"concrete blocks"

The newest stadium in London, at a capacity of 17,250, Brentford Community Stadium is the joint home of Brentford FC and London Irish. Many years in the making, the stadium forms the centrepiece of a mixed-use masterplan, offering residential accommodation and regenerative opportunities.Four stands bound by a triangular form – AFL’s distinctive design has been influenced by a uniquely shaped site. The 17,250 capacity stadium is surrounded on all sides by the M4 and two railway lines. Even with these restrictions, the bowl maximises seat capacity with exceptional views, creates a strong foundation for adjacent residential developments, and leaves room for future expansion.Environmental factors were a primary concern throughout the planning and construction process. The amount of reinforced concrete used in construction was halved when compared with the original scheme. Arup’s structural engineers also reduced the amount of primary steel by a third, further cutting embodied carbon and costs. Energy, noise and emissions levels are all well within the London planning framework requirements and the stadium has achieved a BREEAM Very Good sustainability rating.In order to meet planning requirements, a lightweight external envelope had to match the aesthetic appearance of concrete, requiring a mixture of soft varying tones and textures. A highly durable and resistant finish was also needed to suit panels installed at low level and in the pedestrianized areas around the perimeter of the building.Development work with the architect resulted in the selection of a superdurable powder coating applied to the VariAL-TF panels, designed to imitate the appearance of concrete panels and offering additional protection to the facade panels, which benefit from superior colour stability and gloss retention, even in harsh environments.The panels were pre-routered on the rear, enabling flexibility in achieving tolerances of the complex angles on site. This enabled the installers to adjust individual panels as required on site.

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.

Gerrard House and Hatfield Close, London are three high-rise blocks owned and managed by Lewisham Homes. In late 2017, work began with main contractors United Living, specialist housing consultancy Michael Dyson Associates and consultants 4i Solutions to urgently remove the existing cladding. Once the final panel was removed in December 2017, work commenced to install the A1 fire-rated Argeton terracotta cladding, supplied by Taylor Maxwell and installed by Novo Facades.

Castlemead is a social housing block in the London Borough of Southwark, located in the busy Camberwell Road area. The vacant building was undergoing an internal refurbishment project, delivered by fit out specialist, Paragon, and as part of these works the main contractor brought in roofing specialist, Hambro Roofing, to carry out some repairs to the existing felt roof. It quickly became apparent that the existing roof surface had reached the end of its service life and actually required a full refurbishment.

20,000 sq ft of brand new ‘BREEAM® Excellent’ Class A office space in Union Street, London, offers the character and qualities of Bankside’s industrial past, whilst offering a beautiful environment for modern office life. Open plan interiors featuring exposed concrete soffit and walls, full height ‘factory style’ windows, Maple timber Bathgate raised floor panels, and ‘acoustic’ decorative timber.

With London’s new ‘Elizabeth Line’ open, Farringdon had been designed to create accessible, safe and comfortable spaces that people can move through easily and efficiently - with sound absorbing insulation playing a key role in minimising station noise for passengers and staff.The solution was the installation of ROCKWOOL RW3 Slabs 75mm thick incorporated in the perforated glass fibre and reinforced concrete tunnel linings of the platform and access areas.

This "Mall", the largest in Kuwait, was thought of as a work of art, everything is cared for, and so are the ceilings. If you do not pay attention to details you might think it's concrete, but no, it's indeed Barrisol stretch ceilings that cover most of the center. Barrisol membranes offers as always a lot of advantages: The work time has been reduced The weight of the structure has been lowered Aesthetics is neat A feat only possible thanks to Barrisol.

Granite-look Paving was required for a large city-centre public realm scheme. Braemar, Tobermore’s premium concrete paving with the aesthetic appeal of natural granite provided the perfect solution.The £20m+ public realm regeneration has transformed Leeds City Centre into a World-Class Gateway to the city for bus users, pedestrians and cyclists. The contractor was delighted that Braemar was readily available in large quantities and short lead times.

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.  

On the site of a former ambulance station, this project is situated in Castle Park, the largest urban green space in Bristol. It provided 375 new homes, through a mixture of Build-to-Rent and affordable dwellings.OverviewThe £90million Castle Park View is an exciting, award winning (Best Residential Development - Bristol Property Awards) and attractive new-build residential scheme, designed by Architect Chapman Taylor and built by Bouygues UK.This project included the regeneration of a brownfield site owned by Bristol City Council and Homes England in a prime location on the south-eastern corner of Castle Park. The development includes communal facilities, amenity space, and car parking, together with vehicular access, servicing arrangements, public realm works and landscaping. Now completed, this has set the benchmark for high rise development within the Bristol skyline, topping out at 26 storeys.Systems and productsThe client’s requirements called for a robust, extensive and holistic waterproofing system guarantee. Through Axter's vast system and product portfolio, the selection was made for a combination of Hyranger® and Cityflor® reinforced bituminous waterproofing systems, with allowance for cold applied liquid detailing where complex penetrations and compliance with NFRC Safe 2 Torch requirements were present. In such instances, Axter's Starcoat® PMMA and Starcoat® R cold applied bituminous PU liquids were used.In accordance with BS 6229:2018 section 4.4 Roof falls to achieve drainage, the concrete structure proved too complex for falls to be created with the traditional method. As such, a series of complex tapered insulation designs were completed to meet the requirements - both thermally, and to ensure a minimum of 1:80 finished falls were achieved.ComplexityGiven the regeneration of the brownfield site, it was critical to everyone involved that none of the wildlife and vegetation previously found at the site was lost. The implementation of Axter’s bespoke, bio-diverse brown roof with seeded mix was required to enhance the built environment and provide a habitat for the native species of wildlife and flora.To create the high-rise elements and visual representation of traditional castle turrets, albeit in modern form, the cladding panel detail required a bespoke castellation bracket fixed through the main roof structure of Block C. It was necessary for this to be accessed at various times during the build process. This required a complex sequence of works and the use of a cold applied liquid system.This project, like many across the UK, was hit by the outbreak of COVID-19. Extensive delays to the build programme were a challenge, plus complexities within the market through shortage of labour, transport and raw materials. Both Axter and NRA Roofing & Flooring Services Ltd worked tirelessly with the key stakeholders, such as Bouygues, to ensure timely supply and delivery of all materials was made through additional storage capacity, off site storage, negotiation and rigorous project planning. This involved collaborative open dialogue, regular workshops and project reviews.Due to the site’s location, the infrastructure and layout of roads meant that all deliveries were required to be on a strict timed system including all allowances for offloading and lifting within a tight time period. This required meticulous planning and allowances with very little margin for error or delay. In a time where COVID guidelines restricted contact to a minimum of two metres, it was incredible to see all parties work so well together to ensure these windows of time were met.Project managementAlthough all roofs were finished with a traditional three-layer bituminous membrane finish - including a tapered cut to falls insulation scheme - the project comprised a variety of roofing finishes including brown bio-diverse roofs, decorative paving and solar panel installations.Daily logistics meetings were held with all parties to co-ordinate and plan the most efficient way of undertaking each phase of the works, thus maintaining safety and efficiency at all times throughout the project.The roofing scheme was successfully delivered and handed over in April 2022 which was within the very tight programme deadlines, despite the delays and complications provided by the pandemic which inevitably led to a significant number of complications.NRA Roofing & Flooring Services Ltd were able to successfully deliver the installation of the complex amenity area to one of the roofs which included a significant area of decorative large profile ceramic tiling on pedestals, as well as an outdoor cooking area, planters and green roof areas to the tops of sheltered seating spaces.At handover, Bouygues expressed their sincere gratitude to NRA Roofing & Flooring Services Ltd in being able to deliver this highly complex, multi-faceted city centre project successfully in terms of safety, on time and within the agreed contract budget.Systems in UseHyranger®Cityflor®Starcoat® PMMAStarcoat® RknowledgmentsWe have been working closely with Axter for a number of years across our regions, during which time they have become a vital part of the supply chain, from early stage design and costing to the successful delivery of robust, guaranteed waterproofing systems.With a vast product portfolio, BYUK are confident that the build requirements and production timescales will always be met. With programme being such a critical element of the build, this reassurance is welcomed by the wider team.– Joseph Southwick, Package Manager - Envelope Bouygues UK

Buildable"Glass Fibre Concrete (GRC) was identified early on as the ideal material for the project to achieve the desired civic aesthetic but also to avoid adding significant stress to the existing structure." - Nat Keast, Associate, Wilkinson-Eyre.DesignableThe project is an AJ Retrofit Higher Education & Campus Award 2023.The lightweight, three-dimensional GRC cladding panels featuring a stylisation of LSBU’s “sail” emblem give the building a welcoming, civic quality."We worked closely with subcontractor Tellings during the design phase to develop the three-dimensional panels, as well as vertical slats and horizontal bands. Alongside the 100% white bromo brick with white grout used for the existing concrete stair cores and shear walls, GRC helped change the perception of the building."We had to fight hard to keep the GRC through various value engineering exercises, but the university supported us and was able to appreciate the impact of the new facade." - Nat Keast, Associate, Wilkinson-Eyre.SustainableThe building has received a very good BREEAM rating and by retaining the existing structure, total embodied carbon is half of the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge target benchmark.

A newly built student accommodation block in Liverpool features an attractive, colourful external finish, thanks to Cembrit’s Cembonit cladding boards.Plato House is a purpose built student development comprising 86 spacious student rooms complete with a kitchen, en-suite bathrooms and high speed Wi-Fi throughout. Supplied via Vivalda of Manchester, Pemberton-based cladding contractor, Bak Cladding Solutions installed approximately 1000m2 of Cembonit cladding in a combination of Tufa, Pearl and Sand colours.

Larc is a luxurious mansion set on a 495 sqm block within the prestigous area of Hamilton Hill in Australia’s Queensland. We were pleased to have Joe Adsett specify our Click-on Battens across the facade of the home, in a beautiful chocolate oak Wood Finish.Complete with six-bedrooms, six-bathrooms, five car spaces, a gym and expansive wine cellar, the stunning home has been designed by renowned Brisbane architect, Joe Adsett and built by GRAYA™.

Phase 1b is a partnership between the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and Swan Housing Association. Station Square (Phase 1b) delivered 242 new homes built in three blocks – two at 10 storeys and one of 24 storeys, together with commercial space at ground floor level. The development created a link between the Station and the wider Blackwall Reach masterplan to the North. This phase also includes significant public realm improvements with the creation of a new square around Blackwall DLR station.

The former Royal Military Academy overlooking Woolwich Common finds a new place in history with its stunning restoration, featuring Kingspan OPTIM-R Flooring System. The vacuum insulation panel system was chosen to most of the available space. The original beam and block flooring limited the ability to dig down, so installing the Kingspan OPTIM-R Flooring System in a 30mm thickness allowed for the maintenance of the existing threshold levels whilst also achieving excellent thermal performance.

Creating a charming garden space was the main goal for this homeowner.AG’s latest range of premium block paving with a smooth finish, Tri Stone paving was the ideal match with the close-jointed, straight edges delivering a sleek, modern look with warm colour tones.Additionally, the paving added the extra benefit of being designed to need less maintenance and help prevent moss and weed growth, Tri Stone is both beautiful and practical. Kamden double-sided walling surrounded the paving to complete the garden

Creating a charming garden space was the main goal for this homeowner.AG’s latest range of premium block paving with a smooth finish, Tri Stone paving was the ideal match with the close-jointed, straight edges delivering a sleek, modern look with warm colour tones.Additionally, the paving added the extra benefit of being designed to need less maintenance and help prevent moss and weed growth, Tri Stone is both beautiful and practical. Kamden double-sided walling surrounded the paving to complete the garden.

A thick tile floor covering meant a reduced floor section buildup, plus reduced construction joints to aid tiling. Ground floor 45mm Gyvlon ECO over 90mm insulation on a beam and block substrate First Floor 45mm Gyvlon ECO on a precast plank substrate. Gyvlon was used to reduce the floor build on both floors plus reducing the need for construction joints. This gave the client more flexibility on the thick floor coverings and eased installation with reduced construction joints.

Majunga Tower is a reinvention of an office block. The facades are articulated thanks to 3 bands, over 39 storeys reaching 195 meters high. This singular building has a double-skin envelop. It is made out of glass and aluminum, to allow natural light into the offices while keeping the views and a visual connection to its context. Our motorized BSO with C50 blades are integrated into this facade for complete adaptability of light and shades throughout the day. This efficient system cut lighting and air-conditioning energy consumption.

The National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, is a hospital rehabilitation treatment for patients who have a physical or cognitive disability due to illness or injury. The new 17,000msq development at the hospital included a fit for purpose ward accommodation block comprising 120 single ensuite isolation rooms with integrated therapy spaces, a new sports hall, hydrotherapy unit, links to the existing building which will ensure full integration between the new development and the existing hospital on the site, and significant campus infrastructure upgrades.

In 2010, Protech where approached by The Clegg Group for a renovation project of an eight storey 1930’s building.Originally known as Shaftesbury House, the building was opened in 1938 to house migrant workers in Leeds that had previously been living in appalling conditions. The development had deteriorated and was eventually closed and boarded up in 1998. As part of a regeneration programme of the area, Leeds City Council co ordinated the redevelopment of the site into what is now known as Greenhouse, a mixed-use block of eco-flats.  

This project, to coat approximately 2000 sq metres of asbestos roof with the BBA Approved Asbestsoeal system is a lesson for all in correct health and safety. Liquasil provides all approved installers with H&S training as standard. This deals with correct use of netting, scaffold, walkways, work platforms and waste water filtration from asbestos roof cleaning. Having already completed 500sq metres on a unit a year previously, the contractor was invited back to complete the rest of the block, which is the best possible endorsement.

The Bath Spa University development is an attractive courtyard design with individual houses for up to 10 students where 561 will be housed in these new residential units amidst the beautiful countryside. The objective of the scheme was to deliver with minimal disruption to the student's experience on a tight schedule maximising the use of the summer holiday period to suit delivering the programme deadline. Phase 2 of the Bath Spa University development consists of over eight blocks, each utilising an application of external wall insulation covering 4,800m2with a value of £665.000.

The customer wanted to find a new tile that had a similar aesthetic look to the original clay tiles but also needed to ensure an economical overall installation cost. James Bros Roofing Contractors, who specialise in the re-roofing of domestic properties using natural slate, clay plain tiles or more modern concrete tiles, selected Wienerberger's 20/20 Antique Slate roof tiles to achieve this brief perfectly.

Sika supplied a single-source warranty as part of a dual waterproof solution for a large, privately-built concrete basement to guarantee its long-term protection against the perils of damp and water ingress.The 153m2 basement was part of a new build house in Harpenden, Hertfordshire. A toilet, cinema room, games room and a plantroom are earmarked for the below-ground structure; therefore its long-term resistance to water ingress was paramount.

The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester is a 2400 seat concert hall constructed in close proximity to the cities Metrolink tramway. Ground-borne vibration caused by passing trams was highlighted by Arup as going to cause unwanted structural noise within the performance space. To avoid this the building was constructed off 280 number GERB pre-stressable coil spring bearing assemblies positioned on the concrete column heads and tuned with a vertical natural frequency of 3.5Hz.

The Hepworth Gallery required access to their low pitched roofs to facilitate safe working at height when carrying out external glazing cleaning and general maintenance. The concrete design of the building resulted in a thin roof construction, so The Gallery needed to ensure that any systems installed were fit-for-purpose, fully tested and compatible. With such a prestigious and architecturally prominent building, it was imperative that the chosen system also suited the design of the building.

Housing corporation De Veste is always looking for the perfect home for their customers. In doing so, one of their main focuses is on the sustainability of homes and also creating awareness in the field of energy consumption, therefore the look and feel of their office mus also radiate this vision. That is why they have opted for sustainable Marmoleum Concrete throughout their canteen, lounge and offices. Using it alongside Flotex Vision Floral ensures the homely feeling of the housing co operation.

Specialist lighting design company PSL, were looking for something a little different for their trendy new Bermondsey showroom. Designers, James Plumb obliged with a beautifully crafted and truly unique design that involved much concrete and some special stainless steel kitchen units from GEC Anderson.Drawer cabinets, base cabinets and appliance doors were supplied and installed by GEC Anderson, following the development of the detailed designs.

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

We have overcome the challenge of installing low channels in an existing reinforced slab at the southern entrance to the French station.We have supplied mini range polymer concrete shallow drainage channels. This range is specially designed for areas with height limitation and load classes up to C250. Since this specific case involved a pedestrian tunnel, channels with heel-proof grates that comply with PMR regulations for people with reduced mobility were installed.

A scheme designed by the award-winning Architects Guy Hollaway, The Urban Sports Park in Folkestone includes the world’s first multi-storey skatepark. The state-of-the-art facility is set on four levels and includes a skating area, climbing wall, new boxing club and café. Cordek were requested to design and supply a bespoke formwork solution to aid the construction of the integral, reinforced concrete slab soffit for the large skating bowls on the first floor.

Armourcoat’s modular panel system ArmourFX has been specified to stunning effect at the new G-Shock store on London’s Carnaby Street by Double Retail. The new flagshop concept store was designed to physically interpret the core values of the brand and clearly segment G-Shock’s extensive product range.Through the careful use of lighting and materials, such as slate flooring, hot rolled steel surfaces and concrete wall panels from ArmourFX,the environment is an embodiment of G-Shock toughness.The store has elevated this premium offering and created a versatile future-proof space adaptable for specific collections and product launches.ArmourFX concrete effect panels are ideal for a deconstructed urban look for contemporary projects. The panels offer a wealth of design options to achieve a distinctive industrial style including distressed effects or recessed ‘shutter’ markings. Off-site construction is fast becoming the method of choice for both contractors and their clients with projects under tight deadlines for completion, or where it is impractical to work with ‘wet’ plastering trades on site. ArmourFX modular solutions can be highly customized to suit the client, sent directly to site and installed in a few hours. Photography: © Max McClure

Gregg’s has an eye-catching livery with its logo of large white lettering, four orange coloured blocks and the sky blue background The façade was updated with 2mm aluminium cassette panelling coated in Evolution ‘Peat Fire’. This shade is similar to Corten but there is no run-off or staining of surrounding material. The panelling has feature perforations which create an interesting effect, enhanced by the consistent inconsistency of the weathered steel appearance of the coating. The façade will look smart for years with a guarantee of up to 25 years for gloss, colour and adhesion.

In July 2021, construction began on 242 new homes on land to the east of Coldean Lane, Brighton, bringing new affordable options to the area.A mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom flats in six blocks of five to seven storeys were detailed as part of the plans and made best use of the sloping 3.3-hectare site in which the development was to be situated.PMC Construction were contracted to undertake the works and through the project’s architects, HGP Architects, Sika was called upon to provide a waterproofing solution for the flats.

Stack London were awarded the contract to provide 26 residential units in a 5 floor block of apartments which consisted of a variety of different sized dwellings ranging from two to five bedrooms and included wheelchair specific access for two of the apartments.An area of approximately of 1,300 sq metres of acoustic flooring was required. The system chosen was a Soundis bespoke flooring system which consisted of Soundis Dry Screed Panels at 20mm, Latex Screed, 25mm EPS, 5mm Rubber Matting and Flanking Roll.