"concrete blocks"

The Shield is a £18.4m development located on the east side of Newcastle city centre - a regeneration area previously occupied by light industrial buildings, a brick-build office and a warehouse. Comprising of three blocks of student accomodation extending seven storeys at Stoddard Street to the east, this scheme steps down to four storeys at Clarence Street to the west.This building features a refined palette of materials including brick, aluminium and bronze coloured cladding in a range of natural colours to animate the facade. Visible aluminium frame windows punctuate the mass of three blocks and provide a significant aesthetic impact. Installed in a vertical configuration to contrast with the cladding's horizontal lines, side-hung, open-out windows were mostly used with some top-hung, open-out vents - all fitted with exclusive TECHNAL hardware including locking handles and releasable restrictors. Visible Grid Curtain walling is also utilised in this project for its durability and design flexibility. Featured to enhance daylighting in communal spaces, it was installed at ground level alongside aluminium doors, and at height alongside the windows - adding interest by visually zig-zagging on alternate floors.Within walking distance of Northumbria University's City Campus East, and the main Newcastle University Campus, The Shield offers a mix of self-contained studio flats and en-suite bedrooms with shared kitchens and houses up to 400 students.

The Kingston Park South project involved the construction of three large industrial units with office space, break rooms, associated parking, and landscaping. The total floor area of the development was 44,125 square meters, covering a site area of 9.17 hectares. The project also included 538 parking spaces. The purpose of the project was to create flexible logistics space in a 21-acre site located near Peterborough. The industrial units varied in size, with areas of 94,225 sqft, 139,915 sqft, and 240,830 sqft, resulting in a total of 474,970 sqft of space. The project aimed to achieve net-zero carbon in construction and target a BREEAM “Excellent” rating. It included features such as photovoltaic arrays covering more than 40,000 sqft and 48 electric vehicle charging points. The project was undertaken by Glencar Construction, with UMC Architects initially appointed by Firethorn Developments Ltd and subsequently novated to support Glencar Construction. The work began in Q1 of 2022, with a planned completion date in Q4 of 2023. Brett Landscaping products, Lugano Block Paving in Graphite Grey & Misty Grey & Lugano Flow Permeable Block Paving in Graphite grey & Misty Grey were selected for the project based on suitability, price, and availability. Additionally, approximately 220 Trief units (straights and radius) were supplied to Entex Properties for the yard and gatehouse areas.

The International Convention Centre (ICC) Wales is an extraordinary venue designed for world class conventions, events and meetings.The result of a joint venture between the Welsh Government and the Celtic Manor Resort, renowned construction company, John Sisk & Son, was the main contractor on this 3500m2 project which also included a permeable and sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS).AG’s premium granite block paving TerraPave® was the obvious paving choice for the convention centre as it offers a beautiful finish to complement a contemporary design. Additionally, it is a cost-effective, practical alternative to traditional stone paving. TerraKerb® also played its part in this high-profile hard landscaping project, adding a premium appearance to the ICC surrounding. With its widely recognised durability and weather resistance, it is now well established as a market-leading option.Tim Cave, Regional Sales Manager at AG, said:“A key challenge faced by AG was to create a high-quality permeable paving system for a large roof deck, capable of withstanding continuous heavy traffic. Our Xflo® Plaza was the perfect choice. AG’s Plaza block paviour is made using the most modern manufacturing techniques, ensuring it will stand the test of time and retain its high-quality aesthetics, whilst effectively managing the movement of water through the SuDS system. This is a pioneering but proven way of mimicking the natural movement of storm water and replacing conventional storm water drainage systems.”

A 9-storey, 18,000m2, mixed use development at 150 Holborn in the centre of London. It incorporates retail on the ground floor, offices above and 13 apartments in an adjacent block. Architect Perkins & Will specified URSA’s Walltec 32B slab in critical areas of the new build structure.URSA has supplied 1000m2 of URSA Walltec 32B slab as part of the multi million pound development in London. The mixed use scheme replaces a 1980s office block and feature a café, exhibition and reception space, atrium and roof pavilion with rooftop gardens. The overall building height was limited in order to maintain views of the nearby St Paul’s Cathedral.  The new building aims to offer a healthy work place with natural daylight being a key design feature. As a result the design also incorporates measures to minimise solar gains. Additionally the scheme aims to achieve a LEED ‘Platinum’ rating, BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ and Fitwel certification. URSA products assisting here with BS EN ISO 9001 and BS EN ISO 14001 certification along with a BRE Green Guide rating of ‘A+’.Ian Claydon, Technical Manager at URSA commented: “We worked closely with Perkins & Will in developing the specification for those areas of the external walls incorporating URSA Walltec 32B. Including options for the type of insulation to be used and U-value calculations. A particularly critical requirement was for the insulation to be non-combustible, Euroclass A1”.

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

Marlborough Sports Garden, a long-time community recreation space in London Bridge, has been regenerated and reopened, featuring unique hexagonal planters made from MEDITE® TRICOYA® EXTREME. Transforming the once graffitied concrete space into an urban oasis, the planters were a central feature at the official opening, attended by British Olympian Tom Daley and MP Jo Cox’s sister Kim, alongside her parents Mr and Mrs Leadbeater.

Inspired by and integrated within the natural landscape around it, the River Building at Grace Farms, which was designed by SANAA, gently slopes, bends and ‘pools’ with its surroundings.For a place in which people gather to experience nature, encounter the arts, pursue justice, foster community and explore faith, the use of glass, steel, concrete and wood is particularly fitting. In the building’s bathrooms, d line sanitary ware was used for its simple lines and the natural rawness of its material.

Hardanger Bridge is the longest tunnel to tunnel suspension bridge i n the world, connecting the east and west of the main highway in the southern part of Norway without the need for a ferry. The bridge is an impressive 1,380 metres long; the two concrete bridge towers protruding more than 200 metres into the sky. With greatly varying weather conditions and construction environments to consider, Jotun had the properties needed to perform across every aspect of this major infrastructure project.

Tegola's black asphalt shingles look like slates and a special kiln firing process ensure a fade free appearance. Tegola only weight 10.5 kgs/sq.m., a quarter of the weight of concrete tiles, and this produced economies in the support structure, and their economic price led to significant cost savings. Tegola shingles have an excellent life span as they are stronger than the British Standard requirements, and have a design life of 35 years and have a top fire rating.

As part of a £1.2m development of a new PE block, Selby High required a durable and robust washroom area to withstand both the wet and dry environments of the school toilets and shower facilities. They needed to provide privacy without compromising on the space to provide an adequate number of cubicles. Fusion was selected for its contemporary, slim line fittings, with full height privacy doors, and ultra-strong metal frames that add rigidity to the cubicles. The design flexibility and colour choices meant that they could choose a bold yet sophisticated design that reflected their school colours.

Skerries Road Southway Campus in Plymouth comprises of 67 timber frame units supplied by local manufacturer and STA member Cornwall Timber Build. Originally a traditional block exterior, the architects changed the design to accommodate the innovative RendaClad façade. The programme was delivered 3 months ahead of schedule on the overall contract when utilising a form of modern methods of construction with the use of SPSenvirowall’s RendaClad. Whilst not satisfied with the BBA for a minimum 30-year service life, SPSenvirowall went into contract with BOPAS BLP and Lloyds Register to achieve a stand-alone assurance.

Built in the 1930s and once famous for the largest social housing scheme in the UK, the site has been home to a number of cultural names since the estate’s demolition in the 1970s, including the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds College of Music and the Northern Ballet. Now, the regeneration of this site continues with an extensive, ambitious new masterplan.Phase 1 incorporates Blocks E & F which provides 515 units for Build to Rent operator Moda Living.Y2208I Sumela and Y2217F Steel Bronze 2 working spectacularly in combination for rainscreen cladding panels and corrugated profiles respectively.

Few people realise that it is possible to clad old stairs with our engineered herringbone parquet floors. It is a specialist skill and you should only employ trusted professionals who have the specialist equipment. The parquet blocks used here are unfinished so that you get perfect square edges. They are then oiled after all other works are completed so that you get your perfect floor. There is no separate stair nose piece as the top layer of solid Oak is a good 4mm thick and this allows the fitters to create an accurate mitre join.

SANDTEX TRADE scaled new heights to revamp a Central London office block – without a ladder in sight. 20 Farringdon Road has been transformed into a contemporary workplace in the heart of the city following a stylish refurbishment project undertaken by specialist abseiling contractors Rubynest. Their specialist ‘working at height’ team worked from temporary cradles to apply the Sandtex Trade trims system to metalwork on the building’s windows. Sandtex Trade Rust Inhibiting Primer Undercoat, Flexible Primer Undercoat and Eggshell X-Tra were used to create the on-trend black finish.

Leonard Design Architects were appointed to create a residential development within a listed building setting with sloping site conditions. When sourcing hard landscaping for the development, Leonard Design Architects required attractive and modern paving for patios and car parking. However, they faced issues with the external areas due to the sloping site conditions. Tobermore’ Secura Grand Retaining Wall provided the solution to the sloping site issues while Tobermore Fusion block paving in contemporary tones of silver, mid grey, and graphite created the desired contemporary look.

Re-form Landscape Architecture were tasked with sourcing sustainable hard landscaping for The Sarah Swift Building, University of Lincoln.The public realm setting of the building links Brayford Wharf through to the historic Wigford Yard. Ultimately the space extends through to Lincolns’ High Street – thus uniting the University campus with the city centre. As such, a paving solution was required that would adequately define the areas and complement the modern facade of the University building.Tobermore’s Fusion block paving in Silver and Graphite was chosen as the hard landscaping of choice, complemented by the addition of Fusion Kerb.

Market Quarter Rugby is a new residential scheme, providing 360 apartments for private rental. The development comprises a mix of 175 one-bed and 185-two bed apartments, across four blocks, which benefit from their proximity to the local train station and local town centre. The scheme completes the regeneration of the former Cattle Market site which has stood derelict since its closure in 2008.The Firechief Kitchen Stove Guard was chosen to be installed as standard in all 360 apartment kitchens as a more cost-effective solution to a fire suppression system.

Roof terrace on the third floor of a residential block. The customer wanted a floating deck but was keen to source decking that could be easily installed. They needed to deal with a slope and variation in the surface, as well as easy access to a drain. Wallbarn recommended their Cumuru hardwood timber tiles which being 500mm x 500mm x 30mm, which are highly portable and perfect for low threshold retro-fits. To deal with the variation in surfaces around the deck, we recommended laying the timber tiles onto our ‘Balance’ self-levelling pedestals. Total installation time: 3 hours

Project involved decking a 350m2 the rooftop of a commercial block in the heart of the city. The owners wanted to create a roof terrace for staff. The customer chose the iDecking complete solution for it's superior look. Installation was carried out on an inverted roof. The contractor laid down a double layer of our aluminium frame onto Wallbarn MegaPad pedestals which provide a stable footing for the framework. The composite Moor Oak boards were stamped into position. Installers were able to achieve a great finish by accurately cutting the boards to fit neatly to edges and corners.

DWB Hull, a licensed MiTek roof truss and Posi-Joist manufacturer, recently supplied specially designed Posi-Rafters to form the roof for a large domestic extension. Bespoke end details were incorporated into the Posi-Rafter design to make installation straightforward and to provide solid bearings on to the steel beams and walls. The build had two steel ridge purlins and a central steel at ceiling level, forming a large vaulted ceiling internally. Posi-Rafters were the ideal choice, with plated end blocks sitting directly on to the steel beams with no need for hangers.

With the help of Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, founder of money.co.uk, Chris Morling has been successful in his mission of creating the ultimate workspace for his Cirencester-based independent comparison website’s headquarters. The grade two listed Victorian castle features a statement herringbone floor design made up of Da Vinci planks in three contrasting oak colourways - American Oak, Fresco Light Oak and Natural Oak - and matching bespoke 36” x 3” white block colour plank and tile combination in the dedicated kitchen and break-out area.

Cosmos is a new 864-unit student accommodation complex located at Fitzwilliam Street, Sheffield inclose proximity to the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University. Cosmos will offer residency to students of both facilities, providing a range of rooms from studio apartments to shared en-suite apartments. The development consists of four tower blocks, ranging in scale from six-to-17 storeysLeviat’s Ancon MDC Masonry Support System played an essential part in the construction of a £46.5m student accommodation project in the heart of Sheffield, enabling a fast, efficient and structurally sound development.

Fresh Wharf is being developed by Countryside, in partnership with housing association Notting Hill Genesis on a 10-acre, former brownfield site situated along the banks of the River Roding. Demolition of old premises on the site started in early 2018 and Phase 1 of the construction project commenced later that year. After this, construction of the new properties commenced in earnest, with the apartment blocks and townhouses being constructed. Installation was undertaken by sub-contractor, Stanmore, with Metsec using Revit to create the construction level design for the framing system at the early stages of the project’s conceptualisation.

The Science Village at Chesterford Research Park is a thriving scientific community, home to ultra-modern and energy-efficient laboratory and office space within the attractive setting of open parkland, an arboretum and lakes.Vehicular circulation, parking and pedestrian circulation were important to the scheme and formed the main body of the external works.The architect Davis Landscape Architecture selected a number of Marshalls’ flag and block paving products for the scheme - Saxon and Keyblok.The hard landscaping perfectly complements the state-of the- art facilities but doesn’t detract from the beauty of the landscape with a carefully selected palette of materials and colours.

The steel framing system that was introduced in the UK to provide EI fire protection in butt jointed glazing is now available as a complete, safety-assured glazing system with the launch of the SYSTEMGLAS® Ferro range from Promat UK. SYSTEMGLAS® Ferro is a complete glazing system suited to contemporary interiors with the fire glass, steel framing, beading and setting blocks supplied directly by Promat for maximum traceability. It is installed exclusively by a network of approved installers to ensure total peace of mind for specifiers, backed with the confidence of Promat UK’s 360 degree wheel of assurance.

Regather, is a not for profit, community food business which aim to create value-based food chains. Established for over a decade, the locally sourced fruit and veg box section of the business has doubled in size during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Regather only had a very small area for a goods lift to be installed due to the main entrance and a staircase. Goods Lift Design Engineer Umar Lodhi was up to the task and created a MezzLift design that not only fits the space but does not block the entrance to the building when the doors were open

£12 million has been invested into Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera secondary school in Neath Port Talbot. A three storey teaching block has been built, providing state of the art classrooms and school toilet cubicles for 11-19 year old pupils.Privacy was a big factor when specifying the school toilet cubicles. Bushboard’s HiZone toilet cubicles were chosen. HiZone is a full height toilet cubicle with partitions sitting in durable aluminium skirting at floor level.Read the whole case study on our website.

Burberry has opened a new flagship store in Shanghai, China. Its eighth location in the city and the largest so far.The new store was inspired by 121 Regent Street, the brand’s global flagship store and is all about bringing London to Shanghai. That means driving home the brand's heritage through British-made décor, craftsmanship and materials while matching the Regent Street location.The space reflects the architectural design concept developed by Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer Christopher Bailey.Albion Stone supplied Basebed blocks to EDM for the internal and external clad

AluK’s 58BW ST aluminium windows replicate the look of steel frames so successfully that they were approved to replace the original Crittall windows in a landmark redevelopment project which has just been completed in central Birmingham. Herbert House, a 115-year old 52,000 sq ft commercial building in the Colmore business district, has been converted into one of the city’s newest and most prestigious apartment blocks. It features 316 windows in the 58BW ST system and 3 suited doors in the GT55 system, all in a standard AluK Anthracite grey finish.

Five Xtralifts and two sets of Xtralift duplexes will support access-for-all to 153 apartments ranged over five and seven floors, in two distinct blocks. To match the heavy duty demand of this environment, the nine 8-person lifts are fitted with higher-grade stainless steel lift cars and Dewhurst push-button controls. Eight are traction, without motor rooms, and one is hydraulic, with a motor room. All the lifts have been installed with a range of options, with a mix of vandal-resistant categories 1 and 2. Two models are equipped as firefighter lifts.

Winvic made an educated choice when they specified Eurocell windows and panels for a landmark Coventry development. CODE Students Coventry is a flagship 23-storey accommodation block which, topping off at 76m, is the highest in the city. Such a lofty achievement called for materials of equally high standing. Not only to shrug off the elements and maintain thermal efficiency. But also to cope with the rigours of student life without losing its looks. Winvic understood that only a bespoke Logik tilt and turn widow system, designed in close collaboration with fabricator and installer Astraseal, would pass this test.

The Wave is a new inland-surfing lake, powered by 100% renewable electricity that provides the opportunity to surf all year round regardless of weather conditions or tides. The site’s entrance and car park suffered from boggy ground conditions following spells of wet weather and with approximately 2,750m2 of impermeable surfacing, there was limited potential for infiltration. The shuttle bus route between the main facilities and the car park is now surfaced with Truckcell 80 Permeable Paving blocks, filled with free draining angular gravel to allow rainwater to percolate down to the existing sub-soil.

The National Trust was looking for ways to improve its facilities and services, especially the public toilet block at Lacock. The block was was in poor condition, with no hot water or heating, poor lighting, and frequent blockages. The toilets had received numerous complaints, and so the National Trust wanted to upgrade the facilities.“Previously we had tiled walls which were very cold and not easy to clean as well as suffering from condensation. We had a lot of technical issues as well as issues with the drains. The smell was always bad. We were spending a lot of hours on fixing and maintaining the urinals so these were the issues we wanted to address, alongside improving energy efficiency and lowering the environmental impact of the washrooms.”Andy Webster, Facilities Manager, North Wiltshire National TrustAt a London trade show, Anna Bradshaw met Paul from Ecoprod and Mihail from CONTI, who demonstrated smart taps and accessories that could analyze visitor data. Initially the Trust was interested just in the smart taps however after Ecoprod visited the site it became apparent that they could offer much more than just the taps. The project expanded to include a full refit of the public toilet block, with a focus on efficiency, energy-saving and low maintenance costs.The Trust wanted a solution that was energy-efficient, recyclable, and reusable, and Ecoprod offered a full package that fit these criteria. The upgrade included easy-clean, wipe-down wall coverings, a modular system that allowed for easy repairs, and water-saving taps and urinals. The Trust was able to secure funding for the upgrade because of the quality of the product and its energy and water-saving features. Efficiency of energy usage and low maintenance costs are extremely important to the National Trust so the refit was designed with these priorities in mind.“The biggest draw for me initially was the fact that the taps offered the potential to collect and analyse usage data so we could see how many users we were getting. This is important because the toilet block is in a car park outside of our pay barrier, and therefore difficult to gauge numbers. However, once we started thinking about new taps then we started thinking about improving the basins and it went from there – ultimately we decided to go for the whole refit and have a really smart new look to the loos. Because the other products were also recyclable and reusable and made the whole management of the space more efficient, we were able to secure the budget to do a full refit. The quality of the products was apparent really early on.”Anna Bradshaw, Facilities and Business Support Services“We have gone for an easy clean, wipe down modular system so that if things get damaged, as they do in a public toilet, we’re only replacing small parts rather than the whole system.”Andy WebsterWhat was included in the refit?Ecoprod supplied the National Trust with a complete building project package which included:-Strip out of old toilet blockReconfiguration of walls to create spaceNew flooring and wallingNew lighting, extraction, and heatingNew back panel systemsNew cubiclesNew URIMAT waterless urinalsNew troughs with CONTI+ Lumino tap with localised heater and Ble tool for connectivityToilets with cisterns from Siamp rangeMitsubishi hand dryersBaby changing stationFull project management Working with Ecoprod“We had a pretty clear plan on what we wanted to do and how we wanted to do it and Marcus was very accommodating. Once we got the contract signed it all came together very quickly. As always with jobs like this a few unexpected things came up but Marcus was able to deal with all of them. Whenever an issue arose I made a phone call and Marcus was on it straight away. He was very good at keeping people in the loop and communication was good throughout.”Andy WebsterThe benefits since the new toilet block opened“Previously our main source of complaints for the site were the toilets. They were cold, damp and difficult to keep well presented. For many people their first stop will be a loo visit and we were very aware it wasn’t a good first impression. Since the refit we have received no complaints and visitors are now complimenting them on how clean and bright they are. The new design means they are easier to clean, as we moved from tiles to wall cladding, and troughs rather than individual basins, plus the new non-slip floor surface makes access much safer for our visitors.”Anna Bradshaw“We are looking to grow our relationship with Ecoprod, looking at other sites where we can use this technology. The more positive results we get, the more interest we have from the rest of the National Trust. One of the Trust’s main aims is energy efficiency and climate action is a big thing for the Trust this year so anything that can help us with that is something we will be looking at with great interest.”Andy Webster

Set on the Broadstairs campus of East Kent College, construction has now come to a close on extension works to an existing road at the college site, which was required to take place in the curtilage of a listed building. The project utilised Wienerberger’s Penter Dortmund Dark Multi and Dragfaced Square Edged Blue pavers, as a clay paving product was required in lieu of concrete to give the finish and longevity the client required, in accordance with planning requirements and ensuring that the colour and design of the road complimented and maintained the character of the building.

Good acoustics, like high quality thermal insulation, is one of the most important considerations for house builders and architects. This is because of high density living and, in particular, the popularity of sold floors. For example, one of the latest trends are concrete floors. The problem is further exacerbated by the desire for large areas of glass and the absence of soft furnishings, such as curtains and carpets. The result of all this is that absorption of sound is difficult creating an unpleasant environment. One solution is to line the ceilings with cost effective and high performance Troldtekt acoustic panels.

Oscar Iso-Mounts combine space saving with isolating acoustic technology to provide clients with the best possible ceiling acoustics and soundproofing, perfect for house/flat/apartment conversions, new builds and renovations. Commercial applications include hotels, offices, shops and restaurants. The mount fixes under existing concrete and timber joist ceilings with just one fixing saving time and money. Extensions are available for 50mm to over 1 metre voids for acoustic services and thermal insulation.