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Paving with character required for one of UK’s most biodiverse developmentsWorking in conjunction with London Wildlife Trust, Berkeley Group’s design objective was strongly influenced by the environment surrounding the scheme. The overall aim of the multi-functional location was to encourage users to socialise and enjoy the open space and facilities available. Residents can enjoy 13 acres of parkland across 2 new parks in addition to outdoor leisure spaces including an amphitheatre, play areas, and fitness trails. The Green Quarter hard landscaping design needed to tie in with the vibrant nature of the area. A functional yet aesthetically pleasing solution was required, ensuring commuter-friendly paving options. Due to the scale of the location, creative laying patterns were required to add character and break up the space.   Tobermore’s Artro adds vibrancy and personality to transformed development Tobermore worked closely with the project team throughout the design process offering complimentary paving visualisations and bespoke sample panels for the extensive hard landscaping on the scheme. The visualisation and sample service provided confidence in the final product selection.  Outdoor leisure spaces including an amphitheatre, play areas, and fitness trails provide a place for residents to unwind. Community events including outdoor cinema screenings and food markets will create a thriving new community. There will also be a new primary school, health centre and community facility. With creativity at its core, Artro block paving was laid in an interesting five-way colour mix of Heather, Bracken, Autumn, Slate and Carbon in a trendy herringbone pattern. Other pedestrianised zones feature Artro in warm clay-like tones of Heather and Autumn in a stretcher bond laying pattern. Artro’s ability to create unique design patterns by seamlessly blending various colour tones adds originality and personality to the scheme.  Thanks to Tobermore’s PrimeTop hard-wearing surface layer, Berkeley Group can be confident that Artro will retain its original appearance for many years to come.     

The Beacon Shopping Centre is well known for great places to shop, eat and play. The busy centre required a sturdy door with a strong profile to take on the variable weather conditions. We were happy to advise and provide a solution that allowed savings in energy costs and a pleasant experience for shoppers.Project Year: 2020Product: (Terminus Road Main Entrance): SL500 Framed Sliding Door with break out and SL500 150mm operator.Product: (Sainsbury’s entrance): SL500 Framed sliding door system with break out and SL500 150mm operator.Project Background: The Beacon shopping centre is one of Eastbourne’s most popular shopping destinations. We were contacted in conjunction with Hawes Construction Group to put in two new sets of automatic sliding doors across the mall in two locations; the centre’s main entrance and the entrance to Sainsbury’s within the centre. Hawes Construction laid the foundations and installed new steel columns which were part of the doors support system, getting the site ready for the door installation.Solution: We installed the SL500 Framed sliding door with a 4 leaf panel, side screens and SL500 bi-parting operator, providing extra sturdiness and protection from the strong winds that regularly hit Eastbourne. We used Clear Insulated laminated 22mm glass which look streamlined whilst creating an improved environment for customers and staff at The Beacon.Our exclusive presence detection sensors and sidelight presence detection sensors were a large factor in enabling the doors to provide a more energy efficient outcome for the shopping centre. The FAAC sensor technology allowed partial opening of the doors, which saved ample energy as doors do not open unless somebody intends to walk through them. Presence detection sensors and sidelight presence detection sensors to comply with EN16005.The final outcome was a great success, creating optimal accessibility for all users, streamlining entry and saving energy.

Project descriptionTouchwood Shopping Centre in Solihull, Birmingham is an award-winning, 650,000 square-foot shopping and entertainment complex, which opened its doors in September 2001.Touchwood has become a blueprint for in-town development due to its innovative design, easy access to the M42, and 1,700 car parking spaces. It is home to more than 80 stores, 20 bars and restaurants, and a 9-screen cinema.The centre has successfully improved neighbouring facilities with malls, a retail offering, and civic gardens, providing green spaces for the local community.Rio Asphalt and Paving Co Ltd worked closely with the shopping centre management team to offer a replacement waterproofing and paving element for the 900m2 service deck area.Solution and installationThe focus was on delivering a solution that worked for both client and the tenants and ensured a smooth and seamless experience.IKO Permapark – a specially formulated mastic asphalt surfacing and waterproofing system for car parks and elevated vehicle decks – and the fast-curing IKO flexia metatech liquid waterproofing were chosen as the most suitable solutions for the project, given their durability and rapid installation capabilities.Certain areas were prioritised by the management team and project works were phased. The deck was split into manageable sections, which helped to minimise disruption and limit the impact on those occupying and visiting the site during the project period.Particular attention was given to the mechanical and electrical (M&E) services, which remained operational throughout the works. As areas were inaccessible for mastic asphalt, a compatible cold applied system was used instead.This enabled the works to dovetail into a small number of inaccessible areas, refurbishing what would have either been left or required substantial financial outlay and risk.The service deck area, which remained in use during the project, operated a one-way system for all vehicles. Rio also took measures to maintain road access around the centre and provided temporary delivery areas to assist with the distribution of goods to the stores.

Project Overview:"This was an exacting and fascinating project to work on. We were even filmed in the process! An introductory video showing how the centre was developed is shown in the auditorium where our powder coating finish is at eye level - close up and touchable."The Wellcome Genome Campus is a scientific research campus built in the grounds of Hinxton Hall, Hinxton in Cambridgeshire. The focal point within a newly designed Conference Centre is a 100m diameter circular screen created around the Francis Crick Auditorium with an image depicting the evolution of life. The image is created by perforations of different size and pitch in the curved aluminium panels - rather like a pixelated image.Precision powder coating was required ensure that powder penetrated even the smallest perforation in order that the image would be fully revealed.Solution:The individual panels were 2.0m by 0.9m and only 3mm thick, with a border frame to retain the curved shape and enable them to be accurately bolted together. The perforations within them had infinitesimal differences in size and pitch, barely visible to the naked eye. Expert care with coating was required in order to ensure that the powder penetrated every single perforation.We trialled a number of powder coating shades and finishes to find which worked best to reveal the underlying image and asoft pale bronze shade from our anomatch range was selected.The different size and pitch of the perforations created darker and lighter areas on the panels. Powdertech pre-treated and coated the panels on both sides.Benefits:Powdertech (Corby) Ltd has over 25 years experience in architectural metal finishing with the know-how and facilities to carry out high precision powder coating.Excellent colour consistency between batches of powder coating used on the numerous individual panels.High performance powder coatings with a 25 year guaranteeSupport and advice on colour selectionImages courtesy of RG Carter

108 Cannon Street is billed by clients Endurance Land as ‘not your typical office space’.The innovative focus on an adaptable, reconfigurable internal design meant that modular partitions were a key part of the overall strategy.The holistic open-plan design would offer numerous spaces that differed in size, functionality and aesthetic design to cater for a variety of work habits.As leading innovators in the design and manufacture of adaptable and reusable solid and glazed partitions, Radii were a perfect fit for this project.Alongside our range of high-end commercial glazed partitions — all of which are fully demountable — our highly sustainable adaptable ‘2D’ crosswall solution would work in conjunction to produce the modular grid that the client would require to add the flexibility of space they desired.Fully interchangeable with the adjoining glazed fronts, this modular dry-jointed 2D system has been designed to be erected, taken down and reconfigured multiple times throughout the product lifecycle and add or remove private spaces as required.Radii combined our double-glazed Parallel 125 partitions (Rw 50 dB) and demountable adaptable 2D crosswall (Rw 52 dB) to create meeting spaces with exceptional acoustic privacy. Crosswall panel finishes varied to match the design of each space by architects Barr Gazetas, with magnetic writeable whiteboard also specified to add additional functionality for end users.Our single glazed Linear 25 (Rw 38 dB) and double glazed Parallel 50 (Rw 45 dB) partitions were also used due to the variety of acoustic requirement for the 14 different office and meeting rooms across the Lower Ground, Ground and Levels 2 and 3. These were fit alongside single, leaf and a half and double Hogan pivoting glazed doors.Finally, Radii also manufactured and installed a FirePro Ei30 fire rated double door set and screen in the reception lobby.

The first to enjoy the latest generation of Lödige Industries' proven technology are the homeowners of a luxury residential complex containing 29 luxury apartments for the over 60s on Fitzjohn’s Avenue in London. The building’s footprint could not accommodate enough conventional parking spaces and street parking was not a viable option. To meet this challenge, Lödige Industries, on behalf of the London-based residential development company Lifestory Group, installed a fully automated parking system with capacity for 29 vehicles, all equipped with electric vehicle charging docks, at a depth of 10m over two levels.Today's cars are bigger, heavier, and more and more often electric. We are responding to this development with a major update of its RESPACE technology. Among other things, we have increased the load capacity of the automatic parking solution to 3 tons, adapting the equipment and drives as well as expanding charging technology for electric vehicles. Globally the number of electric vehicles is on the rise. In 2019 alone, global e-vehicle stock climbed by 43%. Architects and developers alike are forced by regulations as well as buyer intent to offer e-charging in their parking facilities. This has long been an issue for many automated parking technologies, especially since car manufacturers have yet to agree on a standard for wireless charging.  The new RESPACE offers 100% e-charging for all spaces. Following an engineering breakthrough, the new technology is resilient against dust and dirt and responds automatically to periods of high system activity to ensure vehicles can be retrieved quickly and efficiently at any time. The new e-charging technology supports individual billing per vehicle and can be retrofitted in existing systems. Furthermore, an intelligent load management system automatically exchanges a fully loaded car with an empty car, if not all parking spaces are equipped with a charging facility. RESPACE uses a sliding pallet system and provides optimal use of space in residential developments as it eliminates the need for drive or walkways within the parking system and the requirement for internal or external access ramps, the combination of which can save more than 60% of the space taken up by traditional car parks.  Faster installation and commissioning times are another major benefit of the optimised RESPACE technology. This increases the number of parallel movements possible, whilst avoiding any single point of failure. New engineering software integration also means that system configurations can be tested early in the development process using simulation programmes to optimise planning and give a greater range of viability options to developers.An improved cabin setting means that drivers accessing the system are now going to benefit from a much-improved user guidance. Users of the system will enjoy the new on-screen visualisation with specific step-by-step task focused instructions, on larger, eye friendly screens. In-cabin panels have been given a modern design overhaul in line with Lödige Industries’ successful CUBILE technology and are now equipped with security and motion sensors, cameras and number plate recognition technology if requested.  In addition, a new app, called ParkGO!, now available in iOS and android app stores, enables users to park and recall their vehicles with the touch of a smartphone. A handy system status view allows retrieval of cars during less busy periods. With its overhaul of the cabin and introduction of the app, Lödige Industries has brought the luxury parking experience that has defined their public automated parking systems in outstanding architectural objects in Denmark and elsewhere to private parkingUSP -       The Car Park System RESPACE is an extremely space-saving option - up to 60 percent more cars can be placed in the same space in comparison to traditional car parks. -       Residents will use a modern and intuitive smartphone app ParkGO! developed by Lödige Industries to retrieve their cars.  -        Due to the increase of e-vehicles, the new RESPACE offers 100% e-charging for all spaces. Easy parking and unparking guaranteed by parking aids, safety checks and the provision of the vehicle in the direction of travel. “This solution ticked all our boxes. With Lödige’s RESPACE, every apartment has its own parking space and owners will benefit from a seamless parking experience; they will simply drive their car onto a pallet in a cabin, the only interface between the driver and the car park. From then on, the process is entirely automated.”David Newey, Director of Development at Lifestory Group

These are the 39 FalcoBloc picnic tables Falco supplied to Manchester City Football Club back in August 2010. Now twelve years on, after continuous use every matchday, the picnic tables are in as good of a condition now as when they were first supplied!When Manchester City Football Club required a high quantity of picnic tables for their brand new City Square entertainment zone, they approached Falco for a solution. Man City required a product that was highly robust and could withstand heavy demand from football day fixtures. Falco were able to provide Man City when they chose the high quality and robust FalcoBloc picnic tables range, capable of withstanding high use and constant demand. Back in 2010, the picnic tables formed part of the club’s new development for a City Square entertainment zone, a vibrant and state-of-the-art fan experience which was a new concept in British football, located on Joe Mercer Way outside the City store. Thirty nine FalcoBloc benches were supplied along with another 20 robust FalcoSwing tables to form a seating and ‘perch’ arrangement at the Blue Moon Café. Other facilities originally provided include giant LED screens, entertainment and a superb new menu devised with the help of top chef Marco Pierre White.The Man City v Liverpool rivalry match on the 23rd August 2010 provided the perfect occasion for the grand opening of the City Square. Supporters were invited down to enjoy the new facilities as they braced themselves for the big game ahead.Along with Manchester City Football Club, Falco has also supplied picnic tables to many locations across the UK including Manchester United Football Club, Euston station, Loughborough University, Middlesex University and Assured Guaranty Europe (next to the world famous ‘Gherkin’ in the heart of London).More information on the FalcoBloc picnic table is available by clicking here.For more information about the FalcoBloc picnic table or any other product from our street furniture range, please contact our helpful sales team on 01538 380080.

Smet Supported Partners, Capel (CS) Ltd, completed the floor screed application of SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing Screed within the improvement works at Harold Wood Station.  A number of improvements were delivered at Harold Wood station in preparation for the new Elizabeth line service, including:A new footbridge over the tracks with new staircasesThree new lifts to provide step-free access to every platformPlatform extensions to accommodate the new, 200m long Elizabeth line trainsNew platform lightingNew station signage, help points, customer information screens, and CCTV.SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing Screed is a high-quality pumpable, factory-produced, CE marked, self-levelling screed based on calcium sulphate.German-made SMET LiteFlo® is unique because it’s the first pumpable lightweight flowing screed available. Made from specially selected aggregates - means it’s 30% lighter than conventional flowing screeds and can be laid in reduced thicknesses. The screed offers a high yield, 43kg per m2 @ 40mm.German-made LiteFlo® is unique, in that it’s the first pumpable lightweight flowing screed. Made from specially selected aggregates, makes it 30% lighter than conventional flowing screeds and therefore 70% lighter than traditional sand & cement – ultimately this means less is required per m2. Another plus is that that screed made from Calcium Sulphate has naturally substantially lower embodied carbon emissions than a sand and cement screed. LiteFlo® complies with EN 13813: 2002, is CE-marked, and is available in 27Kg bags or bulk silos.Have a look at the Northern Builder MagazineTop 5 Liquid Screeds Article.  Read about SMET LiteFlo® in the Irish Construction News.Whether your job is – self-build, retro-fit, floor renovation or repair, design floor, commercial or shop, sustainable build, historical renovation, ECO build, Lightweight, or an industrial flooring venture – SMET has a flooring compound or ready to use product suitable for your application.www.smetbuildingproducts.com or www.smet.ie

I first came across Vox Ignis when ROC took over a large project in London. I was instantly impressed with the systems they had fitted and quickly picked up the phone to get more details. It was then that I found out that I knew two of the firm’s directors, Tony and Jeremy, from their previous jobs and we began discussing how we could work together. We now work with Vox Ignis on all tenders.Over the years, I have used most of the systems out there, but I never had a preferred system until I started working with Vox Ignis. Having a good relationship with the team has really helped us, as has the ease of programming the system, and every client I have handed it over to has loved the touch screen user controls and how easy they are to use.One of the largest projects we have worked with Vox Ignis on was the fit-out of a 92-room luxury boutique hotel in the City of London, that required an Emergency Voice Communication System (EVCS). The project saw us fit out the development with seven different Vox Ignis products, amounting to 32 items in total.The products were easy to understand and the team were always on hand when we needed technical support. I have never had anything but positive feedback from clients when we have handed over the systems to them.The team at Vox Ignis really go above and beyond to make sure you are competitive and supported with the delivery of any project you use their products to fulfil. I would highly recommend Vox Ignis to any business as a go-to product for refuge and disabled alarms.Products used:1 x ViLX-TMS – Touchscreen Master Panel3 x ViLX-EX8 – Expander Panels9 x ViLX-ACB – Accessible Bedrooms6 x ViLX-OSB – Refuge Outstations1 x ViLX-OSA – Fireman’s Telephone11 x ViLX-OSC – Combined Fire Telephone and Refuge Outstations1 x ViLX-ACA – Accessible Toilet

Clement EB24 steel windows, doors and screens were the ideal choice of fenestration when it came to this jaw-dropping project in Arundel. The combination of T bars, slim, dark frames and satin chrome accessories create just the right look.Achieving such an exceptional appearance did not mean that performance had to be compromised. The 24mm insulated glass units are not only argon filled, but also include a Silverstar E glass coating. Chosen for its thermal insulation layers which lower both the thermal loss of the glass and energy consumption while allowing high light transmission.Our client explained the project and her experience of Clement Windows:“When we finally made our decision to modify and extend our 16th century, Grade II building, we knew that we had a challenge on our hands. We owed it to the history and unique position of the existing premises to choose first class materials and workmanship.Our brief to the architect was that we really needed to maximise natural light as my husband has sight issues. The building faces north, north east so this was going to be really tricky. The windows were going to be big!The search for the best then began and luckily some clients of ours recommended Clement Windows. We visited the showroom, liked what we saw and began the design and surveying process. The quality of the steel, the finish and the fit were head and shoulders above anything else that we had looked at. We wanted an unfussy, minimalist profile inside and out. Simple lines and workmanship one could trust. Clement ticked all the boxes.A few months later the team showed up to fit the glass. We did have certain logistical issues relating to access but these were overcome with good planning. At the end of two weeks, we had a home! The installation of the glass transformed a building site into an incredible, light-filled architectural space that then became the most stunning home we could ever have dreamed of living in.”

The Luton DART (Direct Air-Rail Transit) transfers passengers from Luton Airport Parkway station to the terminal of London Luton Airport in under four minutes, spanning a distance of 2.3km. The replacement of the conventional bus service with the DART cable car-hauled system marks a significant leap in efficiency and convenience for travellers. To provide adequate ventilation at the Luton DART terminal, where all travellers congregate, DUCO was called in.A breath of fresh air in the busily visited terminalA lot of travellers pass through the terminal every day which means the space needs to be well ventilated. Two DUCO intensive ventilation products were used for this purpose: DucoWall Classic 50/75Z and DucoGrille Clasic 50HP.DucoWall Classic 50/75ZThe reason for selection of this continuous louvre wall system was the requirement to match the claddings 75 mm alignment. The sample provided gained approval swiftly. Notably, this system offers extensive spanning capabilities with minimal support sections, coupled with a large airflow and water resistance. The DucoWall Classic 50/75Z series offers a continuous aesthetic appearance and its unique click and turn clips ensured a fast installation.DucoGrille Classic 50HPThe sheer volume of passengers carried by Luton DART means a large build-up of stale air. The high airflow of the DucoGrille Classic 50HP at a huge 60% ensured that this could be evacuated quickly and that a large amount of fresh air could replace it.Impact of the DUCO intensive ventilation productsThe integration of DucoWall Classic 50/75Z and DucoGrille Classic 50HP systems within the Luton Dart Terminal also contributed to the interior environment. Not only do these solutions optimise ventilation, ensuring a constant flow of fresh air, but they also contribute to the terminal's sleek architectural appeal. The continuous louvre wall serves as both a functional screening and cladding element, elevating the terminal's aesthetic while maintaining operational efficiency.In essence, the collaboration between innovative ventilation solutions and architectural design exemplifies a harmonious blend of form and function, setting a new standard for modern transportation hubs.

Situated on Millbank in London, Tate Britain is a tourist hotspotdedicated to the finest British art dating back to the 16th century.The site originally housed the Millbank prison which was the maindeparture point for criminals being sent to Australia. Following thedemolition of the prison, the National Gallery of British Art (Tate Britainas of 2000) was opened in 1897 by Sir Henry Tate, making it the firstof the four Tate galleries.The building has gone through numerous renovations since it’s 19thcentury opening. In 1987, the Clore gallery was opened and wenton to win a Royal Institute of Architects award the following year.More recently in 2006, Caruso St. John architects began a long termdevelopment and renovation project which aimed to create ninenew galleries. The redevelopment featured a number of differentrenovations spanning seven years, whereby Allgood were chosento supply an Ironmongery and an access control solution in the newgalleries.Working on such a prestigious project, it was evident that aestheticswere of paramount importance. The architect desired a unique finishon items, so Allgood worked closely to produce a shot peened finishon some of the stainless steel furniture. To create a clean aestheticon doors which required push plates and signage, Allgood createdan all in one solution by shot peening stainless steel plates, blankingoff areas to create contrasting areasfor signage to be screen printedwithin.Many doors within the gallery space were of traditional archeddesign which caused a challenge on fire doors with self-closingrequirements. Allgood’s solution to this issue was to specify floorsprings combined with projection hinges to provide a specificationthat would self-close in conjunction with the door geometry.Furthermore, to minimise the aesthetic impact of the floor springs,bespoke tile trays with access holes were created to conceal thefloor springs whilst providing easy access for floor spring adjustment.This provided an aesthetically pleasing solution for a very technicalapplication.Having previously worked with the museum on their Mantonshop, Allgoodwere well prepared for this project and the existingrelationship enabled a smooth operation that was completed on timeand within budget.

London’s new countryside escape, Birch, dating back to the 15th century, has undergone extensive redecoration thanks to support from the Dulux Trade team and its Heritage Range. The grade II listed country escape hotel was built in 1763 and became the 140 bedroom Theobalds Estate hotel in the 1990s. The country estate was once a royal favourite for King James I, a Georgian family home and Sir Christopher Wren’s retreat, a WWII military riding school and is now one of Hertfordshire’s most socially engaged and creative hotels. To maintain the heritage of the estate with its new contemporary purpose, the designers chose the Dulux Trade Heritage Range to redecorate Theobalds Park’s hotel rooms, foyer and corridors in a variety of colours - as the hotel underwent a transformation and rebrand into Birch, a new city escape. The rich colour range was the ideal match for the hotel’s contemporary theme allowing the country mansion, surrounded by acres of fields, to maintain its classic elegance whilst incorporating modern escapism into its new interior design concept. A combination of Green Oxide, Buff and Potters Pink were used for the geometric design on the hotel suite and corridor walls, complemented by Green Oxide and Roman White throughout the project. The former De Vere Theobalds Estate hotel is set to officially open as Birch on 3rd August 2020. Birch, which is billed as a city escape that “looks like a hotel, feels like a festival”, is the brainchild of former Ace Hotel London MD Chris Penn and his business partner Chris King, will feature a growing farm, an interactive bakery, two restaurants in partnership with Robin Gill, three bars and co-working and wellness space, as well as a 25-metre Lido (opening later this year) and pottery, music, screening, and art rooms. Dulux Trade Technical Support Manager, Steve Plowman, worked closely with the hotel’s architects, Red Deer, to adapt the colour scheme and specifications to meet with the colour contrast requirements of the Equality Act Part M. This included particular consideration of Light Reflectance Values (LRV), to ensure that critical surfaces could be clearly distinguished, aiding navigation for those with a visual impairment. The team worked to match the design to colours in the Heritage Range, to ensure that the project was completed to achieve a high aesthetic and functional standard. To bring this vision to life, Dean Jones and his team of highly skilled painters at Broadway Painting Ltd worked tirelessly to achieve outstanding results. Dulux Trade Diamond Matt was used for the corridors, walls and staircases due to its high durability and effectiveness in masking wall imperfections. The paint is wipeable and scuff resistant to ensure these high traffic areas remain perfect for years to come. It also offers new anti-fade technology and superior stain resistance through its unique Stain Repellent Technology, which can be wiped clean repeatedly without polishing up, helping to extend maintenance for up to five years. Dulux Trade Diamond Matt was also used on the ceilings, while Dulux Trade Eggshell provided the finishing touch on the doors and trim. The local Dulux Decorator Centre in Enfield worked closely with the Dulux Trade team to ensure colour accuracy and stock supply throughout the project. This collaborative work, along with regular site visits from Steve Plowman, kept the project on track and meant that any issues that arose, could be resolved very quickly. Ciarán O’Brein, founder of Red Deer, said: “Our ethos in creating Birch was to sensitively restore and listen to the existing buildings as best we could. True sustainability meant to us removing and adding things to spaces only where necessary. To this end we relied heavily on working with furniture, sculpture and of course paint to install new moods and agendas across the Grade II Listed building, bedrooms and even the bathrooms. We worked with Dulux on this exciting project; a deep Dulux Yves Klein blue transforms a traditional stairwell, pastel kaleidoscopic colours adorn listed ceilings in the Screening Room and a dark green creates warmth in a Drawing Room overlooking the lawns.” Steven Plowman said: “The work completed goes far beyond a normal redecoration program. The design is matched throughout all rooms and hallways exactly - with no variation in Heritage colour. The attention to detail is outstanding and clearly shows how a stunning design alongside an effectively executed colour scheme transforms any area. “The bespoke contemporary paint finish has transformed the hotel interior into a work of art that will stand the test of time and many visitors.”

‘Form follows function’ – this maybe a basic tenet of modern architecture but when it comes to designing entrances, aesthetics are inevitably a determining factor. They must contribute to the design concept, blend with other building materials, flow effectively into interiors and above all make an impact. But behind every grand entrance, is a myriad of decisions based on function: the purpose of the building itself, expected footfall, user requirements, accessibility, ventilation, heat loss, safety and security.Match that with thousands of products on the market, all with subtle differences, and it can make identifying the right solution a complex process. It’s said that people do business with people and that good relationships open doors; that’s certainly true of the specification process. Specifiers and architects build a relationship where trust is garnered through advice, guidance and sometimes compromise to identify the best solution for a project.Design and Specification of DoorsEarly liaison is helpful – consideration needs be given to the product type and application from the outset. Design based on assumption will only result in major reworking at a later stage which is never desirable for architect or client. When appraised of an architect’s ‘wish list’, I advise on the best possible options and try to drill down to a level of detail they may not have considered. For example, with a retail project, consideration will be given to maximising frontage for window display, levels of anticipated footfall and funnelling of traffic across the threshold and around the retail floor plan. In most cases, an automatic sliding door system would be an appropriate choice, and although this may seem an obvious selection, this is where we need to need to look further at its intended application and operation. A sliding door operation is usually triggered by movement sensors with side sensors for safety but if baskets or displays are put too near to where the doors open, they may cause them to operate ineffectively. Doors may be better installed with pocket screens – glass panels that the automatic doors slide in to – which are protective and also use available space without any hindrance. Automatic Doors in the Healthcare SectorPocket screens are also an essential safety feature in a hospital environment as they minimise the risk of serious injury occurring by reducing the possibility of contact with the moving door leaves and eliminating potential entrapment zones.Within healthcare, there is a range of specific needs that maybe required – reduced contact mechanisms, hermetically sealed doors for laboratories, different levels of security access and safety requirements for particular groups of patients, classed as ‘vulnerable traffic’.BS EN 16005 European Standard for Safety in the Use of Automatic DoorsAll automatic door suppliers are required to provide solutions in accordance with BS EN 16005 European Standard for safety in the use of automatic doors for pedestrian use. Under BS EN16005, automatic doors are classed as machines, so within the design users must be protected from risk of injury. Sometimes, a design aesthetic must give way to practicalities. For example, the desire to see an automatic swing door put in place where leaf size has to battle environmental factors may result in ‘sail effect’ where the wind speed makes the operator less effective so users become frustrated by the slowness of the door opening or in extreme conditions, or not opening at all. Where there is such an obvious conflict, I would prefer to provide alternative design solutions for a system that will consistently operate in the conditions in which it is installed. When it comes to specifying requirements for heritage and listed buildings, the partnership between specifier and architect really comes into its own. Products can be adapted to provide a tailor-made solution that can be accommodated into the premises without altering form or structure. Take for example, our work at Blenheim Palace in which sliding doors were incorporated for improved accessibility while maintaining the original large timber doors. These clearly could not be automated or removed so a secondary glazed entrance was created behind the original.Automatic Doors for LobbiesLobbies can enhance a building’s sustainability, but performing a vital function, doesn’t mean they have to be boring. Circular or elliptical automatic entrances look visually stunning and maximise space. A recent installation at No 1 New Oxford Street, London, saw a Moderne building enhanced by an entrance that followed the curves of the building’s original design.Whatever the project, exacting standards must be met and checks and balances put in place. The relationship between a specifier and architect is fundamental – form and function should never ‘stop at the door’. It must be considered and applied to create a grand entrance.

St Pancras International is a key London interchange and the very definition of a ‘destination station’. Managed by Network Rail High Speed Ltd this buzzing regional, national and international travel hub has been part of Britain's railways heritage for the better part of 150 years.Designed by William Barlow in 1863, it gained instant fame for its “Barlow Shed” train shed arch that spans 73 metres and is over 30 metres high at its apex; at the time, the largest enclosed space in the world. The Grade 1 listed red brick Gothic landmark façade fronting the station was the result of an architectural competition in 1865 and became the Midland Grand Hotel. In 1935, the hotel was closed and the building became railway offices, renamed as the St Pancras Chambers.One of the largest transport hubs in Europe, St Pancras International now has 13 platforms, six of which are around one kilometre long and serve the international Eurostar services. The station also incorporates 47 retail outlets and designer boutiques, plus stylish Eurostar arrivals and departure lounges, and a further ten shops on the station platform level. It also boasts a daily farmers' market and, at 90 metres, the longest champagne bar in Europe. However, thanks to careful attention to detail and a sensitive understanding of the architectural importance of the National Heritage building, St Pancras International remains one of the greatest Victorian buildings in London.Recently named one of the UK's most used stations with around 50 million people visiting the station each year for travel and retail experiences, safety of staff and passengers is of the highest importance.Following a site safety upgrade, the Eurostar terminus at St Pancras International in London bristles with the latest high-performance fire detection and alarm technology, including no fewer than 5,000 Hochiki ESP – Enhanced System Protocol – analogue addressable devices, installed throughout the site. A variety of Hochiki devices were selected, each chosen for its proven ability to combat fire risks in the huge multi-activity station. They included optical smoke sensors for back office and main passenger concourse areas; multi-sensors for more challenging environments such as plant rooms and workshops; heat detectors in kitchens and toilets; audio visual devices and base sounder beacons.They are all automatically re-calibrated every 24 hours to compensate for any environmental contamination and to ensure that they continue to operate reliably at the specified sensitivity. Indeed, a key factor cited by the installer for the decision to opt for the Hochiki solution was the flexibility of the devices to be compatible with other products already installed. For example, Hochiki's ESP protocol devices are configured to share system information and event details on a highly fault-tolerant secure network.The success of the installation can be judged by the fact that the same solutions were also adopted to protect two other stations on the UK side of the London-to-Paris rail link. The Ebbsfleet International Station near Dartford in Kent, and the Stratford International Station near the City and Canary Wharf that was also central to the 2012 Olympic transport strategy, with forecasted passenger volumes of 25,000 a day to and from the Olympic Games' venues.However, technical performance was not the only consideration with which the installer had to contend“We had to take great care when installing the fire detection equipment, as it was vital to minimise any adverse aesthetic impact on the highly decorative Victorian architecture. Another major challenge was the need to install the new system in a station that was to remain open and be used daily by thousands of passengers. So, the fire safety system had to be always fully functional.”Error-free detectionThe life safety installation is managed in the station's main control room where, around the clock, a 1.2-metre LCD screen displays the entire station and its fire detection system. This provides an overview of the whole installation, or a drill-down, showing various levels of detail; if necessary, pinpointing information on any specific device. If, for example, a fire is signalled, the precise location can be viewed on screen, where devices can be interrogated. The screen can even display the best evacuation routes.With huge numbers of people converging on the station's platforms at peak travel times, and the travelling public's ever-present concerns regarding terrorist activities, ensuring the minimum disruption from false alarms was a paramount consideration. In the event of a confirmed fire, the system directly controls and monitors the station's voice evacuation system, which is audible in all the station's public areas. However, in places where high levels of ambient noise may make it difficult to hear voice alarms, such as toilets, Hochiki beacons were also fitted.Famous for helping to reduce false alarms, Hochiki's ESP protocol uses a combination of sophisticated algorithms that reduce data corruption. Additionally, with parity and checksum error detection principles applied to every set of data, unwanted external “noise”, such as EMC interference is eliminated.Hochiki optical smoke sensors are designed for both efficient detection and the virtual elimination of false alarms. The sensor's chamber incorporates uniquely angled baffles which allow air and smoke to circulate within the chamber but reduce the ambient light entering the chamber, thus improving the response of the optical elements. The sophistication of the sensing elements in the chamber enables it to also sense a wider range of fire types, so providing a more balanced response to different types of smoke particles. This is an Hochiki-developed technology that the company calls its “high-performance chamber”.The sensitivity of each device is set to match the prevailing conditions, additionally, to allow the most suitable sensing mode to be adopted for a particular environment, the multi-sensors can be set to heat only, smoke only or a combination of both sensing elements working together to determine a real fire.An Integrated SolutionThe main control panel was designed and engineered to meet High Speed 1 requirements. It incorporated 196 fire zone indicators, and several firefighters' control switches to allow the plant to be managed anywhere in the network via Hochiki loop output relays. A repeater panel, with an emergency fire telephone, was incorporated into the system for use by the fire brigade should an emergency condition occur within the main control suite.Summarising on the St Pancras International project the installer said:“Over the years we have used many different fire detection devices and we can truly say that Hochiki has time and time again proved to be the most reliable and best performing of them all”.Explaining in more detail:“The key elements that we look for in a fire system are reliability, flexibility, good quality control, high performance and false alarm management. The last thing we need on a site such as St Pancras International is unwanted false alarms. Hochiki have delivered superior product performance and hands-on technical support.”Just as Eurostar trains speeding out of the rejuvenated St Pancras International have established Britain's credentials in world-class high speed rail travel, so too has a new European benchmark for railway station fire safety been established.The Transport sector has a duty of care for its passengers and staff as well as having to provide constant protection of its property and assets from the threat of fire.

Project OverviewThe new Aviva Stadium at Lansdowne Road, Dublin, was developed by engineers Kentz Ireland Ltd on behalf of the Irish Rugby Football Union and the Football Association of Ireland.  It has a capacity for 50,000 spectators who are able to enjoy a safe and secure experience with minimum intrusion and inconvenience.Challenges Johnson Controls set out to optimise the building with the following solutions:Fire detectionCCTV security systemAccess controlIntruder alarmsGas extinguishersDisabled WC alarmsJohnson Controls was responsible for the end-to-end delivery, maintenance and support of the stadium’s lifesafety and security systems. This included fire detection, CCTV, access control, intruder alarms, gas extinguishers and disabled WC alarms.Solutions Each of these systems has been seamlessly integratedwith the stadium’s Local Area Network (LAN) and ITinfrastructure. This enables security operators or Gardaíto monitor and control each component from centralisedworkstations across the site, streamlining this process andhelping to improve the efficiency and response time ofoperators to potential incidents.The stadium, Ireland’s first UEFA Elite football ground,has a purpose-built, hi-tech communications nerve centre.Johnson Controls life safety and security systems allow forcontinuous monitoring of all aspects of the stadium, bothinside and outside the ground. 192 CCTV cameras havebeen installed at ‘pinch points’ around the stadium, ensuring operators and police can quickly identify potential problems or flashpoints from within the stadium’s control room. BenefitsUsing Johnson Controls consolidated single-screenoverview of all systems, operators can control multiplealarm input and outputs when combined with audio and video verification of each protected zone within the stadium, this delivers an additional layer of protection. The Tyco Expert Graphics (TXG) system provides users with a graphical overview of fire detection, extinguisher and disabled call management systems and is also configured to automatically respond to events, even when the operator is away from the workstation.“As the home of Irish international rugby and football, TheAviva Stadium prides itself in providing state-of-the-artfacilities, not only for spectators but also for players, themedia and events personnel”, said Chris Gallagher, the design technical services coordinator of Aviva Stadium.

One of the newest – and very impressive – developments in the City, 22 Bishopsgate offers visitors retail, work and restaurant space over 60 floors. It is actually the tallest building in the City of London.A flexible solution was required for this project, to include life safety communication for the entire building. At the forefront of the design was the need for a plan for phased evacuation using the life safety systems. The VIGIL3 voice alarm and OmniCare emergency voice communication systems were quoted for the project due to their reliability and capability.The project required new voice alarm and EVC systems which were specified and installed by PHF Fire. The EN54 certified VIGIL3 voice alarm includes 70 space saving, wall-mounted Eclipse4s and two floor standing racks, networked around the building. The voice alarm network is accessed by the touch screen control microphone, with its user-friendly NFC card sign-in option.The EVC system solution, OmniCarePLUS, includes fire telephones, combined fire telephones with disabled refuge outstations, disabled toilet alarms, advanced disabled refuge outstations and standard disabled refuge outstations. These made up the remaining call points on the system, a lot of which were in a stainless steel finish, to match the high quality aesthetic of the building.Installed by PHF Fire, Baldwin Boxall worked together with the team to aid in the design and commissioning of the systems.Sam Faulkner, Maintenance Manager at PHF Fire commented, “Baldwin Boxall was specified alongside other companies. However, the level of support that Baldwin Boxall gives throughout the project, from start to finish, set them apart from the competition.”Chris Hartup, Sales Manager at Baldwin Boxall said, “This new build project called for a very capable, reliable and professional fire alarm contractor and with the contract being awarded to PHF Fire, they certainly got that. Due to limited floor space, the Eclipse4s were installed into riser cupboards within the building, providing further redundancy to the end user.PHF Fire had a fantastic, positive relationship, not only with their client but also their whole supply chain. We had many meetings and presentations on site with the whole 22 Bishopsgate team.It was a great experience to be involved in this project and with PHF Fire throughout.”

Native’s flagship boutique aparthotel in the bankside conservation area of Bear Gardens is an eight-storey scheme that involves the transformation of three of the five buildings located within the confines of the densely packed area. IG’s brick feature arch lintels feature on the front elevation of the former derelict 19th century Empire Warehouse that has been replaced and linked into a 75-room boutique aparthotel.Challenge:SPPARC in association with Southwark Council, Macro Investments and Native wanted to demonstrate that modern architecture can successfully cohabit with the historic collection of buildings informed by the industrial heritage that dominates the southern bank of the River Thames.A carefully considered restoration and modern intervention was required for a cutting-edge contemporary mixed-use development, offering an urban experience for its users but remaining sensitive to the colourful history, conservation area and surrounding developments.Solution:IG’s technical team designed eighteen brick feature arch lintels to accommodate metal paned and arched factory styled windows. A 2718mm opening span and 143mm rise was required for each prefabricated lintel, each including a 338mm high face brick and 223mm soffit return with either a 78 or 90-degree end skew.The massing arrangement across each floor ensures that natural light is maximised throughout the building with the intricate brick detailing prominent at street level appearing above impressive double height foyer windows. The offsite construction method used negated the need for skilled brickwork to be created onsite to achieve the decorative brick pattern at a raised height. This helped to reduce any health and safety concerns in a location surrounded by tourist destinations and narrow cobbled streets.The ground floor of the scheme provides mixed use units with the northern site leased by Bell English Language School and the southern site providing studios for the iconic Globe Theatre directly linking to their Sackler Education Building.The upper floors are lighter in composition, combining clear and obscure floor-to-ceiling glazing with rich bronze circular rods, creating a strong rhythm to the façade, and enhancing the appearance of the once-dilapidated buildings. The upper floors of the Rose Alley elevation have perforated bronze screens that offer privacy, referencing the loom patterns that were once manufactured in the original warehouse.

The construction of a mixed-use leisure and retail development in Bridgwater was part of a larger regeneration project for the local area, led by the community and district council.With a value of £1.6m, Northgate Yard is now a thriving leisure space to cater for the community, including a 7-screen cinema, a sports bar, an 8-lane bowling alley, and 12,00ft2 of dining and restaurant space, among other amenities to suit the growing Somerset population.ChallengeA complex design, Northgate Yard's exterior construction utilised a mix of different systems, all working cohesively to create a secure fix and stunning façade: a unique triangular design that moves with the changing light throughout the course of a day.A real demonstration of façade creativity was shown in the façade panels used - the South-West's premier roofing and cladding contractor progressive were contracted for the building envelope system, utilising different systems on the retail units and cinema.For the cinema roof, the IKO PermaTEC hot melt roof system was used, as well as the installation of Euroclad's Elite built-up systems.On the walls of both of the cinema and retail units: Kingspan Micro-Rib, Karrier, and Wave panels, as well as Rockpanel Colours & Chameleon rainscreen façade panels, and the Marley Eternit Tectiva panel system.SolutionFixfast were able to supply progressive with fasteners colour matched exactly to the colourful blend of different façade panels - within a standard fast turnaround of 2-3 working days. Supplying DrillFast A4 low profile lacquered fasteners for the composite panels as well as the rainscreen panels, Fixfast provided progressive with a fail-safe solution to fix the unique construction.(With thanks to progressive for the images)"Northgate Yard was a fantastic project for us. We loved tackling the unique facade design - it's what our in-house team does best! Success on a complex project like this, with its demanding design and strict timeline, comes down to teamwork and attention to detail. Fixfast's two-day turnaround on high-quality, lacquered fasteners not only ensured we stayed on schedule but also gave us confidence in the durability and finish of the installation. We're thrilled with how everything came together." - James Rayner, Director at progressive

TECHNAL GLAZING SYSTEMS PROTECT THE 47TH G7 SUMMIT VENUE FROM COASTAL STORMSThe stunning Carbis Bay Hotel in Cornwall, venue for the 47th G7 Summit, had a host of tried and tested TECHNAL glazing and curtain walling systems installed, all specified for their outstanding weather performance.Exeter-based Harmony Architectural Aluminium, a specialist glazing fabricator and contractor well experienced in helping develop high-end properties around the windswept coasts of Devon and Cornwall, designed and delivered the Dualframe 75 Si, Elegance 52 curtain walling, Crown Sliding Folding doors and other products in a £400K contract for the Carbis Bay Hotel. Having employed TECHNAL systems on projects from Bristol down to Cornwall for more than three decades, Harmony proposed a package of systems including the Dualframe 75 Si doors and windows to create eight beachfront lodges and a three-storey wedding venue at the landmark destination.  The Carbis Bay lodges and beautiful wedding venue are a stand-out project for us: not just because of the challenges to the location, literally right next to the sea, but because it also demonstrates TECHNAL’s value as a one-stop shop. We have the range of systems to fulfil any contract from volume housing through to the ‘Grand Designs’ type properties and commercial work.For locations such as this, systems like Dualframe, C160 Sliders and Crown Sliding Folding doors work at the scale to maximise the views while delivering the necessary resistance to wind, air and water.The fabricator, which operates a 20,000 square feet facility at Pinhoe, put forward the TECHNAL systems for the prestige project, primarily on the basis of their excellent weather performance and resistance to the aggressive marine environment. While all the systems offer a stylish appearance, the Crown Sliding Folding and C160 Lift and Slide doorsets also provided the benefit of permitting taller than normal opening heights.We were one of three companies invited to meet the owner of the Carbis Bay Hotel, Steve Baker, and his project manager, Mark Senton, following a recommendation from one of our clients in Cornwall.  We then put forward the Dualframe and other TECHNAL products on the basis of the level of support, as well as performance, the manufacturer offers.  I have been using TECHNAL systems since 1989 for contracts across the South West including schools, hospitals and other PFI projects.Harmony AA Construction of the MUV (Multi Utility Venue) building and the eight lodges was split into two phases, but ended up running concurrently: which increased the logistical challenge as the hotel remained open through the year-long period of works – including for weddings on the beach.  The fact that the buildings are right down at the level of the beach inevitably increases the glazing systems’ exposure to salt spray as well as driving rain when the weather is bad, so we relied on TECHNAL’s technical department to supply all of the relevant testing certificates to verify the corrosion resistance, wind pressure ratings and other specification requirements. There were a lot of meetings regarding this project, while deliveries to our Pinhoe plant near Exeter were kept up throughout.Harmony AAHarmony’s package for the Carbis Bay project included the design, manufacture and installation of 29 sets of two or three panel C160 Sliders: all 2700mm high, installed in the seaward facing elevations of the eight luxury lodges. Accommodating up to eight people, these also feature Dualframe 75 Si entrance screens, into which the client installed timber doors.The ground floor to the MUV building is given over to three retail units, the entrance to each of which is formed of a Crown Sliding Folding doorset standing 2600mm high. On the floor above are guest bedrooms with seven sets of 2800mm tall C160 Sliders, as well as Dualframe residential doors, giving access onto the balconies.The top floor of the venue then offers panoramic views of the bay through a series of Elegance 52 screens, with automatic opening, top-hung vents providing easily controllable ventilation while the glazing throughout is SKN 176 solar control. The curtain walling includes a run that is faceted to follow the curve of the building’s end wall, while more C160 Sliders are set behind ‘Juliette’ balconies to open out onto the stunning seascape view.Stylish in design while offering multiple opening configurations, the TECHNAL Dualframe 75 Si range is proving very popular across many sectors, including social housing and education. Not only does the uniquely designed polyamide break help it offer U-values down to 0.9 W/m2K, but Dualframe was the first aluminium system to achieve an A++ Window Energy Rating with its tilt before turn window. Additionally, PAS 24 has been achieved on every style including tilt-before-turn and pivot. Andy Hart, Account Manager at TECHNAL