"CHAIR"

Chester Zoo’s Wild Worlds Festival is officially open, bringing a new twist to teaching children about the animal world with nine interactive installations, including three giant talking chairs made from MEDITE® TRICOYA® EXTREME (MTX).

One of the most common ways in which people do so is by spending their hard earned cash on expensive new furniture. However, that’s not always necessary as this customer proves!Boyd restored his garden chairs back to their original colour for a fraction of the cost using Owatrol Polytrol.

A stylish redevelopment of a courtyard at Stratford University. The project needed products that matched the aesthetic of the Stratford Cultural Quarter landscape. Artform were chosen as the preferred supplier on a range of architectural street furniture. The Parc Vue range of case style furniture was specified. The package included the Parc Vue Tables and Chairs by Landscape Forms along with a selection of sleek stainless steel bins and bollards, and elegant timber and steel benches.

Rutland Hall Hotel is set in just under 70 acres, with majestic views across Rutland water. The central dining area, Blossoms Restaurant, alongside Blossoms Bar and Terrace serves refined international cuisine, making it one of the best places to eat in Rutland.Brief:The hotel owners instructed an extensive refurbishment of the hotel’s dining, public areas and bedrooms. The first part of the hotel to be relaunched was Blossoms Restaurant Bar & Terrace. Working with furniture suppliers, Contract Furniture Group and interior designers, Curveline Design, scheme boards were created incorporating Skopos fabrics for the upholstery, voiles and blinds to create an elegant and stylish area of the hotel, reflective of Rutland Hall’s stunning location.Outcome:Palmyra Oceanic, a bold statement print from The Silk Roads collection, was chosen for dining chairs and booth seating. Matt velvet Bonita upholstery fabric was also used for contrasting dining chairs. Plain bright colourways, Amarillo and Turquoise, were selected to co-ordinate perfectly with the tones included in the print.Roman blinds in the restaurant also used the same Palmyra print. The sunny south facing windows required each blind to be blackout lined. Mystic Monsoon voile from the Zephyr collection was installed at each window on a wave headed track to take advantage of the evening sun and reflect golden tones into the room.Lounge chairs in the private dining area were upholstered in Cadiz metallic herringbone velvet, from the La Feria collection. Assorted colours in Aquarius, Lava and Forest created a relaxed eclectic feel.Skopos specialist fitters completed the track, blind and voile curtain installation.Benefits of working with Skopos:· Full service offer—including make-up and installation.· Quality control throughout the project.· Skopos work with clients to provide a bespoke, unique design.· Skopos can supply fabric on the roll or offer our full service depending on the needs of the project.· All Skopos fabrics are designed for high traffic contract areas.· Full understanding of project needs.· Any project, large or small, will be given full attention.· Products all Flame Retardant - complying with contract standards.

Rutland Hall Hotel is set in just under 70 acres, with majestic views across Rutland water. The central dining area, Blossoms Restaurant, alongside Blossoms Bar and Terrace serves refined international cuisine, making it one of the best places to eat in Rutland.Brief:The hotel owners instructed an extensive refurbishment of the hotel’s dining, public areas and bedrooms. The first part of the hotel to be relaunched was Blossoms Restaurant Bar & Terrace. Working with furniture suppliers, Contract Furniture Group and interior designers, Curveline Design, scheme boards were created incorporating Skopos fabrics for the upholstery, voiles and blinds to create an elegant and stylish area of the hotel, reflective of Rutland Hall’s stunning location.Outcome:Palmyra Oceanic, a bold statement print from The Silk Roads collection, was chosen for dining chairs and booth seating. Matt velvet Bonita upholstery fabric was also used for contrasting dining chairs. Plain bright colourways, Amarillo and Turquoise, were selected to co-ordinate perfectly with the tones included in the print.Roman blinds in the restaurant also used the same Palmyra print. The sunny south facing windows required each blind to be blackout lined. Mystic Monsoon voile from the Zephyr collection was installed at each window on a wave headed track to take advantage of the evening sun and reflect golden tones into the room.Lounge chairs in the private dining area were upholstered in Cadiz metallic herringbone velvet, from the La Feria collection. Assorted colours in Aquarius, Lava and Forest created a relaxed eclectic feel.Skopos specialist fitters completed the track, blind and voile curtain installation.

The Aquatic Centre in the Northern Rockies Regional Recreation Centre has installed a ceiling lift system that enables wheelchair users to be independent when using the changing rooms.During the downtime in the COVID-19 lockdown, the people working at the Aquatic Centre decided to upgrade the changing room with a Guldmann GH3 ceiling lift solution. They knew that several of their visitors would benefit from this upgrade and they also knew of customers that were not able to use the facilities because they needed more assistance.Their vision was to make the Aquatic Centre accessible for a wider group of people, and they succeeded: When the Aquatic Centre re-opened to the public, the result was life-changing.On the first day, the crew had tipped a regular customer whom they thought would benefit from the ceiling lift to come swimming.The customer brought her support worker but ended up being able to do everything herself because she was able to use the new lift in the changing room.As she worked through getting ready to go for a swim, she used the lift to get herself out of her wheelchair and into the sling, changed herself, lowered herself into one of the aquatic chairs and got into the pool all on her own.She was then able to do it all over again when she was finished.Previously, a wheelchair user who wished to swim in the pool would have to hire helpers or ask family members to come with them and help transfer them from the wheelchair to the aquatic chair.Now, wheelchair users can come to the Aquatic Centre and be just as independent as the majority of the visitors.

A sense of community, abundant greenery and lake views on the roof terrace for all residentsThe housing fair is held annually in Finland. In 2021, it will be held in a scenic location in Lohja, Southern Finland. An interesting partnership quarter will also be put up in the fair area, where a sense of community has especially been taken into account in the planning. A block of 34 modern and energy-efficient apartments. The principal designer of the site is the architect Sasu Alasentie from UKI Arkkitehdit.”The idea behind the whole quarter is a sense of community. The flats in the building do not have their own saunas, but instead a communal use sauna will be constructed on the roof terrace. You can see the wonderful lake scenery from the roof and by utilising the roof terrace we wanted to ensure views of the lake to all residents. The yard areas of the quarter are fairly compact, but the roof terrace creates more greenery and communal outside areas for all the residents to use. We also hope that this will increase the residents’ team spirit and sense of community,” says Sasu Alasentie about the basis of the planning. ”On the roof terrace, we will also build an individual planting box for each resident, where they can cultivate herbs, flowers or whatever plants they want. A small summer kitchen corner and dining area will also be built there, as well as hanging chairs for lounging around. All in all, the area will hopefully become a communal, green oasis to spend time in, for all the residents,” says Sasu Alasentie. ”When we were choosing materials for the terrace, it was important to us that they would be in keeping with the building’s ecological nature and energy efficiency. Together with the contractor, we decided on the UPM ProFi Piazza composite for the terrace material. What appealed to us about it was particularly its durability and that it was easy to look after. Naturally also the fact that it’s made of recycled material, which fits well with the environmentally-friendly ideology of the whole building. I believe that in future projects, environmental friendliness and materials made from recycled materials will become even more popular,” says Sasu Alasentie.  

It was critical to specify the correct colours for Food Chain and Salsa Mexican Grill, to ensure the brand identity was standardized throughout, with no variance. Both the Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C, and Hybrid Wood Protector range was applied to counters, wall cladding, bulkheads, table tops, counter fronts, chairs, benches and door frames.

Yeoman Shield HessianEx wall panels at 1250mm high and 50x50mm Corner Protection Angles in Lilac was fitted on the ground & 1st floor corridors and plaza area. HessianEx panels, cut to 300mm wide was fitted as an attractive protection strip in waiting areas, to protect against chairs being pushed up against walls and causing marks and scuffs.

Accoya was recommended by distributor Tecade for use in the construction of the building. Tecade recommended the use of Accoya to ensure that the building would sit well in its natural surroundings, while also maintaining its structural integrity in the harsh environment. Accoya was used for all applications throughout the home including the façade, interior doors, indoor & outdoor furniture, terrace, garage door & railings. The architect specified 28mm X 150mm of Accoya for the outdoor terrace & constructed the terrace furniture using around 1 cubic meters of Accoya to build 3 tables & 36 chairs for external use.

Boston Endeavour Academy is a newly built special school for children age 2-19 with a range of learning difficulties and disabilities, located in the market town of Boston, Lincolnshire. It opened to 100 pupils in September 2021 building to 140 over the coming few years. It features many state of the art facilities including therapy rooms classrooms and a hydrotherapy pool. Key Considerations:Installing ceiling hoists within multi-height ceilings Large spans are required throughoutRequires bespoke solution Working in collaboration with Kier and Wates Construction on this state of the art academy, our Astor OT200 hoisting system and Sensory Integration Swings have provided safe, supportive and comfortable accessibility to the children, allowing them to thrive in their educational setting. Main Equipment: Astor OT200 ceiling hoistH systemBespoke track systemRoom to room gatesTurntablesSensory Integration Swings“ The ceiling hoists are infinitely more convenient for supporting pupils from chairs to the floor to complete their work and postural changes. No longer having to rely on mobile hoists increases the space available that can be deployed for learning activities. The tracking in the pool area allows for speedy transitions to changing rooms reducing waiting times and the number of staff required to support transitions. The Sensory Integration swings have become a much-valued resource for supporting the regulation of many pupils. The advice given by Astor Bannerman representatives to be reliable and leading to excellent outcomes in terms of the resources for our pupils..” Richard Gamman, Headteacher Boston Endeavour Academy 

Twelve years ago leaders in the East Belfast community, principle among them Sammy Douglas, then Chair of East Belfast Partnership, had a vision of a walking/cycle/nature way that would link some of the public parks of East Belfast by following the watercourse of the Connswater and Loop Rivers from the Cregagh Glen down to the Connswater’s entry to Belfast Lough.

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust commissioned artistic wall protection from manufacturer Intastop Ltd after its MRI waiting area at York Hospital was suffering damage from the backs of chairs scuffing the perimeter walls leaving unsightly and unhygienic levels of damage.

An award-winning restaurant serving sustainable and ethical Japanese cuisine, has added a large outdoor terrace for diners to enjoy using a WoodBlocX seating and planter combination.The owners of MOSHIMO Brighton added the sun terrace to the already architecturally pleasing, modernist building, to provide an indoor/outdoor dining experience, with functional sliding screens that separate the two spaces depending on the weather and decorative evergreen planting around the edge of the dining area.We created a bespoke design which fitted perfectly into the deck space available. With bespoke seating featuring a planter border wrapping around the main seating area and one additional U-shaped planter disconnected from the main structure to provide two access points to the deck.The completed design was then painted in the restaurant’s deep charcoal brand colour to match the interior and exterior design. This dark shade is balanced perfectly with the bright red dining tables and chairs. We provide a Free Design Service to all clients to ensure they get exactly what they need for each project and make any necessary adjustments.The modular design of WoodBlocX means that we can create structures that fit into specific spaces perfectly. Not only can our unique timber system provide a great fit, it is also long-lasting and durable thanks to the way it is built. The combination of treated wooden blocks, dowels and internal buttresses ensures that our structures will not crack or warp. With a design life of 20 years, WoodBlocX is the perfect product to specify in your next landscaping project.

If you’ve ever seen the film The King’s Speech with Colin Firth playing King George VI you’ll recall it features the King overcoming a debilitating speech impediment thanks to the world-famous speech therapist, Australian Lionel Logue. In real life Logue practised at 146 Harley Street between 1926 and 1952. In 2020 the 142-146 Harley Street premises underwent a substantial refurbishment at the request of owners Howard de Walden Estate. The Howard de Walden Estate extends 92 acres and includes the freehold to over 800 properties and includes the healthcare hub the Harley Street Medical Area [HSMA].The brief for the Harley Street premises was to provide a self-contained D1 Medical building of 6,299 ft² across lower ground floor to fourth floor. The linked grade II listed buildings needed to provide accommodation suitable for a ‘first in class’ medical operator to work from, whist retaining and respecting the building’s historic character and charm. It was also noted that the restoration and improvement works should serve to enhance the overall appearance of the neighbouring properties and surrounding Harley Street Medical Area.Working alongside Howard De Walden Estates were Sonnemann Toon Architects LLP, construction contractor Whistlers Ltd and architectural ironmonger 3v Hardware. 3v specified, scheduled and supplied the ironmongery packages for both the traditional upper floors, and the contemporary lower medical area floors for this piece of 19th century architecture.“The project presented a challenge to 3v Architectural Hardware who were given two separate briefs. The old building needed updating while retaining its traditional feel and the medical areas in the basement required a practical and easily maintained product,” said Chris Taylor at 3v.Matt black and satin steelProducts supplied included traditional knob furniture from Frank Allart in a matt black nickel finish for the traditional areas and Vieler satin stainless steel furniture for the medical areas. All the accessories were carefully chosen in matching or sympathetic finishes. For example it was not possible to fit concealed closer into the existing doors and therefore overhead, surface mounted white closers were used to blend in with the door finish.Appropriate sash window furniture was sourced and supplied in the same matt black nickel finish.The client requested that modern fire signage on the face of the door be avoided if at all possible. Instead, ‘lollipop’ signage was suggested, but with the caveat that this did not comply with the guidelines of BS5499 and therefore approval from Building Control would be required. Samples were put forward and approved (two per door leaf were supplied: one for the leading edge and one for the jamb but only one has been fitted).The project was finished to such a high standard it secured 3v Architectural Hardware and Sonnemann Toon architects a highly commended in the Public Health and Education category in the GAI/RIBA Specification Awards 2022. GAI technical manager Douglas Masterson, who chaired the judging panel and performed the inspections of shortlisted projects, called this project “really impressive”. “The history of this building felt tangible as you walked around it and the ironmongery specified really tapped in to this,” he says. “The matching of the various items of ironmongery products throughout was exquisite and the matt black specified was an impressive contrast to the white door. It was a very sympathetic refurbishment which was a delight to inspect.”Photography: Neil Kenyon

Client: Singleton Distillery Visitors’ CentreLocation: Scottish Highlands, ScotlandYear: 2022Project size: 700 m²Vebro systems: vebroscreed Industrial, vebro Classic Terrazzo, vebrores PU SL HDA combination of luxurious seamless terrazzo and high performance polyurethane coatings were required to complement the interior design scheme of a new whisky distillery visitors’ centre in the Scottish Highlands.A new visitors’ centre at the existing Singleton at Glen Ord Distillery in the Scottish Highlands has been unveiled, representing part of a significant investment into Scottish tourism by the brand’s parent company Diageo, with several similar venues also opened across the country.Located on the North Coast 500 route, the centre aims to attract additional tourism to the area, helping to contribute to the local and national economy.Although the Singleton story began back in 1987, the award winning Singleton whisky is renowned for being modern, vibrant and perfectly balanced, appealing to a new generation of whisky drinkers.The visitors’ centre was designed to reflect this brand positioning, combining heritage and modernity to create a welcoming high end space for its visitors. Housed in one of the distillery’s original buildings, the renovation has married the traditional stonework of the building with modern and industrial materials in order to create a visually striking interior scheme.The floor levelling and resin flooring package for the new Singleton of Glen Ord distillery included vebroscreed Industrial, vebrores PU SL HD and vebro Classic Terrazzo. The combination of floor coatings has covered a total area of 700 m2 and delivered a high end, modern finish for the distillery’s visitors’ centre.vebrores PU SL HD is a heavy duty, solvent-free, flexible, self-smoothing polyurethane flooring system offering outstanding strength and performance, making it ideally suited to areas with heavy footfall and wear from chairs and other similar objects.Designed for use in commercial areas subject to high levels of pedestrian traffic, the vebro Classic Terrazzo system incorporates an attractive blend of decorative aggregates and is ground, grouted and sealed to deliver an eye-catching terrazzo surface.Wrapping around the central bar area is vebro Classic Terrazzo in Genoa, which features a blend of subtly toned grey and beige aggregates encapsulated in a light grey, low emission epoxy resin binder. This provides a traditional-yet-chic impression at ground level. Elsewhere, the solid, matt, deep grey finish of vebrores PU SL HD contrasts with the texture of the terrazzo to lend a modern industrial touch to the scheme.IFT offers clients across Scotland and the North of England a fully integrated flooring service ranging from floor preparation, to screeding and levelling through to installing underfloor heating pipework and seamless resin-based floor toppings.Founded in 1985 by James Love, IFT has been involved in some of the most prestigious construction projects north of the border including work for National Museums Scotland, the Scottish Prison Service, Edinburgh Airport, Education Scotland, and Macallan Distillery.

Tallest tower in London’s financial district uses market-leading SonaSpray for acoustic perfection.As well as dominating the skyline of London’s financial district with its striking 23-sided glass façade, 22 Bishopsgate has not only rewritten the rules of what a modern office space should look like but also how it sounds. Having become a ‘mecca’ for workplace wellbeing, putting individuals and employees at the heart of its design, it was important that the spaces sounded as good as they looked. With acoustics playing a leading role in delivering overall comfort to a space, partnering interior design studios DesignLSM and The Morris Project turned to experts, Oscar Acoustics, to control sound levels within its buzzing food and dining area - ‘The Market’ for pitch-perfect ambience.  Known as the ‘foodie heart’ of 22 Bishopsgate, its selection of bustling food counters makes it a hub for workers looking to drink coffee, take lunch breaks and host meetings. However, being a lively, open hospitality space, the clink of cutlery and energetic conversation would mean that the café space was at risk of excessively high noise levels, which left unchecked would create an uncomfortable drinking and dining experience for guests.  Karen Taylor, DesignLSM’s lead designer, said: “Providing a healthy environment that would enhance the physical and mental wellbeing of those working in the building was a top priority when designing the 20,000sq ft space. The building itself includes triple-glazed windows to reduce outside noise, but it was important that the internal acoustics were just as well considered to compliment the sense of balance and harmony throughout.  “As a multi-purpose space, The Market area is a dynamic part of the building where the Bishopsgate community can unwind, dine and socialise. Whilst the area needed to have a spirited ‘buzz’ to it, there would also be guests that wanted to relax and recharge, and therefore considering the people and their needs was always at the forefront of our design strategy.” As The Market includes an array of hard surfaces such as tables and chairs in-line with its open dining aesthetic, a solution was needed to counteract noise reverberation and echo, which causes sound levels to climb. To remedy this, DesignLSM turned to Oscar Acoustics’ SonaSpray acoustic spray range. Once applied to ceilings or walls the seamless acoustic finish absorbs sound energy instead of reflecting it, enabling designers to create serene and inviting spaces. In this case, its SonaSpray fcx acoustic plaster finish was used to reduce overall noise for a more calming atmosphere. With strict building deadlines and restrictions to adhere to, SonaSpray was also chosen for its efficiency as it can be applied quickly with minimum disruption, allowing work to continue as promptly as possible.  Importantly, it was Oscar Acoustics’ third-party safety certifications that caught the eyes of designers. With such a large building to consider, fire safety had to be a number one priority. With fire credentials that go above and beyond Approved Document B fire requirements (Class 0 to BS476 & B-s1, d0 fire rating), the SonaSpray range produces little to no smoke and absolutely no droplets – which can assist in the safe escape of occupants should an event occur.  As the first building in the UK to apply for the WELL Building Standard, the premium acoustic spray was a perfect fit due its contributions towards many sustainable design and health certification systems including WELL, BREEAM, SKA, Living Building Challenge and adds up to 17 points towards the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating of a project. It also boasts GREENGUARD Gold certification which shows it has met some of the world’s most rigorous and comprehensive standards for low emissions of VOCs into indoor air, aiding in the creation of healthier indoor environments. Ben Hancock managing director at Oscar Acoustics, said: “22 Bishopsgate has raised the bar in office design and it’s a real feather in our cap to be part of such a pioneering and monumental building.  “When we were approached about the project, we jumped at the chance. The design ethos of 22 Bishopsgate aligns closely with our own values – putting employee wellness and comfort above all else.  “It’s clear that our experience working on some of the UK's biggest office refurbishments has been put into action, encapsulating future thinking around work/life balance, to create a dining destination that offers maximum comfort without comprising on design. “We know from our own independent research that excessive levels of noise are a major deterrent for workers who want to embrace hybrid working – but this building proves that if it handled correctly, it’s possible to create a space where employees want to revisit time and time again.”Image credits to Tom Meredith Photography.

A prestigious four-star hotel in Surrey gets a stylish enclosed pergola structure to suit the ambience and scenery of the location. This historic hotel’s large paved terrace area with outdoor BBQ was only equipped with some tables and chairs, and so only used on dry days in the summer months. The hotel's event team wanted to create a new flexible outdoor space that could guarantee availability for bookings throughout the year, whatever the weather....

We were commissioned to supply and install cloakroom fittings and a bespoke ‘classpack’ package for a four-classroom extension at Hillside School in the north-east of Scotland... all to seriously tight deadlines.Portlethen is one of Aberdeen’s fastest-growing commuter towns and, within two years of completion, the local primary school needed space for more pupils... quickly. What’s more, the four-classroom extension had to be completed while the existing school and nursery operated as normal.Boyco were approached to simply provide fixed furniture and equipment but, instead, proposed a fully managed, supply and installation service that would ease the pressure on main contractor Bancon Construction. Our end-to-end package included the design, manufacture and installation of a bespoke system of cloakroom fittings, teacher walls, kitchen units and height-adjustable worktops.Challenging lead times were made more difficult by the coronavirus pandemic and new construction site rules. However, we put together a plan of works for accelerated manufacture and installed the systems in just two weeks at the end of 2020. The extension was handed over to the client in January 2021.“It was satisfying that even in the midst of a global pandemic, the Council and its partners could work together to ensure the completion of the project,” said Cllr Gillian Owen, chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Education and Children’s Services Committee.Throughout, we liaised directly with the architect and the end client, combining our skills and experience to provide a fully-managed service designed to take the pressure off the main contractor. “Hassle-free” was how they described it. The project contributed to a portfolio of successful supply-and-fit projects in Scotland. “I will be recommending that Bancon Construction use Boyco on future projects,” said site manager Colin Smith.The service from Boyco couldn’t be faulted - from the drawings and delivery schedule to the quality of fittings, and an installation team who worked diligently without fuss to get the work completed on time.Colin Smith, Site Manager, Bancon Construction

DYNAMIK Sport are proud to have supplied and installed the world class competition sports flooring at the EIS. DYNAMIK has expertise in providing world class training venues for top athletes and creating facilities that are designed to enhance top sporting performance inclusive of wheelchair sport. The Elite Training Centre, home of Team GB Wheelchair Basketball, houses DYNAMIK’s sprung engineered oak flooring. This is an ideal surface for wheelchair users to aid the glide of wheelchairs as the low rolling resistance of sprung systems finished with a solid ‘non-spongy’ playing surface, allows chairs to easily glide across the floor.

A college in East London lost the use of their sports hall due to a flood that infiltrated the building. The Customer Care Team from @DYNAMIK Sport inspected the existing sprung floor and were able to offer a seamless Polyurethane (PU) re-coating application from leading coatings manufacturer @herculan.DYNAMIK Technical managers were asked to confirm the sports performance of the existing sprung structure and it’s suitability for refurbishment rather than a total replacement. This solution avoided the costs associated with uplifting, disposal and the installation of a new replacement sprung base. DYNAMIK have many playing surface and repair options available that can breathe new life into an old sports floor. This type of transformation is fast, cost effective and extends the life of the floor, not to mention the massive environmental benefits associated with not having to uplift and dispose of the sprung system. Most wear and tear shows up on the top-layer playing surface, which often shows signs of cracking, loss of slip resistance or damage caused by non-sporting events or the use of table and chairs without suitable protection. Re-coating old surfaces with a Herculan PU by DYNAMIK can seamlessly repair the issues of the past and create a solution for the future. A re-application of line marking can also be carried out at the same time as the refurbishment process, as can club or school logos, coloured surrounds, highlighted court zones, as seen at many of DYNAMIK Nationwide sports flooring projects where their “Be-Spoke Court Design Service” has created the wow factor.If you have a damaged or worn out solid timber court, solid block tile, vinyl, lino or seamless PU playing surface, and need trusted advice for refurbishment options that could save your facility time and money by simply applying a new Herculan by DYNAMIK re-coating system. Please contact their Technical Team who are always happy to meet and test your floor to confirm compliance to the new comfort and shock absorption requirements which protects users from injury caused by non-existent or very low levels of shock absorption and comfort. @Craig Jack, Commercial Director of DYNAMIK Sports Floors, recently attended a technical group meeting, where leading indoor sports flooring manufacturers, suppliers, installers and consultants meet to discuss ways of maintaining standards but also ways of improving the performance and safety of products and systems available to end-users throughout the UK. The group discussed overlay options and their success and suitability within the modern sports and activity environment and highlighted some important points worth considering, prior to any overlay option being approved.Jack commented “Solid tile or thin playing surfaces used in the past, before standards existed are being coated with a paint like surface or simply over laid with another thin pad and playing surface but in reality, this only makes the surface look good and doesn’t consider the safety, comfort or compliance to the latest flooring standards, which now require any multi-sport space to have a shock absorption value of more than 25%”.Jack also explained the importance for responsible contractors to test existing surfaces prior to over coating, confirming the shock absorption values required and expected within indoor sport and activity spaces. “Rather than just kicking the can down the road, expecting others in the future to upgrade the playing surface, we need to act now as it is just not the right or responsible thing to do and highlights a grey area in terms of what is considered a sports flooring refurbishment or what is considered a regular maintenance process”.An existing leisure facility is only required to meet the 2007 indoor multi-use sporting standard EN14904, when they upgrade or replace their old sports flooring. The interpretation of this requirement has created a grey area which confuses the difference between a maintenance coating and a playing surface upgrade.It is Jacks view that safety requirements should not be lost in greyness and the industry needs to provide clarity and help protect users of indoor sporting and activity spaces.When asked, Jack confirmed, “I for one wouldn’t be happy to have my family play any form of sport or activity on a solid floor, no matter how fresh or colourful it looked. A quick fix coating or thin pad overlay just doesn’t provide the safety I expect from a sports or activity floor, especially when considering the standard came in 15 years ago. I can’t believe any facility considers painting solid surfaces or tiles but sadly, some still kick that can down the road and expect kids to play on a solid concrete or painted tile, non-compliant surfaces. It’s shocking and quite scary when you think about how many floors still do not get upgraded to the current standards and are in use today”.DYNAMIK Technical consultant Sarah Beck clarified that “DYNAMIK always put safety and compliance first, above anything else. Playing surface compliance should be top of any list and our sports flooring team certainly see why 15 years ago, the standards were implemented to improve safety and performance within multi-use indoor facilities, big or small. Just because you can paint an old solid surface doesn’t mean you should, which is why we check the comfort and safety levels of old surfaces, prior to offering overlay options”.    For a free survey of your existing sports flooring to check its suitability for re-coating or refurbishment, please contact the DYNAMIK Technical Department on 0117 456 5024.  

The combination of a DYNAMIK sprung, high compression, comfort based undercarriage finished in a solid (non-foam backed) vinyl provides high levels of indentation resistance from tables, chairs or play equipment typically seen in Primary or Junior Schools. The feeling of comfort is achieved by the flexibility of the new DYNAMIK Sprung base and not the top playing surface as the Vinyl is solid, therefore will not indent or tear when a point or rolling load is applied. The DYNAMIK Sports Vinyl in wood effect is easy to clean, combating drink or food spillages.

There has always been a relationship between design and the marrying up of form, function and aesthetics. While popularity of materials and styles comes and go over the years, how products look, feel and perform is constant. This interesting interplay is explored in the latest online theme from Troldtekt A/S, the Danish manufacturer of acoustic panels. Comprising expert articles, white papers and interviews, the ‘Architectural Beauty’ theme looks at the concept of architectural beauty and the importance of aesthetics in leading certification schemes for sustainable building. It acknowledges that it is not always possible to harmonise the aesthetic with the practical but that there are some ways in which they can be combined to provide value to a building while enhancing its beauty. Australian artist and designer Jay Dee Dearness sums it up well - “Beauty is the melding of functionality and aesthetics in just the right proportions to achieve the desired result.’ Acoustic product manufacturers, such as Troldtekt, embrace this relationship and are at the forefront of practical, aesthetic and high performance products and design. Troldtekt’s wood wool panelling is a perfect canvas allowing architects and designers to realise their most creative schemes, safe in the knowledge that acoustical performance will not be compromised.Since 1903, Copenhagen has presented annual awards for beautiful buildings, landscaping and urban spaces within the city. The Copenhagen Building Award comprises four categories - new buildings, restoration, refurbishment and urban environments. “We present the awards to honour the architects, engineers and developers behind the projects. Also, we’re keen to support projects and urban spaces that are of particular benefit to the city and its citizens”, comments Camilla van Deurs, City Architect of the City of Copenhagen and chair of the building award jury.Copenhagen’s Grøndalsvængets School (pictured), is one of the winning projects chosen by the Copenhagen Building Awards 2020. The school has undergone thorough renovation and expansion, all designed by JJW Arkitekter. It now has a fully modern learning environment where the original qualities have been preserved – and where the indoor climate is exemplary. Like most schools, it used to be noisy by nature from the exuberance of children. Now, this stunning example of architectural beauty shows how large bright spaces, natural daylight and interesting design works well with aesthetic high performance products. It also shows how wood wool acoustic panels make such designs possible while dampening ambient and reverberated noise which would otherwise be unbearable for users.  Many buildings have unique challenges relating to acoustic issues but all can benefit from acoustic panelling to help contribute towards improving the interior environment. Specified throughout the UK and Europe, the benefits of 100% Troldtekt natural wood wool panels include high sound absorption, high durability, natural breathability, low cost life cycle performance and sustainability. Available in various sizes and in four grades from extreme to coarse, the panels can be left untreated or painted in virtually any RAL colour. Samples, case studies and technical information are easily sourced from www.troldtekt.co.uk (tel 01978 664255). In addition, information on Troldtekt’s Architectural Beauty theme can be found at https://www.troldtekt.com/news/themes/architectural-beauty or https://bit.ly/3jvFmV2

Commissioned by 30 member states of the European Union, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) monitors the climate and weather. In light of climate change, the data it collects using complex satellite systems is becoming increasingly important. The growth of the organization associated with this is reflected in the continuous expansion of its HQ in Darmstadt. The construction of a new six-floor office building also includes a canteen for all employees working at the location. This canteen gets its unmistakable face from a lamella-style suspended ceiling made of golden PC-ALU 6010 aluminum mesh from GKD – GEBR. KUFFERATH AG.Modern weather forecasts today have little in common with traditional country weather lore. Satellites make it possible to monitor the climate and weather on a global scale. The data collected is then used to keep authorities, citizens and companies up-to-date with the latest developments at all times. In Europe, EUMETSAT monitors the atmosphere, oceans and earth’s surface around the clock and then transmits the data to the participating EU member states. Established in 1986, the organization opened its headquarters in Darmstadt in 1991. However, ever increasing requirements and staff numbers meant that the operation quickly outgrew its original space. A six-floor office building with 160 workplaces represents the final phase of a whole range of extensions and new buildings. Following a construction period of just 18 months, around 100 employees were able to move out of their temporary container offices and into the new building costing around €10 million, while a further 60 new employees are set to follow. The shape of the new building, designed by Pielok Marquardt Architects from Offenbach, is a mirror image of an existing building. Beside excellent energy efficiency and multifunctionality, the new building is characterized by transparency and modern design. Four office levels offer versatile space with transparent partition walls for any desired arrangement – whether open space, combination offices or classic cubicles.Functional division – exceptional aestheticsThe ground level comprises two separate functional units that can be accessed via separate entrances. Beside a control center for a new satellite program, this is also home to the campus kitchen with connected canteen for the workforce at the location, which has now grown to include around 600 employees. The kitchen has been designed to provide 410 meals a day and the canteen offers 250 seats. The mullion-transom facade also ensures that the room is flooded with light. Carefully chosen furnishings divide its area into various acoustically optimized zones. The white of the desks and chairs is picked up by strips in the glossy flooring and the cladding of the food counter, pillars and supports. In the central zone, bright red benches with high, sound-absorbing backrests offer a vibrant contrast. The color scheme is rounded off by the warm brown of the stone floor and the wooden acoustic cladding. However, the striking element in the room is the suspended ceiling, made from 400 square meters of golden aluminum mesh. Its 120 elements with a blade-type design mimic the appearance of sunshine in the canteen with their discreet shimmer. LED lighting strips further underline this impression. At the same time, the mesh conceals the ventilation technology with incoming air outlets on the element frames. As a result, the accessibility of the woven ceiling elements was among the key requirements for GKD. The planners opted for a particularly open mesh design in the form of the PC-ALU 6010 mesh with various warp and weft wire thicknesses. The function and aesthetics of the ceiling mesh thereby provide the desired high level of comfort in the canteen, while also making the room a unique feast for the eyes.

Starting from Buenos Aires, the tango argentino conquered the world in the 1920s. Today the Argentinian capital is seen as the Paris of the South and is equally famous for its European flair as for its world-class cultural offering. The country’s colonial past has characterised the architecture and atmosphere of the city right up to the present day. And now, with the opening of the Centro Cultural Kirchner in the heart of Buenos Aires, the metropolis boasts the largest cultural centre in Latin America, which few cultural buildings worldwide can measure up to. Although it is officially named after the former President Néstor Kirchner, the building is commonly known as Ballena Azul (Blue Whale). It owes this name to its interior, whale-formed concert hall wing with an area of 2.200 square meters that forms a central element of B4FS arquitectos’ design. Its visually seamless shell made of Escale metallic fabric from GKD – GEBR. KUFFERATH AG reflects the blue paintwork of the skirting and walls. As the new base of the national symphony orchestra, the shimmering ellipsoid really makes the new landmark of Buenos Aires stand out.With a population of around 11.5 million, more than a quarter of all Argentinians live in the Buenos Aires region. Since the city’s building boom in the wake of the economic upturn of the 1990s, glittering skyscrapers, luxury hotels and exclusive loft apartments have been a common sight in the centre of the bustling metropolis. The old docks have been remodelled as high-class promenades that attract tourists and Argentinians alike to their restaurants, boutiques and bars. The historic city centre is home to the former Correo Central, the grand headquarters of the Argentinian postal service opened in 1928. In 2006 the then President Néstor Kirchner decided to renovate the listed palace and turn it into a superlative cultural centre. Following his death in 2010, his wife and successor as President, Christina Fernández de Kirchner, continued to pursue this idea until the project was completed in 2015. The planners from the Argentinian architectural firm B4FS prevailed in an international architectural competition for the renovation of the tradition-steeped main post office. Their design, a mix of architectural avant-garde and faithful restoration, aimed to create a place where culture could be encountered and experienced over 116 000 square meters in a space that is emblematic and people-oriented in equal measure. Thanks to its location on the Parque del Bicentenario between the historical centre with numerous important buildings and the modernised harbour area of Puerto Madero, the cultural centre became a revived, attractive focal point for the whole area.Breathtaking combination of monument and avant-gardeThe purely symmetrical design – both wings of the building are exactly the same – reflects the strict architectural concept of the planners. A sophisticated network of freely accessible areas on the various floors connects the modern function rooms with the historical parts of the building. The architects from B4FS thus combine painstakingly restored furniture, plasterwork, ironwork and woodwork with brave architectural structures and modern construction materials. Behind the faithfully restored façade, the restored elegance of neoclassicism enters into a fascinating union with the expressiveness of the modern. Even when entering the spacious foyer, almost 5 000 restored letterboxes, tables and chairs really bring the tradition-steeped building to life. The main dome of the palace, the slated roof of which was replaced by 496 window panes with an integrated LED lighting system, plays a key part in this effect. This construction lights up the dome in all colours during the evening and at night. For state visits, the lights show the colours of the guests’ respective national flags. As the city’s first public viewing platform, the crowning glass dome on the ninth floor also allows the Porteños (people of the port), as the people of Buenos Aires call themselves, to enjoy previously unknown views. Moreover, with three restaurants and its possible use as a function room it also offers an arena for culinary pleasure and entertainment. Alluding to the traditional chandeliers in theatres, the architects designed two glass rooms, fixed in place by Virendeel girders, that hover two levels above the stage. With an area of 220 square meters, this gigantic, abstract chandelier is planned as a flexibly usable space for art exhibitions of all kinds.Woven metallic dress for three-dimensional structureThe real attraction of the building, the enormous Blue Whale, can be found beneath the chandelier allegory. Its curved stomach contains a concert hall with space for 1 950 spectators in the stalls and on the balconies, as well as a chamber music hall that accommodates 540 listeners. For its construction, the respective building section was gutted behind the original façade and a large steel cage set up as a supporting structure. The colossal construction has a fascinating effect thanks to its shimmering skin, which seamlessly covers the ellipsoidal body and gently reflects the blue of the surrounding walls and skirting. When choosing a flexible material that would completely encase the idiosyncratic structure, the architects opted for Escale 7 x 1 metallic fabric from GKD – GEBR. KUFFERATH AG. This mesh can be formed in three dimensions and has already been tried and tested in a multitude of famous buildings – including Bertelsmann’s “Planet m” pavilion at Expo 2000 in Hanover or the “Children’s Palace” children’s hospital in Guangzhou – impressively demonstrating its ability to provide completely homogeneous cladding. For the shell of the Whale, the architects chose a customised version of the mesh with 70 millimetre-high stainless steel spirals and aluminium rods. For the cladding, which covers a total area of 5.500 square meters, GKD manufactured over 1 200 individual elements that were fixed to the top and bottom of the shape-giving frame structure using fastening hooks without any visible joints or connections. The international network of the world’s leading manufacturer of architectural metallic fabric proved its worth once again in the realisation of this challenging project: even during the detailed planning phase GKD was able to rely on the expertise of planners from form TL from Radolfzell, who specialise in 3D structures and with whom GKD had already successfully collaborated for the projects in Hanover and Guangzhou. The elements were mounted in the former main post building in Buenos Aires by the local GKD representative office in Argentina, Gutmetal. Following the official opening by the Argentinian President Christina Fernández de Kirchner, Buenos Aires now boasts a new landmark in the form of the Centro Cultural, allowing the past, the present and the future to be experienced under one roof.

Rawson’s Fanfare range has been chosen in 2 distinct colours for the Key Assets office project in Birmingham. The result is a covering which meets the planned aesthetic and offers a soft, quiet and comfortable surface. Rawson Carpet Solutions have been supplying the office and Education sectors for over 50 years. As the markets have evolved, so too has the product range and customer support. Hannah Sidley of CB Interiors stated: ‘We were looking for a heavy contract carpet which worked with our design concept portraying a contemporary look. The Fanfare Range supplied by Rawson carpets provided this, being solution dyed nylon and with BRE A+ environmental accreditation. Plus being fully supported as a UK manufacturer we were confident about meeting the deadline as the supply wouldn’t be an issue. Fanfare is a range that can be laid tessellated or broadloom, the result is a tile which offers the aesthetics of a seamless, monolithic floor. The sinuous look complements the space and offers great durability with castor chair resistance. The contract carpet tile is constructed using high grade solution dyed nylon and as such offers great cleaning results. Rawson values the Environment. All considerations for ethical trading down the manufacturing and supply line and the responsible choice of REACH compliant materials is paramount. In addition, carpets are provided with the BRE Green Guide Individual assessment, achieving A+ and this offers clients the assurance of an environmentally conscious product and manufacturer. Indeed there are products in the range that are fully recyclable. WE Rawson, A UK Company since 1865, is ISO9001:2015 accredited with 3 divisions and a heritage past as a reputed long standing privately owned UK Manufacturer.

With the aim of making a somewhat dated house welcoming and comfortable for a young family from Vilnius, the architect Ieva Prunskaitė of the Prusta studio redesigned the interior. The minimal, clean design combines functionality with beauty. Its focus is on simple lines and light spaces, devoid of clutter. Wood, plaster and cement are the three elements that are used throughout the house.The predominantly white walls with ECLISSE Syntesis Flush Hinged white doors contrast beautifully with the wooden flooring. There are also wooden accents across the white kitchen cabinets and wooden panelling defining storage areas and a cloakroom between the main door and the living room.The interior is also interspersed with accents of grey and black in the form of the black marble worktop and black chairs in the kitchen, the minimalist wood burning stove, grey accent wall and grey sofa in the sitting room and a decorative black metal screen with a geometric design separating the master bedroom with the ensuite.The minimalist style of the ECLISSE Syntesis Flush Hinged doors integrate perfectly into this interior being almost invisible, whilst being accented with sleek black handles echoing the colour scheme throughout.The ECLISSE Syntesis® Flush Hinged Door is part of the Syntesis® Flush Collection. This is a range of flush or architrave free products that work in harmony with each other. The collection features a, the concealed hinged door frame (available as a door set or frame only), pocket door system without jambs or architrave and a flush skirting board adapter. The emphasis is on uninterrupted, clean lines for an interior without fuss, where less is more.Architect: Prusta studioProduct: ECLISSE Syntesis® Flush Hinged Door

Rawson Carpet Solutions Felkirk Polypropylene carpet tiles have been installed at the Idsall school Independent Academy in Shropshire, a thriving and highly successful school that believes every student can reach their potential. J Daniel Flooring have installed carefully chosen carpet tile colours to match with the school logo and branding which has provided a great new aesthetic to the refurbished rooms, including the library, corridors, sixth form centre and various teaching rooms.Rawson Carpet solutions provide a broad range of designer and durable contract carpet tiles to suit any design or budget aspiration. Felkirk Carpet Tiles in colours ‘Blackout’ with random Tiles in ‘Turf’ complement the schools branding colours. The entrance matting is Rawson’s primary entrance solution, ‘Dominator’ entrance tiles in colour ‘Anthracite’.Felkirk Carpet Tiles by Rawson Carpet Solutions are a popular choice nationally for Education Carpet solutions as there is a proven durability and reliability in the product after so many years of successful historical use. The Tiles, specifically engineered for the workplace and learning sectors, have class 33 heavy contract rating and offer castor chair suitability.

Rawson Carpet Solutions ‘Signal’ structured nylon carpet tiles have been installed at Pocklington School in York, a boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 3-18 focused on helping every child fulfil their potential. The school offers small class sizes and vibrant co-curricular activities in a safe rural setting to ensure excellent results and well-rounded individuals ready to make their mark on the world. ‘Buckley for Flooring’ installed the commercial carpet tiles in colours to match with the school logo and branding which has provided a great new aesthetic to the refurbished rooms.Rawson Carpet Solutions provides a broad range of designer and durable contract carpet tiles to suit any design or budget aspiration. Signal tile can be laid ¼ turn or brick bond patterned as with this installation. The effect is a striking carpet tile to complement any leaning space design.Signal carpet tiles are supplied Carbon neutral and are class 33, heavy contract accredited and castor chair suited. The tiles have matching yarns to other supporting ranges providing our clients with endless design possibilities.

The 4-star Mercure Sheffield St Paul's Hotel & Spa is perfectly located in the heart of Sheffield city centre.Fusion Interiors Group an established interior design agency, were approached by Accor Hotels to create luxury bedrooms for Mercure Cardiff and Sheffield. As an approved Accor supplier, Skopos were delighted when Fusion provided the opportunity to work on their scheme.Brief:Brand new luxury suites in both hotels needed a chic and elegant interior. The windows covered a substantial area so large subtly designed curtains and sheers were required.Outcome:The interior scheme included contemporary goemetric shapes for the tables and light fittings with a distressed geometric on the carpet. To fit in with the scheme Oru Husky from the Origiami collection was selected for curtains. The wide width fabric with an Art Deco inspired pattern fitted perfectly within the brief. For additional privacy sheer curtains were  chosen from the Astraeus collection—Charm Ice, also wide width, continued the theme with its matt striped texture.Upholstery fabric for the chair was in complete contrast to the rest of the theme. The soft velvet finish of Tahoe crib 5 upholstery fabric brought a distressed glimmer giving the whole scheme another dimension. The scheme used blues and neutrals to deliver a calm and elegant feel to the interior.Skopos provided a full service offer, including make-up of all curtains and sheers, full site measure and installation.

Friarage Hospital in North Yorkshire completed the construction of its flagship £10m cancer centre. Funded by the South Tees Hospital Trust, Yorkshire philanthropist Sir Robert Ogden, and generous donations from the local community. Artform supplied the Wellspring range of furniture. The freestanding chairs can be easily moved, whilst offering robustness when frequently handled. The elegant teak furniture has subtle features to make sitting and rising easier and more comfortable and was designed specifically with healthcare facilities in mind. The outdoor space is now a relaxing place for patients and visitors to use and supporting improvements to health and wellbeing.

This case study is courtesy of Play To Measure and Priory Park Community School. The school sought a specialist play company to convert an unused piece of land into an innovative learning and play environment. Their aim was to merge education, creativity, fun, nature, and most importantly safety, in one holistic design.Before the project commenced, the outdoor space at Priory Park Community School was mostly inaccessible and overgrown, resulting in underutilisation.Play To Measure faced a significant challenge due to the lack of engaging features and safety concerns while transforming this space into an area promoting both learning and play. Ensuring students’ safety while encouraging outdoor learning, creativity, and physical activity was a top priority in the planning process.To address these challenges, Play To Measure proposed a comprehensive solution. This involved creating an outdoor classroom, pond, climbing frame with a slide, hammocks, and more. They also added rubber grass matting underneath suitable structures to cushion falls and ensure the safety of the children.The initial phase involved clearing the overgrown grass and plants, providing the team with a blank canvas to work on. With the area cleared, the team commenced transforming the design into reality.They created a pond filled with self-oxygenating plants to attract various wildlife, making it a potential habitat. Adjacent to the pond, they placed a boat, offering a unique relaxation and learning space.Above the pond, they installed a custom-built Outdoor Classroom with a bridge, serving as a dedicated educational space with a canopy for year-round use.In proximity to the classroom, two handmade hammocks were installed with our protective rubber grass mats underneath, ensuring a safe surface under this unique relaxation area.The subsequent phase involved designing, constructing, and installing a unique climbing frame. Play To Measure's team crafted an innovative play space featuring ladders, a slide, a climbing wall and nets. The climbing frame was assembled and installed on-site, with some help from the school’s students!Rubber grass mats, 23mm in thickness, were then laid and secured around the climbing frame, providing a safety surface for all users. These easy-to-install safety surfacing solutions offer a superb 3.3m critical fall height, ideal for various play spaces. The addition of a play area enhanced the recreational aspect, promoting physical activity while ensuring children's safety during play."Another quality structure completed, featuring a climbing wall, scramble nets, ladders, a platform and a slide!""Thanks to South West Play for all things rope, GCL Products for safety matting and the students at Priory Park Community School for your help in building the structure." - Play To MeasureThe collaboration between Play To Measure, Priory Park Community School and GCL Products successfully transformed an underutilised outdoor space into a vibrant, safe, and educational area. The project achieved a fine balance between education, recreation, versatility and safety, creating an inspiring environment that fosters both learning and play. This exceptional project highlights the value of innovative solutions for outdoor spaces while prioritising children’s safety and well-being."We are delighted with the before and after. The transformation of spaces is what we do. Take an unused space and make it into a play oasis.""Earlier this year it was an empty area... Now there is a Nature Pond, Outdoor Classroom, Boat, Table & Chairs, Hammocks and a large Climbing Frame.""Thank you to Priory Park Community for the opportunity to work at your school." - Play To MeasurePlay To Measure excels in transforming indoor and outdoor spaces, crafting playgrounds, sensory gardens, learning spaces, and home garden projects. Based in Sheffield, they operate throughout Yorkshire, the Midlands and across the UK. This project exemplifies Play To Measure’s commitment to excellence and their capacity to exceed clients' needs and expectations. To discover more about them or discuss a potential project, visit the Play To Measure website.GCL Products are proud to have contributed to the creation of this exceptional safe learning and play space. For more information on our rubber grass mats or to request a quote for an upcoming project, do not hesitate to contact us.You can call us on 01246 418144 or LiveChat with us during office hours. Alternatively, you can leave us a message outside these hours.

The ancient printing house of “De Vooruit” in the Center of Ghent, was completely stripped to only the ancient concrete supporting structure. From there the renovation to an ultramodern student home was to be made with steel, providing safe stairways, safe and easy to walk on platforms, as well as outside sitting areas for the students. This was all to be made in aesthetical harmony with other products, such as COR-TEN steel that was used in the project. This to create a modern look, aspiring to the students.The project criteriaPcP had to meet the criteria for a sustainable, durable product which was safe and comfortable to walk on. At the same time, the product needed to blend in well with the COR-TEN steel being used for other parts of the project, providing a modern look that would appeal to students. Another challenge was installing the new steel structure onto the existing concrete supporting structure of the original building.The solutionLannoo Konstruktie chose the OPTIMO® O2, Spiral treads – Type K and panels, as these high-quality products met all the stated requirements for the new student accommodation building. In addition, it was a bonus that the OPTIMO® O2 perforation is easy to walk on in all types of shoes, and is even suitable for outdoor furniture, such as tables and lounge chairs.“The strength-to-weight ratio of the PcP solution is very favourable. This was very helpful for us, as we had to mount the new steel structure onto the old concrete supporting beams. It was important to have a light but very strong panel and steps. PcP was ideal for this purpose.”– Christophe Lannoo, CEO, Lannoo KonstruktieThe resultThe ancient printing house of ‘Dagblad Vooruit’ in the centre of Ghent was completely stripped back to its concrete supporting structure. The structure was then developed to create ultramodern student accommodation using steel with safe stairways, safe and comfortable platforms as well as exterior seating areas for students. This work all harmonised aesthetically with the other building materials, such as the COR-TEN steel used in the project. The aim was to create a modern and inspiring student residence.Architectural steel platform and spiral stair treadsThe project lasted a total of five months from first production to final installation of the panels and steps. In total, 150 spiral K treads were used for three spiral stairs on the three-storey building. More than 100 OPTIMO® O2 treads were installed, together with almost 300 square metres of OPTIMO® O2 panels, both standard and customised. For Lannoo Konstruktie, it was a very attractive project to be engaged in, and likewise for PcP, which is used to projects which are more industrial in nature.

When Cardiff High school needed a high-quality multi-use sports flooring solution for their main hall, they chose international flooring specialist Gerflor to supply 700m2 of their world class Taraflex® Multi-Use vinyl sports floor. Gerflor also supplied an Isolsport underlay and their ubiquitous Taraflex® Bateco moveable protective covering which would ensure that the Taraflex® sports floor would remain protected during non-sporting activities.The contracting responsibility for the sports floor would be undertaken by Cardiff-based Floor Furnishings Limited. Nick Jefferies, Company Director, Floor Furnishings Ltd commented, “Gerflor’s Taraflex sports floor was extremely easy to lay. The Isolsport underlay also supplied by Gerflor, enabled us to lay the Taraflex Multi-Use directly over the existing concrete floor, this was a real benefit as the project was on a very tight schedule, due to the hall being required for exams.”The Taraflex® Multi-Use is a P1 category sports flooring, designed for both sport and non-sport use making it ideal for multi-purpose areas. Taraflex® Multi-Use protects users with excellent shock absorption and impact protection of 25% to 35%. Yet it’s tough enough to protect itself against non-sport demands often found in many education environments such as the movement of tables, chairs, and exercise equipment.

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

OverviewThe Burrell Collection in Glasgow reopened in March 2022 after over 5 years of being closed for a significant restoration project. The ProjectBritish door specialist HAG Ltd. supplied & fitted fire shutter systems & fire curtains across the building to meet stringent fire regulations and also provide significant peace of mind in protecting the ensuring the safety of the priceless collections housed within the building. The museum houses a world class array of treasures, exhibited in an architecturally significant home, set in the Pollok Country Park which is a few miles outside of central Glasgow. The building & collection is known as one of the flagship cultural venues in Scotland, and an extensive restoration project has seen a £68million investment to significantly increase both museum & gallery spaces. Our bespoke designed fire shutters & curtains offer an exceptionally high standard of specification, performance, and protection for your premises. Fire compartmentalisation allows the building to be split into smaller areas or units to withstand fire and smoke for a much longer period of time. Fire shutters can limit the spread of fire & smoke, ensure safe escape routes for human lives, and limit the damage to property and its contents. Our Complete Guide to Fire Protection Products can tell you more about up to date fire legislation and regulations, as well as how products can be used to meet your needs. As part of the guide, there is a RIBA CPD approved on-demand video to assist you.Sir Angus Grossart, chair of Burrell Renaissance, said: "The Burrell Collection has a reputation as being one of the finest in the world. The wonderful new displays have enhanced and informed what visitors will see. They will find great cultural diversity, much beauty and wonder and the great achievement of one enquiring and questioning mind, that of Sir William Burrell."