"special purpose lighting"

ASF supplied a combination of linear and spot light handrailing to the White City regeneration project for step units, ramps and general walkways. The lighting was decorative in the main with some areas requiring task lighting where there was a need to supplement the overhead lighting

Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf is a tourist attraction at Bournemouth Beach. The 18 hole course is part of Bournemouth’s famous seafront, which has over 7 million visitors per year. For safety purposes, it was necessary to fit Stair Nosings onto a fire exit staircase at the site.

THE PROJECT‘The Wardian is a residence like no other. Amid the skyscrapers and waterways of Canary Wharf, an immersive sanctuary is revealed. Two iconic towers offer the rare stillness of nature in the heart of the bustling metropolis’ (Ballymore)Beauty, functionality, substance and style not only sums up The Wardian as a whole but the attention to detail on all components including the beautiful postroom, carefully considered and designed by Glenn Howells architects. We were delighted to create the solution – following much careful consideration regarding the styling and concept images, this marble clad room became home to MODA 300 mailboxes, all polyester powder coated by SLB inhouse in Anodite Pale Gold with laser cut cladding, digital combination locks and special font numbers, engraved and infilled to match the ‘way findings’ on the project.Beautiful statement lighting and a bespoke central mail sorting area housing a discreet waste paper receptacle, provided the ultimate postroom.‘We pride ourselves on our attention to detail, thus enabling us to be asked to work on such high profile and aesthetically rigorous projects. The Wardian, alongside other hugely impressive developments we have had the pleasure of working on, enables us to be part of the journey and ensure they have a suitably impressive solution for their project. We totally respect these iconic developments and are sensitive to the needs and importance of the smallest of details, often resulting in the biggest and best outcomes.’Alison Orrells, CEO @ SLB

Solid wood floor specialist Junckers worked closely with world-renowned architects BIG (Bjarne Ingles Group), to create a custom finished oak floor for the M/S Maritime Museum in Helsingør, Denmark. The textured floor acts a link within the interior scheme of the award winning building, bringing together elements of concrete, glass and steel, housed in an amazing 150 metre long, old concrete dock. The architects’ brief was for a solid hardwood floor that can withstand the heavy footfall of a national museum, with a rustic quality to soften the raw and patinated concrete and large glass panels featured throughout the building. Junckers created a textured finish solid oak floor, which gives contrasting warmth to the overall impression of the museum. By using a specially developed hard brushing technique, the outer sapwood layer of the timber is removed, leaving a tactile, textured surface to expose the beautiful grain patterns naturally inherent in oak. The floor is finished in Junckers Ultra Matt Lacquer resulting in a matt, very hard-wearing floor. The lively two-strip oak floors really come into their own in the large, open spaces of the museums galleries. When natural light from the floor to ceiling glass wall hits the surface of the floor at an angle, it creates a spectacular effect. Following the immense success of the project, Junckers has added the incredible textured finish to many of its floors, both two-strip and wide board planks.

Polytan will be in on the action when the world’s top athletes pit their strengths against each other at international level this summer. The turf used for the hockey matches in Rio comes from Polytan, as was the case in London and Beijing too. Blue and green versions of the new Poligras Platinum CoolPlus synthetic turf system are being installed. The very same hockey pitch has also been available to the British hockey squads at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre since last October. The pitch comes in an eye-catching colour combination: a blue playing field with a light green border. A higher stitch density and special texturing technology mean that even more accurate moves are possible when playing on Poligras Platinum CoolPlus. Sally Munday, Chief Executive of England Hockey: “We have enjoyed a fantastic relationship with Polytan for a number of years. The quality of their product is outstanding, the installation work went without a hitch and the feedback from the players has been excellent.” Kevin Burton, Head of National Centres, Sport England: “In order to ensure our Great British hockey players had the best possible chance of success in future sports competitions, Sport England took the decision to replace the hockey surface at Bisham Abbey with the exact same surface that will be installed for the international sports competition in summer 2016. We are delighted with the surface as well as Polytan’s first-class service.”

Above the Ziller Valley in the heart of the Austrian Tyrol, the Penkenjoch rises 2,095m above the Ziller Valley. In spite of the special logistic and climatic challenges this location provides, an architectural gem has been built in just three months: the Garnet Chapel designed by Mario Botta.

SMET NHL 3.5 binder was specially selected for the restoration works in Dechomet Cemetry, Moneyslane.  Rainey Restoration Ltd used our superior-quality pure Natural Hydraulic Lime binder SMET NHL 3.5 to produce a superior-quality lime mortar. The selective hydraulic strength development of NHL binders makes them particularly suitable for producing lime mortars for masonry work, rendering, and plastering on historical buildings and monuments.NHL binders, available directly from SMET and online or in-store via our distribution partner Haldane Fisher, are particularly suited for ecological new builds, conservation, restoration, and preservation works. The products’ special composition allows mortars to breathe and permits constant hygrometric exchange between the substrate and the environment. This Restoration is another showcase of sympathetic historic building restoration, using superior-quality NHL products available from SMET.

The enclosed dining canopy has been a success at Hampton Gardens School. It has transformed the grounds and built somewhere with many purposes that can enhance the students’ daily lives – whether they’re simply eating with friends, or even exploring another side of their curriculum via an outdoor classroom shelter.

White Spire School is a special school for all ages in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Mr Wilson, the Assistant Head Teacher called in with an enquiry for a large canopy. He was looking to create a large covered area in their playground that they could use as an outside gym all year round.

Six unique benches made with several Artscape processes have been installed outside Accrington town hall. The bespoke designs recount Accrington’s rich and proud history, paying a special tribute to the Accrington Pals, Accrington Stanley FC and the area’s role in the Industrial Revolution.

SIKA SUPPLIES PROVEN TOP TO BOTTOM SOLUTION FOR HISTORIC BUILDING REFURBISHMENT Sika showcased the scope of its construction sector specialisms during the refurbishment and conversion of an historic, Grade II-listed building – with its industry-leading products selected for both roof and basement works.

SIG Design & Technology has lent its support to the building of a purpose-built play room for the Scottish Children’s charity, Play Alloa. Part of SIG UK Exteriors, SIG Design & Technology has supplied roofing materials and technical support free of charge to Play Alloa’s #ourweebigbuild project.

A bronze façade featuring integrated Rundum Meir garage doors for two new townhouses in central Manchester has been uniquely designed to reflect the architecture of the nearby John Rylands Library, one of the city’s most famous neo-Gothic buildings. The duo of four storey, high specification private dwellings designed by Snook Architects for regeneration specialist Watch This Space have given new purpose to an unused site nestling between two post-industrial buildings close to Deansgate. Their full height bronze façade delivers a striking external appearance that takes a distinctive visual cue from the library, located opposite. The aluminium façade of both townhouses features laser cut and acid-etched lacy blind tracery patterns that match those in the windows of the library, a late Victorian neo-Gothic building which opened in 1900 and is now part of the University of Manchester. The lacy pattern extends over the full height of the façade which includes large folding/sliding shutters. These balance privacy with natural light requirements for residents during the day whilst being eye-catching at night as internal light shines through the laser cut pattern. This design extends into the twin side sliding sectional garage doors manufactured and installed by Rundum Meir, which effectively deliver a sliding façade at street level. Working closely with architect Neil Dawson, Rundum Meir’s designers were able to replicate the design with total consistency and manufacture in Germany using acid etching across the six aluminium sections. Neil Dawson of Snook Architects said: “Watch This Space approached us to look at how they could transform this city centre site and we immediately saw the potential to take design inspiration from the nearby John Rylands Library. The resulting façade is unique, and through the movement of the shutters and garage doors during daily life it is constantly moving and changing. “The laser cut pattern means that the building really comes to life at night as the internal light makes the intricate façade design a stunning feature. To be able to match this styling in the garage doors was crucially important and the result reflects the bespoke craftsmanship provided by Rundum Meir.” The twin Rundum Meir sliding garage doors each provide a clear opening of 3.8 m for easy vehicle access from the street. Hand made using extruded aluminium, the fully automated bespoke garage doors have an automated pedestrian door as well as the side sliding door that demonstrate the design flexibility offered by Rundum Meir, who create every garage door to meet project requirements.

When a Manchester-based interior design company needed to source high quality flooring for their client’s office premises, they turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor for a fit for purpose solution. For this major refurbishment, Gerflor would supply over 1100m2 of Gradus Lunar Carpets, specifying ‘Rook’ and ‘Moretus’ as the colour choices.

The redevelopment of St Ann’s Hospital, a multipurpose healthcare campus in Tottenham, included a new, purpose-built mental health inpatient building. Designed to transform the care of patients and the working conditions of staff, the 74-bed mental health facility involved an extensive redevelopment of the previous wards on the site and is rated BREEAM Excellent.

DHL’s new supply chain campus in Brackmills, Northampton offers cost-competitive, flexible supply chain solutions that add value to businesses. This modern, purpose-built campus offers low cost, flexible warehousing managed by logistics industry experts and is set in a prime location with excellent communication and distribution networks.

Made to exacting standards, Penny Hydraulics Goods Lifts are the product of a complete end to end service – including design, manufacture, and installation – all done at our own purpose-built premises, here in the UK. We also offer comprehensive product training and maintenance carried out by a member of the Penny Hydraulics team.

AATi supplied type SN293/WL/280B Cast Aluminium Anti-slip Stair Nosing for this new AFA Bridge, the nosings includes a special bevelled back edge detail towards the rear of the nosing. AATi worked in conjunction with WEC Group to ensure the project was delivered on time and to a high quality!

A series of special inset, textured finish, stainless steel sinktops were included in a recent upgrade to classrooms and art rooms within Exeter’s Bidwell Brook School.Chosen for their practicality and durability but also for their neat and clean appearance, the inset sinks feature lipped edges all round to prevent spillage.

Cyclepods designed this specific project for two sets of Island Spacepods, complete with a specially designed, elongated glass canopy for shelter, at Doncaster Civic Centre. The client wanted a form of bike storage that would stand out and make a statement in a bid to encourage cyclists to the Civic Centre and accommodate existing cyclists.

An ambitious £37.5 million Littleport complex comprising special educational needs (SEN) and primary schools, an Academy and a leisure centre. Rockfon ceilings, baffles and wall panels are installed throughout. Rockfon products were chosen because they offer excellent sound control, Class A1 fire safety and durability.

St Mary’s Hospital is the major acute hospital for north west London as well as a maternity centre with consultant and midwife-led services. The hospital provides care across a wide range of specialities and runs one of four major trauma centres in London in addition to its 24/7 A&E department.

The former Boothen Neighbourhood Centre in Stoke has been given a new lease of life thanks to the MESC Table Tennis Club (MESC TTC) who have taken the facility on as their new base - attracting players from outside the local area. The club, which has been in existence for over 60 years now boasts 90m2 of world class beating Taraflex® Table Tennis Sports floor from international flooring specialist Gerflor in ‘Red’ for their main sports room and it looks first class.MESC TTC is a Table Tennis England “Premier Club and it has members of all ages ranging from 8-80+ years of age. They also coach juniors and have teams in the National Cadet and Junior League. The intention is that the new venue will move the club forward and eventually become a centre of excellence in the area. The building is now in use seven days a week and offers a place for both experienced and developing table tennis players of all ages to hone their skills.Malcolm Dawson, Chairman, MESC TTC commented, “The project came about because we were moving to our new premises, which we took over from the Local Authority as part of a Community Asset Transfer. We had been developing the venue from a very small hall, with offices and storerooms into a fit for purpose table tennis specific venue. This involved security fencing outside, security cameras, installing a new ceiling plus LED lighting, removing internal walls, and finally upgrading the sports floor to an Olympic pedigree solution.”Malcolm Dawson added, “We chose Gerflor’s Taraflex Table Tennis Sports Floor after much research, and as this flooring is approved by the ITTF (which is the Table Tennis’s international governing body), we knew it would be perfectly fit for purpose and our user’s needs.”The installation of the Gerflor Taraflex® Table Tennis Sports floor would need to be undertaken by a company who would meet the high levels of professionalism that the laying of the new floor would demand. Manchester-based XL Gym Interiors Ltd would be the appointed flooring contractor. The staff at XL Gym Interiors have worked in the health and fitness industry for over 20 years, and witnessed trends come and go. Their job is to make sports facilities current, interesting, and an enjoyable space to train and compete in.

Adcrest Ltd. is an electrical contracting company that was working on a new refurbishment project for Stables Market in Camden, London. Stables Market was in need of a number of new awnings to provide weather protection to the entrances of their shops. They had existing awnings in place that had been there for a number of years and were no longer fit for purpose and therefore needed replacing.

This 473 bedroom purpose built student accommodation development, is located on a prominent gateway to the city. The scheme provides high quality facilities with a mix of cluster apartments, providing panoramic views of the city and Nottingham Castle.Interpon D2525 Steel Bronze 2 selected as the primary finish across windows, solid and perforated panels, and doors.

Ashlands Manor is a luxurious care home located in Sale, Manchester, offering residential and specialist dementia care. This purpose-built, 57 bedroom ‘new generation’ facility has been expertly designed to meet all current Care Quality Commission (CQC) requirements. It also provides the highest standards of safety, comfort and care.

The University of Bristol has upgraded its emergency lighting with a further 10 LuxIntelligent emergency lighting panels from Advanced. The new equipment was installed alongside 21 existing LuxIntelligent panels linked to around 4,500 light fittings, to ensure ongoing compliance with the BS 5266-1 code of practice for the emergency lighting of premises.The LuxIntelligent panels were fitted across a range of university buildings, including seven halls of residences, using existing cabling. The ease with which LuxIntelligent can be used to replace outdated emergency lighting on existing sites allowed significant time and cost savings to be achieved.In total, 31 LuxIntelligent emergency lighting panels from Advanced now protect numerous buildings across the University of Bristol, linked to a wide variety of LED luminaires from the LuxIntelligent range, to protect buildings with very different lighting requirements. They include downlighters, spotlights, exit signs and bulkhead lighting that complement equipment already installed in the historic Victoria Rooms and the Wills Hall halls of residence, as well as operating theatres and abattoirs in the veterinary college campus.

The £1.5 million fenestration for this new housing development on behalf of Crest Nicholson Regeneration was delivered in conjunction with specialist commercial fabricator Dempsey Dyer. It features: 5,000 frames Deceuninck 5000 series Tilt and Turn 7015 Anthracite on White 0.9 U Value - triple glazing casements with special thermal reinforcement

In the world of education, the physical environment plays a crucial role in shaping the learning experiences of students. To ensure that every child has equal access to education, the Department for Education (DfE) in the United Kingdom has laid down comprehensive guidelines for the design and construction of school buildings. Two key documents, BB103 and BB104, stand at the forefront of this initiative, setting standards to promote inclusivity and accessibility within educational settings.BB103 | Designing Accessible School BuildingsFor mainstream schools, BB103 mandates the inclusion of accessible facilities to accommodate pupils, students, staff, and visitors with disabilities. Crucially, this includes the provision of a specialist hygiene room equipped with either a fixed or mobile hoist, alongside ample space for assistants to facilitate the changing process.In primary schools, the hygiene room must span a minimum of 9m² and feature essentials such as a changing bed and accessible WC.Secondary schools, on the other hand, are required to allocate a minimum of 12m² for their hygiene rooms, which should additionally incorporate an accessible shower, sluice toilet, and changing trolley. These specifications are designed to ensure that hygiene rooms meet the unique needs of students across different age groups and educational settings.According to recent statistics from the DfE, approximately 14.1% of children in the UK have special educational needs, highlighting the critical importance of ensuring that school environments are inclusive and supportive.BB104 | Catering to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)BB104 further refines the standards for hygiene rooms in special schools and alternative provisions (APs). For non-ambulant special schools or units, the guideline stipulates the provision of one hygiene room for every 12 non-ambulant pupil places. These rooms must be equipped with a fixed hoist, a changing bed, a wash hand basin, an accessible WC, and an accessible shower, underscoring the comprehensive support required for students with profound disabilities.In ambulant special schools and APs, one hygiene room per setting is mandated, featuring either a fixed or mobile hoist, a changing bed, a wash hand basin, and an accessible WC.Additionally, all hygiene rooms are required to have facilities for waste disposal, such as a sluice or equivalent, to maintain hygiene standards and ensure the efficient management of waste.Conclusion | Building for a Brighter FutureAs educators and stakeholders in the education sector, it is our collective responsibility to champion inclusivity and accessibility in every aspect of school design and construction. By understanding and implementing the guidelines outlined in BB103 and BB104, we pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future where every child has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.How can we help? Our skilled team have many years’ experience of planning and installing equipment within public environments such as schools and universities. Please do get in touch if you need help or advice with your project or further support on the Government requirements for equipment that needs to be installed to support SEND students.

When Jazzercise Studio Owner Sarah Sydney-Sheppard moved her business into its own purpose-built facility in the Southernhay area of Exeter she turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor to provide 200m2 of their world-renowned Taraflex® Multi-Use vinyl sports flooring for both the main studio and reception areas.

Challenge The Hexagon is a well established multi purpose venue, in the heart of Reading that was built in 1977. As well as drama productions, it hosts a range of events such as Dance, Comedy, Classical Music, Rock and Pop concerts. The venue can hold up to 1600 people, with much of the capacity arranged in levels of banked arena-style seating with stepped access.

Deer Park Care Home offers 24-hour residential, nursing, dementia and respite care within elegant and spacious surroundings. The home is purpose-built, incorporating many thoughtful and practical features that ensure the comfort and safety of the residents at all times, supporting, not only their differing care requirements but their social, emotional and physical well-being too.

In 2014 a new development consisting of 7 luxury beachfront apartments with uninterrupted sea views was built. The Beach Retreat is positioned on the marina esplanade along the beautiful east Kent coastline. The roof design is of particular interest as Ramsgate seafront and Marina Esplanade is a designated Conservation Area and area of special architectural and historic interest.

A new purpose-made stainless steel worktop by GEC Anderson was included within the clinical area of this busy London medical centre. Responsibility for medical centres to carry out minor clinical procedures is increasing. To deal with the need for a safe and professional clinical area, refurbishment works included the provision of a new sink and worktop.Carefully specified by Edwards Rogers Associates, the 1800x625mm worktop includes 450mm high, integral, upstands at back and sides for total hygiene and cleanliness. Two sinks were seamlessly integrated within the continuous worktop. One circular and one rectangular in shape, denoting their differing purposes. The circular bowl is for hand washing and the rectangular bowl for the washing of instruments and equipment. The front edge profile is curved, complying with the precise detailing prescribed by HTM 63 (Healthcare Technical Memorandum).The unit was produced in EN 1.4301 grade brushed satin stainless steel. Stainless steel is well know for its robustness and the brushed finish provides not only a highly resilient and practical surface but also an attractive aesthetic.

The ChallengeSituated in the Rye Lane conservation area in Peckham, South London, the four to seven storey mixed-use development in Rye Green – comprising 27 residential units laid out across six floors, with two retail units on the ground floor – would provide affordable housing for people in the community who are most in need.The scheme had to consider two elements, the first being the redevelopment of the frontage building (Rye Lane) with the retention of its façade, and the second being the six-storey (with set-back seven-storey) block to the rear, on the site of the existing fish warehouse.The SolutionThe architectural design of this residential development incorporates traditional and modern features with an existing brick façade.PROJECT INFOPRODUCT DETAILThe seven-storey block is rectangular in form and has been built with a striking yellow facingbrick with protruding red brick paneling. The contrast between red and yellow brickwork is exaggerated with the introduction of green glaze facing brickwork at street level. This change in texture and brick finish works well with the local vernacular.The new second and third floor additions are set back from the retained frontage.The design is simple and functional, and the specified fabric responds to the historic character of the conservation area.Three facing bricks from Butterley Brick were selected for the build. Arden Special Reserve, a red, light textured brick, and buff Village Harvest Multi – also light textured – were used as the facing material for the main body of the buildings. Wilncote Blue Smooth, a dark toned brick. was used to define the base of the buildings. The set-back top floor of the seven-storey block is clad in zinc shingles to reflect its roof-like character.The BenefitsThe high quality development, together with its associated external landscaping, has contributed positively to its place in Peckham.Butterley Brick offers a range of high quality facing bricks manufactured from locally sourced raw materials; the range carries BES 6001 Responsible Sourcing certification. The bricks contribute to thermal mass and can be recycled at the end of their use.

“We have used products from CMS Danskin Acoustics on a variety of projects and always found them a good company to work with and very helpful to deal with,” said Gerry Winter, Allied Acoustics.The Council’s room was designed for holding meetings, training sessions and information days; but the acoustics in the room were distracting and the internal reverberation meant that hearing people speaking was difficult. CMS Danskin Acoustics engaged with the architect at East Renfrewshire Council to agree on the best solution without compromising on aesthetics, and ensuring they could offer the best value.The SolutionFollowing an on-site consultation at the Council with an external acoustician, CMS Danskin Acoustics was brought on-board to supply 25 SuperPhon® Acoustic Rafts; which are specially designed to reduce reverberation times and to improve listening environments. In addition, the tiles are available in a range of attractive colours meaning that the aesthetics of an internal building are not lost, which was of high importance to the Council. “The SuperPhon® Acoustic Rafts were chosen because they fitted with the style of the building, the need to retain the exposed roof structure and the fact that the fabric colour choice provided a less commercial ‘office feel’ to the final installation,” said Andrew Eaddy, East Renfrewshire Council.The ResultsFollowing the installation, CMS Danskin Acoustics carried out some calculations to evaluate how successful the Acoustic Rafts were performing. The team found that they had managed to bring the reverberation time down from 1.8 seconds to 0.8 seconds, ensuring a much-improved sound quality to the room for its multi-purpose activities.“The client was very happy with the end product at Rouken Glen and there was a substantial sound reduction after the panels were installed,” continued Gerry. “Overall we were very pleased with the results and the chosen product. The ease and speed of the installation, thanks to the bespoke fitting, meant that it wasn’t long before we were able to use the communal room again. We’re really pleased with the finish too, it’s exactly what we had in mind for the space,” concluded Andrew.