"book"

World of Books is the UK’s largest online retailer of second hand books. As part of the ongoing improvements to their head office, they were looking to refresh their existing washrooms to a hard wearing cubicle system that is durable enough to withstand daily use from its staff.Read the full case study on our website.

The House of Books & Friends is a thriving community hub in central Manchester. As well as a wide selection of literature, this impeccably designed venue offers good coffee and conversation in its mission to combat loneliness. The inventive use of various Expona Commercial PUR products brought the original features of this Grade II listed building to life.

The Exterior Colour Book has been created by the Crown Paints Colour Service to provide guidance and inspiration for exterior decoration projects. It includes details on Sandtex Trade, Crown Paints’ external substrate decoration and protection brand, as well as superior wood protection brand Sadolin. When selecting a colour for exterior projects, personal preference is sometimes secondary to concerns such as impact on the local context and the relevant planning regulations. That’s why Crown’s Exterior Colour Book provides information about the built environment, covering topics such as historical styles, geology and local materials, regional colours and colour application.

F. Ball products have been used as part of the refurbishment of Grade I listed building, The British Library. Contractors had to install 800m2 of flooring in the second largest library in the world. When contractors arrived on the site, the old floorcoverings had already been taken up. Stopgap Fill and Prime was selected to fill in the gaps between the raised access panels and create a smooth, even, and primed subfloor. Styccobond F40 high tack dual bond adhesive, with its ability to provide a peelable bond for release underlays, was used to adhere the carpet in the library.

The ChallengeThe designer of an exhibition at Tate Modern in London wanted to build a series of stools and benches out of bricks, but instead of using ordinary, rectangular bricks they wanted to use something more unusual.The live, public exhibition, called Endless Book Club, would see reading enthusiasts from notable book clubs sit on the brick benches and stools while discussing their chosen books, in the Turbine Hall of the famous art gallery.The SolutionForterra’s Cradley Heath facility provided over 500 special shaped bricks to create more than 20 seats as part of the exhibition.Cradley Special Brick has provided millions of non-standard bricks for refurbishments of listed buildings, luxury newbuilds and one-off projects including schools and leisure centres. Forterra have made more than 7,000 different bespoke bricks over the years for clients across the UK and as far away as Saudi Arabia and Scandinavia.The BenefitsBook clubs from the Royal College of Art and the Institute of Psychoanalysis took part in the event, which was produced by Self Publish, Be Happy.Bruno Ceschel, Director of Self Publish, said, “The brick seats are visually very striking and we’re thrilled with the results.”

The Living Planet Centre is WWF’s brand-new purpose-built head office in Woking. Hopkins Architects and Willmott Dixon asked Planet to provide specification for internal glass partitions in this two-storey 3,666 sqm building. For the meeting rooms, Planet Partitioning installed an electronic room booking system within p100 partitioning, so staff can book meeting rooms. For all the meeting rooms, remote controlled integrated venetian blinds allow additional privacy as required. p100 also ensures all meeting rooms meet high acoustic performance requirements. Planet Partitioning also installed FireStop fire-rated glass partitioning to meet fire regulations throughout the building.

Architectural and landscaping products from Welsh Slate feature on award-winning illustrator’s new home. Award-winning British comic book artist and illustrator Charlie Adlard is enjoying a new lease of life in a new home featuring a building material that is seriously old!

At the start of 2012 Penny Hydraulics Ltd were approached by Edward Adcock, Head of Book Moving from the Bodleian Library to provide a specialist goods lift to help move large volumes of library and archive material owned by the University of Oxford from a basement stack in a building owned by the Rhodes House Trust, to ground level for transportation off-site.

dormakaba supplies leading Exivo system to luxury YourApartment - a serviced aparthotel accommodation group, located in Bristol Looking to provide guests with a completely contactless service at its 34-studio Clifton Village aparthotel, YourApartment required a smart solution that would integrate with the booking systems, without needing to drill into the existing doors. dormakaba worked closely with the aparthotel to install its Exivo keyless system.Providing affordable lodging for the modern traveller, with a focus on interior design and tech-driven services, YourApartment accommodation aims to offer a guest experience that feels like home regardless of the length of stay. In 2020, the YourApartment Group announced plans to open accommodation in the Clifton Village area of Bristol having acquired the lease on a former student block, Merchants House. A £1.6m redevelopment, the owners wanted to ensure the new aparthotel was in keeping with its deluxe standards. The plans included a streamlined system that allowed guests contactless check-in and access their rooms using a smartphone. However, the lease for Merchants House included a stipulation that, to ensure flexibility of the property, the doors could not be screwed into, and existing door hardware could not be removed or replaced. Determined to offer guests a flexible and high-tech check-in experience, the group sought a contactless, smart solution that would integrate seamlessly with the Your Apartment booking system, that could be both installed and uninstalled at the end of the lease, with no alterations to the door itself. dormakaba overcame stiff competition win the tender for the project, and impressed with its Exivo system, which included Digital Cylinders, a Wireless Hub, and Wireless Extenders. Requiring no cabling within the door, the Exivo Digital Cylinders are powered by a standard battery, and were incredibly easy to fit within minutes without specialist tools or drilling into the existing door required. Thanks to this speed of installation, it took a little over a week for every door to be retrofitted with this smart solution. The product is incredibly simple to use, with users able to access their accommodation using the simple Evolo Smart app, and wireless functionality making it possible for management to transfer access rights remotely. By integrating with the Your Apartment booking system, rights could also be granted automatically, saving on time and maintenance and ensuring security at all times. The Exivo system has impressed so much, that dormakaba has since been invited to provide solutions for the wider YourApartment portfolio. Daniel Robinson, Marketing Manager for YourApartment, said, “The dormakaba Exivo system matched our requirements perfectly, integrating seamlessly with our Mew PMS System for bookings and Revinate CRM system for email automation. The speed of installation and minimal disruption allowed us to open Clifton Village on schedule, with a completely contactless booking and check-in process. “YourApartment is looking to expand into all major UK cities in the next five years, and we want to ensure all of our guests experience the same seamless and convenient check-in experience, so we will work with dormakaba again to integrate wireless, smart systems for our accommodation across the country.” Daniel Robinson Marketing Manager YourApartment

A folly; an ornamental building with no practical purpose built in a large garden. Whilst aspects of this definition can be applied to describe Wolverton Hall Folly, it certainly contradicts the ‘practical purpose’ element with the most appealing of purposes. Wolverton Hall Folly is a retreat for contemplation, an office away from home, a place to entertain and somewhere to enjoy the views, sun and a good book. Can we therefore call this beautiful building a folly?

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....

Frontier Pitts achieves a WORLD FIRST with joint approval of IWA14 and LPCB LPS1175 Security Rating for the Terra Bi-folding Gate Frontier Pitts Ltd has become the first company to achieve the LPCB certification for an HVM Bi-folding Gate to both the international standard for vehicle resistance (IWA14) and forced entry protection (LPS1175). The Terra Bi-folding Gate is the first and only HVM product to be listed in the Red Book Live to both IWA14-1 and LPS1175.

End to end secure cycle parking with electronic accessWhilst the need for secure cycle parking near your home is widely recognised, destination cycle parking is often limited to a few Sheffield stands, out in the elements in a dimly lit area. Hardly inspiring for someone looking to leave their trusty steed / means of employment / pride and joy for a few hours.With local authorities looking to encourage walking and wheeling to city centres and high streets, public access to secure, weatherproof cycle parking is hugely effective in supporting uptake. But how to offer and manage such a service, where every location has its own individual quirks and issues?Introducing Trips, a short-term, secure cycle parking service, accessible through the Cyclehoop smartphone app.This new service can be applied to any securable unit – from an individual locker to a six space Bikehangar or a secure cycle hub – and allows the user to find, book and monitor their reservation in app.How it worksThe app is available to download for free from Google Play and the App Store. Customers set up their profile and use the map feature to find, select and navigate to their desired unit. On arrival, users can then start a booking and unlock the unit directly from their smartphone.The app momentarily disengages the locking mechanism using Bluetooth connectivity, enabling the user to turn the latch and open the unit. They can then secure their bike in their allocated space (shown in the app), close and lock the unit.Users can also monitor the cost of their booking within the app, with a countdown timer showing when a booking will move into the next price tier.Pricing can be set according to the requirements of a client, including limited free access.When retrieving their bike, users simply repeat the opening process using the app, unlock and remove their bike and end the booking. Their account is then charged accordingly.Users can add credit to their account and check previous bookings, all through the app.Glasgow city centre – a case studyEarlier this year, Cyclehoop won a tender to bring a secure, short term cycle parking solution to Glasgow city centre. Funded by the Sustrans ‘Places for Everyone‘ initiative, it forms part of Glasgow City Council’s Avenues Project.The project identified twenty locations around the city, with predicted high demand – near offices, shopping areas and social destinations. An initial phase of 12 Bikehangars was installed ahead of the UCI World Championships. With the event celebrating all things cycling, the UCI sponsored the first 12 units and they were decorated with the iconic rainbow jersey stripes.A second phase was installed in September bringing the full roster to 20 units (19 Bikehangars and one Cargo Bikehangar).Following a one-month trial, the service launched on September 28th, and has seen a healthy uptake with an average of 50 customers downloading the app each week.The benefits of going digitalWhilst Cyclehoop Trips offers destination cycle parking through the app, the technology can also be applied to residential cycle parking. ‘Cyclehoop Home’ is the second phase of the project which will integrate residential cycle parking subscription management, for a complete end-to-end cycle parking solution. This will offer a range of benefits for local authorities, housing associations and facilities managers:No key management – holding, distributing and processing key returns takes a large amount of time and space. No keys, no key management required!Remote access management – the ability to immediately grant and revoke access through the application management console streamlines the process and removes the impact of lost keys.Flexible terms – many Cyclehoop Rentals customers request shorter term contracts to match the duration of their stay at an address. Cyclehoop Home makes this possible.Self-service account management – automating some of the service will allow customers to manage their own accounts. This will require less support from a customer service team.Collecting usage data – understanding cyclist’s behavior is essential when planning new infrastructure. This app allows us to see popular destinations, the times that people are accessing units and once Trips and Home are integrated, will be able to show popular routes. This information would be invaluable to any council assessing future needs.What are the possibilities?Encouraging more people to cycle is essential to improving the country’s health, reducing the strain on existing infrastructure and reducing reliance on cars. By offering secure parking facilities at both ends of the cycle journey, a great many more people can choose cycling as their everyday mobility choice, safe in the knowledge that their bike will be there when they return.

Michael Laird Architects approached Planet Partitioning to provide high acoustic partitioning screens and doors, across all 4 floors of the scheme, with an extra 5th floor secured upon completion, as a result of the impressive works Planet provided.With audio being the Client’s line of work, the office space not only included meeting rooms, open plan office space and break out areas, but also ‘Jam’ rooms and recording studios. Stringent acoustic attenuation was therefore called for, with PURE100 double glazed partitioning screens and IsoPro doors being used throughout the office and meeting areas, and PURE100 single glazing used in the break out spaces. By using the PURE100 range throughout, the scheme ensured the head and base details remained uniform across all 4 floors.For the Jam rooms and recording studios, Planet recommended specialist PURE200 triple glazed screens, which can achieve staggering acoustics of 64dB Rw, ensuring workers wouldn’t be disturbed while staff ‘rock out’!ech panels were integrated to the partitioning screens surrounding the meeting rooms, as an easy way to book the rooms remotely and to notify staff of when the rooms are booked, and by whom.Planet designed a bespoke ‘zig-zag’ glazed partitioning screen to run along the front of a section of offices. The completed effect was quite striking and greatly received by the client and architect.

We’ve been a strategic partner with Willmott Dixon for several years now, ever since our Fire Door FoamTM was mandated on their ‘Yellow Book platform’.  The online manual exists to enable their staff and supply chain partners to use verified products on their projects. To meet their careful criteria we had to demonstrate the foam’s high-performance fire-stopping capabilities when installed between different substrates and timber fire doorsets.  As such a safety-critical component, we also had to provide its third-party test certification from Certifire, IFC and Warringtonfire to assure them of its credentials.Ryan Atkinson, Senior Strategic Buyer at Willmott Dixon comments“Fire and Acoustic Seals Fire Door FoamTM is now listed on our ‘Yellow Book platform’ – Willmott Dixon’s online guide to preferred materials, site installation and workmanship best practice. The foam went through our rigorous diligence checks to ensure it meets the set criteria required to become a specified product in the guide and to become a key component of the Willmott Dixon standard kit of parts. This product represented a rounded view of quality, cost and time which are some of the key factors we consider when selecting products for our ‘Brand Standard’.”Our Fire Door FoamTM has since been used on many Willmott Dixon projects across the UK. One of these is the high-profile Perry Barr Residential Scheme in Birmingham which will provide 1,400 much needed new homes in the city when complete.Ashley Devonport, Senior Quality Manager at Willmott Dixon comments“Fire and Acoustic Seals Fire Door FoamTM has been used to seal the gaps between the door and substrates on the apartments, risers, and communal areas on the prestigious Perry Barr Residential Scheme. This product is mandated on our Yellow Book platform and was selected for its excellent fire-proofing properties and independent test evidence. Julian and the team also provided excellent product training and speedy technical support when needed.”Contact the team for more information about Fire Door FoamTM. 0121 521 2179 | sales@fireandacousticseals.co.uk 

The Polar System is a virtually frameless system with impressive acoustic capabilities, it allows for a combination of contemporary aesthetics and elegance, without compromising on function. Komfort’s Polar system was specified and installed throughout One Angel Square, including all the meeting rooms. With the integration of such high-performance interior elements, this former derelict site has now been developed into an exemplar sustainable building. Beyond sustainability and wellbeing standards, the use of Komfort’s bespoke Polar System enabled technology to be seamlessly integrated into the design, with the use of a booking system wired through the doorframe.

Kresen Kernow is the state-of-the-art facility that houses the world’s largest collection of Cornish documents, books, maps, and photographs, dating from 1150 to the present day.The site provides a suite of public search rooms, conservation and preservation workshops, exhibition spaces, education rooms, and associated staff and volunteer facilities, while a new two storey extension provides archive storage in closely controlled environmental conditions, designed to BS5454 conservation standard.For the roof, the building’s designers wanted the closest match possible to Delabole – the indigenous Cornish slate that’s now extremely difficult to source.

EKU Porta Glass – specified as the all-glass sliding door system for the five-star Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi. The building is in the Guinness Book of World Records due to its 18 degrees plus incline. With its impressive design Capital Gate is home to Abu Dhabi’s premium business hotel – Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi, EKU Porta Glass promotes the aesthetic appeal of the hotel rooms and suites. Due to its completely concealed sliding system, EKU Porta Glass itself meets the highest demands in terms of design and technology and allows for a highly valuable and creative room division.

Farnborough International, a leading venue for aerospace and automotive events, sought to create a robust charging network for their visitors in time for the Fully Charged LIVE (FCL) South exhibition and future events. Working closely with the venue, Rolec EV provided nine bespoke-branded Quantum dual EV chargers, totaling 18 chargepoints across two car parks.Powered by Monta, these chargepoints allowed visitors to book charging in advance and introduced a Smart Queue feature to optimise charging availability. The initiative resulted in significant benefits, including revenue generation and enhanced visitor experience.Click "view more" to read the full case study.

Made-to-order, period-style timber windows and doors from Lomax + Wood have been specified by a leading London-based developer in the ambitious and challenging conversion of The Book House, once the offices of the Wandsworth District Board of Works, to 17 private apartments. 95 made-to-order wooden high performance windows and doors. Non-bar traditional box sash windows with cords and weights with semi-circular head flush casements. The property lies within the historic Wandsworth Town Conservation Area. Elegant wooden sash and casement windows from the Kensington & Chelsea range by Lomax + Wood have been manufactured and installed as part of this expansive upgrade

According to Jovan Nel, head of Style’s moveable wall service and repair division, the need to ensure that operable walls are in good working order has caused a surge in demand. “Businesses, hotels, education facilities, local authority venues, community centres and healthcare trusts have all been booking our technicians to carry out routine servicing and inspections while lockdown restrictions eased,” said Jovan. Style has a nationwide team of fully trained engineers who are fully accredited to service and repair all makes of moveable wall, even if Style didn’t install it, from fully automatic systems to simple folding partitions.”

The Award winning Erwlon Caravan and Camping Park in Llandovery, Southwest Wales is a family run park with a large range of facilities open all year round. It is an ideal base for touring, exploring, walking, mountain biking or cycling on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park and the Cambrian Mountains. Erwlon Caravan Park contacted Frontier Pitts to upgrade their site entry and exit access control to an Automatic Rising Bollard system.The 600mm lift height stainless steel bollard was installed complete with safety photocells, safety vehicle detector loops and dual direction LED traffic light system. The bollard was connected to ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) which is linked back to a popular booking system for Holiday and Caravan Parks called ‘Anytime’. The complete system allowed visitors to book their holiday online and allows authorised visitor vehicles to gain access to the park during their stay, even allowing entry in the middle of the night when reception is closed. On the last day of the stay the system automatically deactivates the vehicle registration number after a predetermined time. Easter Holidays are known to be one of the busiest times of a Caravan and Holiday Parks year, and Erwlon Caravan Park were very pleased with the system. Frontier Pitts manufacture a range of made to order perimeter security barriers, bollards, and gates. We have installed equipment at many sites nationwide and have a network of Technical Consultants that will visit any site in the UK to provide you with a full proposal and quotation. We also provide a range of maintenance contracts and response times to suit your sites individual requirements.

Radii’s elegant double glazed Parallel 50 (45dB RW) and Parallel 100 (50dB RW) partitions with single glazed pivoting doors was used for Marsh McLennan’s office fronts, meeting rooms and larger ‘project rooms’ along with retro-fit room booking and aluminium faced tech units.Parallel 100 was also utilised with pocket sliding doors for the Level 6 conference rooms, while 4490mm high Parallel 100 extended screens were installed to the East Thames Room on Level 6 and conference rooms. This required structural steel work to support both the weight of the glass above the transom and the hanging weight of a folding wall below by others. Linear 59 (39dB Rw) with bi-parting sliding doors was used on small meeting hubs on Level 6.

The Remember Me memorial portico at St Paul’s Cathedral is a physical memorial to all those that died as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Entered via the cathedral’s North Transept entrance it is home to the online book of remembrance. Designed by Caroe Architecture with Connolly Wellingham, the portico is a beautiful, elliptical structure crafted in the UK and featuring several GEZE doors.As a visitor enters the cathedral from the North Transept they pass through a pair of swing doors powered by GEZE Powerturn automatic swing door operators. These doors take the visitor into the memorial and were chosen as they can open large or heavy doors and offer the flexibility of allowing the doors to be used both manually and automatically due to GEZE’s Smart swing function.Above the doors, etched in to the structure in gold are the words ‘ Remembering all who died as a result of the coronavirus pandemic’. Once inside the portico, visitors can view the online Remember Me memorial, search for and view the tribute to their loved one, light a candle and take a moment to pause and reflect in this tranquil space. The online book is open to all people, whatever their faith or none. From the memorial portico the main entrance into the cathedral is through GEZE’s TSA 325 NT, a manual revolving door with 4 leaves. The revolving door was chosen as it minimises air flow into the cathedral as only one quadrant is open at a time. To ensure access for all a GEZE Slimdrive SCR curved automatic sliding doors was installed opposite the revolving door enabling those who are less able, or people with children in buggies, can still visit the memorial and access the cathedral. The Slimdrive SCR is controlled by wave sensors to ensure the doors only open when requested. This is part of the portico’s design to minimise air flow.Across all the glass in the doors are beautiful phrases such as ‘we will always remember’ and ‘never forget’. The Remember Me memorial portico is a poignant tribute to those who died as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and is the most significant change to St Paul’s Cathedral in 300 years. Following the public response to the online memorial, and in partnership with the Daily Mail, over £2million was raised to give the Remember Me memorial a physical home within the Cathedral. Said GEZE’s National Specification Manager, Richard Richardson-Derry: ‘We were honoured to play a part in the construction of the Remember Me memorial. The combined challenges of minimising air flow, ensuring equal access and creating a beautiful structure to recognise those lives lost has been successfully achieved’.

Project DetailProject: Motel One – ManchesterLocation: Manchester Piccadilly, UKProduct: TS.9000 range of architectural closers for main reception and TS.3000 range of contract closers for apartmentsProject Description“Manchester has got everything except a beach,” said Ian Brown, lead singer of The Stone Roses. The city in the northwest of England is known as a party and music capital. Bands such as Oasis, The Smiths or The Chemical Brothers have their roots here. However, if you want to experience all the different aspects of this diverse city it would be best if you booked a longer stay at your cheap and centrally located Motel One Design Hotel in Manchester.Brand new and built in a very tight but friendly spot the Motel came as no surprise requiring a couple of door closers for its Hotel and resting overnight stay accommodation. The TS 9205 were chosen for heavily used entrance area and the TS 3204 were chosen for their bedroom doors because:They are supported by an established companyHave excellent right up and guaranteesVery easy and fast to fit and adjust making them the perfect answer for the contractor and door manufacturer.

Described as Dorchester’s most iconic building, the Brewery – once the source of the much-quaffed Eldridge Pope ales – has been transformed into a high-end residential setting with Crittall windows playing a central role in retaining the heritage aesthetic of this historic structure.For nearly a century and a half the building, with its tall chimney, towered above the Dorset town as a symbol of local industry and prosperity. Designed by architect WR Crickmay, the brick building was completed in 1880.  At a staggering 13% the brewery’s Thomas Hardy Ale once featured in the Guinness Book of Records as the strongest commercially brewed beer in the country.The brewery eventually closed in 2003 and the site remained unused until, in 2007, planning permission was granted for a new public square overlooked by the impressive building, restored to its former glory containing 29 one, two and three-bedroom apartments.LMA Architecture of Bournemouth has retained many of the unique features of the original building including riveted steel beams, cast iron columns and exposed brickwork.Crittall W20 steel windows and doors were a natural choice, glazed in small panes to replicate the original configuration of the tall brewery windows.

Vauxhall has been at the forefront of major regeneration and over recent years the area has been enhanced with new homes, improved pedestrian and cycle routes, and upgraded green spaces. Vauxhall One (BID), an organisation run by local businesses, planned to further improve the overall quality of the area by focusing on key areas - creating safer, greener and cleaner conditions for the community.Goding Street, located close to Vauxhall’s train, bus and underground station had become an area of vacant, underutilized public space. Vauxhall One wanted to rejuvenate the place with art, colour and urban greening and through a competition - ‘Art in the Arches’ - the railway arches were transformed into a vibrant outdoor art gallery.RailRoad seating and integrated planters were used to extend the adjacent pavement into a parklet solution. All metalwork was powder coated green to match with the vibrancy of the surrounding art, and central tablet rests were added to provide a flat surface for coffee cups, laptops or books. Large bespoke free standing planters were also supplied and powder coated in bright colours. All planters were filled with flowers and foliage, transforming the once unloved space into a social space of vibrancy for members of the public to enjoy.

Latvijas Finieris is increasing its production volumes of lignin-based green glue Riga ECOlogical, and the new product is gaining popularity among architects and interior designers. The design bureau br.ook interior architecture, in one of their latest projects – library of Andrejs Upīts Secondary School Skrīveri, Latvia – chose to use Riga Ply and Riga ECOlogical for their interior solutions. Interior architect Baiba Rūķe, br.ook interior architecture, comments: “The initial idea was to create a multifunctional space, yet we wanted the environment to be clean and natural for creative activities. The birch plywood is good material due to its durability and vast application options. It is also our local product. As interior architects, we pay a great deal of attention to materials that we use in our projects and we look for solutions that focus on air quality. It was interesting to use this material, which is natural and has a focus on sustainability.”The library is special, not only because of the high-quality materials used in the renovation process, but also due to its functionality. The idea of the project was to transform the library into a meeting place where one can get familiar with the latest books, do homework in a pleasant and quiet environment, as well as organise other educational activities for children and the youth.

Closomat has supplied and installed state-of-the-art Changing Places for JD Wetherspoon in multiple locations across the UK. The national pub brand was the first to lead the way in accessibility and inclusion by providing these life-changing toilets for its patrons, engaging Closomat for installation and regular maintenance.The high-quality equipment included in these facilities, enables disabled customers with complex needs to access the toilet safely and with dignity, opening up the option of visiting venues for food and drink that could otherwise be unavailable to them.Under updated building regulations in England, as of January 2021, it is compulsory for any new building used for assembly, recreation or entertainment, including pubs, bars and restaurants, with a capacity of 350 people or more, to include at least one Changing Places toilet. It is also a requirement for existing businesses to install a Changing Places facility if undergoing substantial refurbishment.Changing Places by Closomat can be found at the following:The Booking Office, EdinburghCaptain Ridley’s Shooting Party, BletchleyThe Iron Duke, WellingtonThe Lifeboat, FormbyThe Mossy Well, Muswell HillThe Pilgrim’s Progress, BedfordThe Prior John, BridlingtonRoyal Victoria Pavilion, RamsgateSandford House, Huntingdon, The Troll Cart, Great YarmouthThe Velvet Coaster, Blackpool

Project DetailProject: The Library of BirminghamLocation: Birmingham, UKProduct: TS.9205 DABC High usage architectural door closerProject DescriptionThe Library of Birmingham was prime location to enhance the centre stage of Centenary Square on Broad Street. Surrounded by some modern and some authentic buildings they designed and built a building to remember, a building with purpose and need with over one million books, a building that provides a resting and learning ground for all ages and all walks of life.The library reverbs with space for all and endless supply of modern and old, lighting and architecture that is out of this world and a variety of door sizes tall and small that comes as a challenge for any manufacturer.  A Rutland architectural slide arm door closer of well proved engineering was used to bring the building together, ease the door action and blend into the surrounds. The TS 9205 door closer with its varying power and high efficiency catches the moment in its Satin finish. The TS 9205 architectural door closer was chosen for the new building fit out with in the many and vast places of the centre because of:High efficiency and ease of operation which matched the varying ages of the persons using the centreVariable power size to help ease the speed of fitting and adjusting.35 year guaranteeMatching the aesthetic finish and design for the modern building.

Known as the leading financial centre in the UK and its cluster of high-rise buildings, it’s a great place to be away from the hustle and bustle but still be connected with London.The fairly low rise building is home to 174 apartments ranging from studios to penthouses, most of which come with a balcony or 2. An expansive terrace covers the roof which offers outdoor heaters, a BBQ, seating and table tennis. Other social amenities include a self service bar and private dining room available for events on the ground floor, and a screening room with a large TV giving access to Sky and BT sports, a games console, and comfy seating.At 8 Water Street, residents will feel truly connected with nature, with a private landscaped garden overlooking the south dock. Perks of residing here include free access to the Third Space health club, gym, and spa, 24/7 concierge, an app to plan and book private events or join community clubs, fully furnished apartments including 50inch TV and TV licences.We supplied a range of interior doorsets to them including concealed frame doors, concealed riser doors, and concealed sliding pocket doors. These were chosen to match with the subtle luxurious design throughout the interior with smart, classy statement pieces dotted around.A rather nice residence all round!

ASF were approached with a very much open book brief to offer a solution for a church square in Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire. The area needed a wall top parapet, some glass balustrade, seating and tree grilles.ASF specified a wall top quayside post and rail, but using materials that offered the minimum interference with the view for people using the square whilst still meeting the needs of building regulations and parapet requirements. Uprights were from thinner, laser profiled materials with no T piece to make them as unobtrusive as possible and the rails were intermediately staggered with tension cables for the same reasons. Once installed the whole post and rail system was fully welded together on site to increase rigidity and strength. The job was then fully polished to offer a sublime finish quality.A small area of glass balustrade was installed at one end of the square where ground levels dropped away. A seat was paced in this area to allow people to sit and observe the river and wildlife through the glass.ASF 6012 seats were used all around the site offering seating for up to 36 people at one time.ASF 100% recycled cast iron tree grilles were also installed, and finished in a simple clear lacquer which maintains the gunmetal look of a new casting with just slight areas of oxidisation that are used as a feature of the finish.

To achieve the high-performance requirements, specialist contractor Allied Ireland, developed a solution and provided a range of Komfort’s new partitioning and door systems which offer market-leading acoustics.Komfort’s Polar 100 double glazed partitioning system achieved acoustic ratings of up to 51dB (Rw) and was installed across the meeting rooms to ensure privacy. This frameless glazed system with its bubble joints and minimal framing creates a high-end aesthetic that maximises natural light.This system was complemented by Komfort’s acoustic Sonik doors, which also achieves a high acoustic rating of up to 40dB (Rw). The striking black aluminium framing of the doors creates an intriguing and contemporary contrast to the white surroundings. The curved walls also add another dimension of interest to the design to help soften the surrounding space.In today’s increasingly demanding workplace, privacy is essential for a host of reasons. This, coupled with intelligent technology being an integral component of any leading commercial space, Komfort’s partitioning systems were made compatible with room booking systems for enhanced user experience and Komfort’s SwitchGlass.Allied designs using Komfort’s SwitchGlass technology removed the need for blinds. The glass turns from opaque to transparent at the flick of a switch, allowing for instantaneous privacy. This is an efficient, space-saving and innovative way to add privacy to any meeting room.

Radii designed, manufactured and installed solutions for 71 offices and meeting rooms across Baker Botts’ new 27,000 sq ft space.The standout contribution to this project was the installation of stunning curved glazed screens for the executive meeting rooms. Using a Parallel 50 double glazed system with angled façade abutments, the luxurious design was accompanied with acoustic blank 64mm veneered timber doors, achieving 40dB Rw, and flush bonded Align glazed pivoting doors.Baker Botts’ office fronts comprised of Linear 59 single glazed partitions with adjoining Radii Glide sliding doors and bespoke drywall endcaps. Concealed deflection heads helped to create a flush look with clean lines, while a special bronze finish — applied to the metalwork at Radii’s dedicated in-house powder coating line — complemented the colour palette throughout the space.For small-to-medium size meeting rooms Linear 30 and Linear 64 single glazing, both offering 41dB Rw, were used alongside Parallel 50  fins, Glide glazed sliding doors and Align pivoting doors. All meeting rooms for Baker Botts were installed with retro-fit room booking, facilitated with cable routes provided down the door legs.Finally, Linear 25 single glazed partitioning was placed alongside single glazed Hogan door sets with access controls in Baker Botts’ lift lobby.

Opened on 3rd of September 2013, the Library of Birminghamoffers world class facilities and resources to transform livesthrough learning, knowledge and culture, providing an excitingand inspiring visitor experience for all.Designed by Dutch architects Mecanoo, the £186m building,was a key part of Birmingham’s “big city” regeneration plan.The new building is situated in the cultural heart of the city,comprising of performance spaces, rooftop terraces and alarge glass-topped central book rotunda that rises throughthe middle of the building, echoing the traditional great roundreading room of the British Museum. It shares an entranceway and performance studio with the neighbouring RepertoryTheatre, whilst the Symphony Hall and the National IndoorArena are situated nearby.The intricate steel lattice work that covers the outside ofthe building represents both the city’s industrial past andits heritage in jewellery making. It reflects and dissects thedaylight to create ever-changing shadows on the library’s wallsand floors. The golden rotunda at the top of the building sitsthe Shakespeare memorial room, housing the original carvedwood panels from the memorial room at the city’s demolishedVictorian Library.Allgood supplied a full Alite package that included doorfurniture, signage and mechanical door hardware, whileAllgood Trio supplied electronic locks and key switches. Dueto the specific requirements of the design of some of thedoors, Allgood had to supply bespoke products to match thespecification of the project.On 17 July 2014 the Library of Birmingham was nominated asone of the six short-listed buildings for the 2014 Stirling Prize,awarded for excellence in architecture

The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) is a group of industry-led manufacturing R&D, innovation and skills facilities supported by a network of Partners across Scotland, all working together to transform the future of manufacturing and provide an innovative and multi-use hub that brings together Scotland’s brightest minds in industry, academia and the public sector.The design of the space focuses on collaboration, with a variety of private spaces specified to create areas for focused work and larger group meetings in turn.Planet, working through our northern contracting team, joined the project to provide our expertise in the design, manufacture and installation of a number of our glass partition screens and door solutions to meet the interior design by architects HLM.The standout contribution to this project was the use of Planet’s PURE20XL (38dB Rw) extended screens to produce glass meeting pods, expertly cantilevered to produce an eye-catching ‘floating’ effect. Access to the pods was provided by Planet’s high acoustic performance IsoPro glazed pivoting doors (42dB Rw). Our popular single-glazed PURE20 (38dB Rw) and double-glazed PURE100 (54dB Rw) frameless partitions were utilised for the fronts for many of the meeting rooms and laboratories — along with tech panels to house integrated room booking systems — while some extended PURE100XL screens was placed on the void edge of the digital seminar rooms.Finally, structural atrium glazing facilitated the passage of natural light deep into the internal space — perfect for the inspirational innovative environment NMIS aims to provide to its users.