeys. The houses are built from a beautiful soft and rustic brick that helps ensure that the new homes feel embedded and ‘worn in’ to the surrounding area. The brick selected was Forterra’s Ecostock Belgravia Gault Blend. Its varied tone is important for ensuring the new homes do not feel too monolithic adding visual interest, factors that were integral to reassuring planners that the brick would be sensitive to its surrounding context.Low cost, robust but high quality brick detailing is integral to the project. Traditionally built brick arches front a number of the homes and help create a semi-private space where people can put out pots and plants, wellies and umbrellas etc. Snapped headers create tightly curved external walls where the site requires thinner accommodation. Other brick details include projecting brick surrounds to pop-up windows, arched window heads, soldier and header courses, articulated parapets and beautiful angled window reveals on prominent corners.

Products:OS210 Orbis Glass Infill Side & Top FixV511U Vista Extended Laminated Glass Infill U-Profile Top FixContractor: Wynne ConstructionArchitects: TACP Architects – WrexhamIt’s great to yet again be helping the success of the Wrexham Yale College project with our balustrade systems. Delta have been manufacturing and installing balustrades to various phases of Wrexham Yale College over decades and are delighted to continue supplying quality products throughout the ongoing redevelopments.Most recently, we supplied and fitted:130m of Curved Vista Balustrade to the feature stair and voids, specified up to 1.5kNm of loading.160m of Stainless Steel Orbis Glass Infill systems to 5 other staircases throughout the building, including the hall, sports arena, theatre and more.14m of high loading balustrade (3kNm) in the sports hall viewing area.19m of Vista balustrade to the external balcony, 1.5kNm of loading.This new three-storey, 96,000sqft college in Wrexham is to house facilities for catering, creative arts, and sports students along with providing general teaching and IT studios, replacing the elements of the campus’ existing buildings, which will be demolished. The facility will also be home to the National Library of Wales digital archive, where members of the public can access information on Welsh culture and heritage.With construction taking place over the course of the pandemic, Wynne Construction prioritised the health and wellbeing of workers during the build and ensured minimal disruption was felt by students and staff. Additionally, there was a real focus on sustainable technologies in the construction of this building, continuously present through use of natural daylight and natural ventilation within the building – we have reviewed light considerations further in our article disclosing ‘Five Top Tips for Specifying the right Balustrade System‘.The balustrades at Yale College were a very central part of the scheme providing a high quality, contemporary feel enabling maximum daylight to penetrate through the central feature areas particularly.Photo credits: Wynne Construction