"concrete structures"

Project: Bespoke concrete-cladded reception desk for a workspace in South London. Client: K2 SPACE / Glenstone Materials: Large BTX Concrete 3D panels (overlays) in Mist colour and Smooth finish. The panels were cladded over a hard wood carcass. To create an impressive raw industrial look, we used special large format BTX concrete precast 3D panels that were made to K2 Space’s specific design and carefully assembled and finished by our team on site. The results speak for themselves in this stylish modern office space where this stunning 6m long and 1.2 m tall reception desk takes centre stage.

The Lift 109 viewpoint designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates has opened within the rebuilt chimney of Battersea Power Station in London. We manufactured and installed a concrete reception desk for the Lift 109 Experience reception area which is located in the Power Station’s magnificent Art Deco Turbine Hall A.Living Concrete team used an innovative concrete application technique to create custom-built reception desk for our client Beck Interiors. MicroConcrete fluted tiles in Willow Green colour were cladded onto MDF frame, seamlessly achieving a very complex and detailed design. Hand cast and hand polished oval shape concrete worktops in Ivory were assembled onsite. By using the best of modern technology, we have created a modern and robust design that demonstrates how concrete can be both good looking and functional.

Project: Manufacture and installation of bespoke concrete cladding in a high-tech media room. The design comprised of floating 3D concrete seat wrapped around the fire place and individually sized concrete panels for chimney breast, wall, floor and ceiling. All panels were fitted using mechanical and chemical fixings.Client: Tigg & Coll Architects  Materials used: Large format Plain and GAP GRC panels in Rough Mist finish and sealed with hydrophobic agent and clear sealant.On this challenging project we worked closely with Tigg & Coll Architects to manufacture and supply bespoke concrete cladding for new multipurpose media room.The large format bespoke Plain and GAP concrete panels were cast to the client’s individual and unique specifications using our BTX Ultra High Performance Concrete mix with a hydrophobic agent to limit moisture absorption. The panels were cut to fit around the fireplace, floor, walls and ceiling and then treated and sealed to make them stain proof.The finished effect is a modern, industrial look that complements client’s design style and creates a truly unique and highly relaxing space.

Spanning 5,195 sq ft over two floors, the newly opened Kiwa Sushi & Grill offers a taste of the western-eastern fusion within modern East Asian dining setting in the heart of London’s Chinatown.The Living Concrete team were tasked with manufacture and installation of 120m2 of Fairfaced concrete wall panels which were seamlessly cladded over large internal walls. The panels were manufactured using GRC concrete, which is lighter and stronger than traditional concrete and finished in Mist Grey to enhance natural weathered look.The finished effect is a modern, industrial look that complements client’s design style and creates a truly unique and trendy space.

Large scale Fluid Concrete installation to all floors, window sills and stairs in Cement Grey colour. Oxicrete finish application to bathroom walls in Brown and Terracotta Red finish.Manufacture and installation of bespoke Gap panels in Rough Mist finish to shower walls.Materials used: Large format Gap GRC wall panels in Rough Mist finish, sealed with hydrophobic agent and clear sealant. Cement Grey Fluid Concrete floor coating and Oxicrete wall coating in Brown and Terracotta Red finish.

Goat Yard, formerly a Victorian Warehouse building named Albion House, underwent comprehensive refurbishment to offer grade A office accommodation, totalling 30,484 sq ft. Refurbished by West 1, a leading high-end office fit-out Contractors, the building boasts a newly reconfigured reception area. The Living Concrete team were commissioned to cast and install a custom-build concrete reception desk.Spanning 3m long, the single cast was made offsite, without any joints and finished in Mist Pitted finish to resemble a real, cast in-situ concrete. Laminated grey joinery and black Forbo rubber-lined worktop completed the look.

Date of Project: September 2017Project Owner: Cairns Regional CouncilProject Contractor: Waterstop Solutions Pty, LtdProject Engineer: Cairns Regional Council Market/Environment WastewaterSubstrate: ConcreteSize of Project: 12 x 2m joint replacementTHE CHALLENGEThe joints on a municipal wastewater treatment tank had degenerated to the point where repairing and resealing were necessary. Cairns Regional Council required a product with a fast cure time and rapid compressive strength gains.Five Star® SolutionFive Star Structural Concrete® V/O was selected due to its rapid set and high early strength gains; it reaches 2,500 psi (17.2 MPa) within three hours. This rapid strength gain allowed for the repaired joints to be resealed with minimum turnaround time in preparation for the installation of a joint sealant system.ABOUT FIVE STAR STRUCTURAL CONCRETE® V/OThis is a high-strength, rapid-setting, one-component, permanent concrete repair material for vertical and overhead structural repairs.It produces a repair that is dimensionally stable, develops an integral bond to existing concrete, and restores structural integrity within hours of placement.Provides increased corrosion protection to steel-reinforced structures with migrating corrosion inhibitor technology and very low chloride ion permeability. Moisture-sensitive coatings can be applied in 8 to 24 hours.Can be troweled vertically or overheadOne product for thin and thick placementExcellent freeze/thaw resistanceOutstanding corrosion resistance for protection and rehabilitation

Eastcheap Court has been newly re-designed by Trehearne Architects and Fletcher Preist, to provide best-in-class office space within a smart controlled environment.We manufactured and installed a precast concrete reception desk for the newly redesigned reception area. The desk was constructed from two large precast sections, and we used our special eco mix of glass fibre-reinforced concrete for this project. It was created in a White Smooth finish and was had-polished and assembled onsite. We also added LED lighting strips to provide evenly distributed lighting around the area. It was a successful build that the client was very happy with.

The Living Concrete team were commissioned to design and create large format, precast GRC floating garden steps at a private residence in Oxted. Working closely with the client, we constructed a cascade of floating steps to create seamless access on what was quite a difficult tiered site. Having assessed all the practical and logistical issues, we worked out a tight 10 week schedule of measuring, landscaping, pre-cast and on-site installation of all the elements.This project had many challenges in its design and execution and covered a large external area on different levels incorporating very heavy concrete elements – creating this stunning feature.

As part of a redevelopment at Coventry University, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities was transformed to feature a hyper studio designed for cross-disciplinary projects and new reception area.First of three, this new reception desk was assembled and finished by our team on site. Large precast polished concrete sections in Silk Mist finish were carefully fitted with a geometrically shaped Corian surround. We also added LED lighting strips to provide evenly distributed lighting around the area. We used our unique eco BTX ultra high performance concrete mix technology which helps to give our products the durability and performance they need.

As part of a major rebranding project, global asset management company abrdn reimagined its Edinburgh workspace, with collaboration, choice and well-being were key elements of the design brief. A custom take on Milliken's Comfortable Concrete iconic design and its co-ordinating LVT floor covering Polished Concrete has been installed to create the aesthetic and performance the design team were looking for.

Grain House was a complex, heritage-led refurbishment unifying and extending four historic buildings in Covent Garden with a rich history typical of this iconic location. Our team manufactured and installed a concrete reception desk for a new reception area. The results speak for themselves in this stylish modern office space where this stunning 4.6m long reception desk takes centre stage.The concrete worktop was designed to incorporate the client’s logo and we used our unique eco concrete mix technology which is lighter and stronger than traditional concrete. This helps to give the finished products the durability and performance they need. Despite the complex and detailed casting and installation required for this project, everything was completed to a high spec for the client.

The design comprised of a three-storey-high, bespoke GRC concrete staircase with floating precast steps and landings, all in Rustic Grey finish.For the floors and landings we used Microconcrete coating in Lead Grey colour to create a contrasting effect with the lighter coloured walls and the imposing ceiling suspended fireplace surround was hand coated with Microconcrete in Metallic Bronze finish.

Polar double-glazed partitions provided the ideal solution for dividing space in a clever and minimalistic way. The double glazed Polar partitions have impressive acoustic thresholds of up to 49dB (Rw), which is becoming more and more essential in today’s working environment. Providing opportunity for both communicative and inspired work, Polar double glazed’s simplistic method of installation, demountability and powerful acoustic properties makes it an intelligent option for modern offices. Due to Robinson Structures engineering expertise, steel girders were built above and around the Polar single glazed track work to create smaller offices and meeting rooms.

Whites Concrete has supplied a pre-cast concrete chamber for an 11-tonne Archimedean screw turbine installed on the banks of the River Esk in Whitby, North Yorkshire by national engineering and construction company JN Bentley. The Whites Concrete chamber has been constructed using robust Groundwall L-shaped units, to house the 2.9m diameter screw turbine. The latter will operate with up to 4 cumec with a rated capacity of 51.6KW as it generates electricity for Esk Energy (Yorkshire). Esk Energy secured funding towards the cost of the project through a community share issue.

Client: Bristol City Council Consultants: Chapman Taylor Architects & Arup Design Main Contractor: Bouygues UK Specialist Contractor: Optimum Dry Wall Systems Main Products Used: Emshield DFR-2 SystemOn the site of the former ambulance station adjacent to Castle Park, the largest urban green space in Bristol, this development is designed to provide 375 new homes, with a mixture of build-to-rent and affordable housing units. This comprises a new 26-storey tower, which will be the tallest building in Bristol, together with a 10-storey block, plus a third central building connecting the two, and providing a business centre and leisure facilities for the residents, as well as direct access to the park. The architects designed wide structural expansion joints to accommodate the anticipated levels of movement between the different building structures, as well as in and between the main reinforced concrete floor slabs and the structural frame of the building. They also wanted to reduce any noise transmission through the joints and to ensure that the designated levels of fire protection were maintained, which meant that the joints had to be treated to provide 2-hours fire resistance. To meet all these demands, the answer was a single solution using Emshield DFR-2 (horizontal floor joints) / WFR-2 (for vertical wall joints) systems. These produce a watertight joint, that can accommodate high movement up to 100% (+/- 50%), greatly reduce sound transmission (STC 62; OITC 52), and which are CE Marked to EN-1366-4 for up to 4 hrs fire resistance. 

Architect/Designer: PRPLocation: ManchesterProject Overview: 30 Brown Street is a four-storey brick office building originally built in 1985. The brief was to retain and refurbish the building to provide circa 50,000sqft of adaptable contemporary workspace. ServiceFull hardware scheduling & bespoke finishProject DetailsThis exciting design in the heart of Manchester steers away from using traditional finishes such as stainless steel or brass and instead incorporates a bold use of white RAL9010 PPC ironmongery. Architect David Sharpe explains why‘The building has a lot of exposed raw finishes, including concrete soffits and grey terrazzo flooring, partly inspiring the name, CORE (also referring to the location in the heart of Manchester's office core). Doors and main structural elements were painted a very dark grey to provide a clear contrast with the concrete structure. The inspiration behind the choice of white ironmongery was to provide a high quality counterpoint to the darker raw exposed concrete and painted finishes, and any small part metalwork - eg the lighting, brassware and glazed partition framing, were also specified to be white to match.The contemporary interior was a key ingredient for the brief and although we started with the concept of a mixture of grey and white ironmongery to work with the overall feel of the building during our close work with the architect this was pulled back to a predominantly white scheme with grey pull handles being used for fully glazed doors to create greater contrast and to fulfil the contemporary brief.The choice of specific ironmongery took into account the desire for a minimalist aesthetic, relating to the choices in lighting and brassware.’To find out more about this project visit www.prp-co.uk/project/30-brown-street.html

Pre-cast concrete panels were used in an unusual project to carry out the ‘re- meandering' of a historically straightened section of Swindale Beck in the Lake District. Whites Concrete supplied its precast Rockwall and Groundwall panels so that Coffey Construction could quickly and efficiently form a new Coanda screen, fish pass walls and a Crump Weir to Swindale Beck, which is an upstream sub-catchment of Cumbria’s River Eden.

Pre-cast concrete panels were used in an unusual project to carry out the ‘re- meandering' of a historically straightened section of Swindale Beck in the Lake District. Whites Concrete supplied its precast Rockwall and Groundwall panels so that Coffey Construction could quickly and efficiently form a new Coanda screen, fish pass walls and a Crump Weir to Swindale Beck, which is an upstream sub-catchment of Cumbria’s River Eden.

Project: Supply and installation of 7000 m2  of internal and external GRC cladding panels using hidden fixings system at three newly build metro stations.Location:  Warsaw, PolandClient: Astaldi S.p.A.Materials used:  PLAIN, ENGRAVED and GAP GRC large format concrete panels with ‘Helping Hand’ invisible aluminium bracket system. Panels were in Rough Mist and Anthracite finish.

Highfield South Farnham Primary School contacted Zenith as they were in need of a canopy structure for their play area that could be used for additional outdoor learning space as well as a play area.

Whites Concrete has supplied a pre-cast concrete chamber for an 11-tonne Archimedean screw turbine installed on the banks of the River Esk in Whitby, North Yorkshire by national engineering and construction company JN Bentley. The Whites Concrete chamber has been constructed using robust Groundwall L-shaped units, to house the 2.9m diameter screw turbine. The latter will operate with up to 4 cumec with a rated capacity of 51.6KW as it generates electricity for Esk Energy (Yorkshire). Esk Energy secured funding towards the cost of the project through a community share issue.

Lend Lease bagged the £70m contract to build an emergency care hospital in East Cramlington. The hospital will be the first in the county to have specialists working around the clock to ensure seriously ill or injured patients get treatment quicker. Alongside the major A&E department, the hospital includes a short-stay paediatric facility and consultant-led maternity unit. Its innovative design includes wards arranged around a central nurses' station, to enable staff to keep a closer eye on patients. Naylor Concrete supplied Hi-Spec R8 and R6 concrete lintels to Specialist Brickwork Contractor P James throughout the construction.

Structural Repairs’ office space was beautifully and seamlessly integrated into one of Windsor’s iconic train station arches. This newly built office space boasts from its impressive structural logistics and boldly featured decorative and themed memorabilia at many of its cozy corners.Via a combination of the fire grit machine, TORC system (seen in the images and videos), water by pressure and a DOFF system, the carbon accumulated in the brickwork was removed. These methods, especially the DOFF system, work with high-pressure stream and extremely high temperatures.Brick cleaning is an arduous and labor intensive process by which a brick masonry, also known as a layer of brick which has been laid on the wall’s outermost surface, is cleaned. Brick cleaning is required at various different stages of a building’s life, and with our arch, a cleaning was more than overdue to restore it back to its original condition!

Triton has supplied 3,280kg of TT Admix, its BBA certified concrete waterproofing system, to a prestigious new build project in West London. The project is a new car dealership situated between the M4 flyover and the site of Brentwood FC's new stadium. The construction comprises a watertight concrete base with welded sheet piled walls and a watertight concrete capping beam to provide a Type B integral waterproofing solution to BS 8102 (2009). On top of the slab is a steel framed structure.

The Darwin Centre cocoon creates a new architectural icon for the capital, ground-breaking in scale and breath-taking in its originality and creative brilliance.The design features a vast free-standing structure taking the form of an enormous cocoon within a glass atrium. The eight storey high cocoon houses a unique collection of 17 million insects and 3 million plants collected over the last 300 years by scientists including Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace and Sir Hans Sloane. The building completes the Museum’s life science complex, the Darwin Centre, following the first phase opened in 2002.Design TeamThe response of the architectural design team at C.F. Møller, lead by partner Anna Maria Indrio, was to create an engaging image reminiscent of an essentially organic form. The surface and texture also needed to reflect this, so the subtle sheen of the ivory coloured Armourcoat plaster was chosen. With an intersecting network of ‘silk threads’ that criss-cross the cocoon, the surface allows for movement and provides a visual framework for openings and niches. Armourcoat was specified to devise a unique creative solution combining both the insulation and the final decorative layers. The cocoon performs a genuinely protective job providing thermal mass to inhibit any fluctuations to the internal temperature – essential for the museum’s treasured specimens. The structure also houses state-of-the-art laboratories for 250 international scientists and an interactive visitor exhibition.ConstructionA sixty-five metre long skeletal structure was built by sprayed concrete specialist Shotcrete – the first above ground sprayed concrete structural element in the world. Expanded metal mesh was fitted to the steel re-bar framework and a 250mm thick layer of concrete was spray applied to create a 3,500 m2 raw concrete surface. Armourcoat then applied a resin modified render to the structure to minimize localized variations to the surface, before the polystyrene insulation layer was fixed. Using Dryvit Genesis adhesive and over 16,000 Hilti insulation fasteners, a 50mm polystyrene layer was fitted to the entire surface of the cocoon then covered with a layer of reinforcing mesh bedded into Dryvit Genesis basecoat. To create the silk threads wrapping the structure, a special cutting machine was devised which could cut an accurate slot and create the individual 340 panels which make up the cocoon surface. A total of 5.6km of edge bead was then fitted before Armourcoat’s unique AntiCrack substrate preparation system was applied. AntiCrack is a polymer and fibre modified gypsum skim-coat plaster which creates a first class substrate, keeping the Armourcoat plaster layer in peak condition. Two layers of Armourcoat keycoat were applied prior to the application of the final finish. The finished effect of a giant silk cocoon was achieved using ivory coloured Armourcoat Armuralia polished plaster - an exquisite, smooth finish with subtle tonal variations.The cocoon is a milestone achievement, a unique design and technical solution befitting the historic and social reference of the Natural History Museum. This also is a stunning example of the type of commercial projects now undertaken by Armourcoat, celebrating twenty-five years of creative excellence in 2009.Client: Natural History MuseumArchitect: C. F. MøllerMain Contractor: HBG Construction

This jaw dropping project featured Lazenby Light Natural polished concrete floors and cast in situ stairs. The concrete flows from the entrance hallways throughout the ground floor and up the feature staircase to the first floor landing.This 4 week phased project saw the polished concrete floor installed first. The formwork and reinforcement for the staircase was then fixed and built off the floor. Once the stairs had been cast the brass balustrades and handrails were retrofitted to the concrete.This self-supporting concrete architectural feature staircase involved discussions with external engineers who then designed the reinforcement. The complex angles, joins to other structural elements and the sleek elegance was meticulously planned and executed. The polished concrete floor joints carefully designed to enhance the creative charm of this project.Photography by David Butler

VELUX Commercial won the tender to deliver the 45.6m x 4.3m structural barrel vault rooflight system, with integrated ventilation, planned for the central gallery. The use of a diffused polycarbonate solution also minimises glare on sunny days. A vertical frame was designed to incorporate ventilation.The rectangular aluminium structure sits beneath the rooflight - accomodating 23 EN 12101 certified centre pivot louvres for both smoke and comfort ventilation.

Soundis supplied 3,265m2 of a shallow floating floor treatment, laid over an existing concrete structural deck, at Channelsea House in Stratford for City Square.The areas included the Ground, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Floors. Channelsea House is a former office block being converted to residential apartments, with a one bedroom flat being valued at the half a million pound mark. Located in Stratford, 1.3 miles away from the Olympic Stadium, Channelsea House is in a prime location for high quality accommodation.Soundis were required to provide a high specification shallow acoustic solution to achieve compliance with ‘Impact’ performance criteria when tested on site. The specification implemented by the Architect was 26mm Timber Floor Overlay Board, which was chosen to minimise construction height and to comply with Approved Document E Building Regulations.

Over 100,000 Ancon Rebar Couplers were used to support the concrete of one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the world. Reinforcing bars which strengthen the concrete deck, towers and end piers had to be reliably, mechanically connected end to end throughout the structure. To perform this hidden, but vital structural task, Bartec Plus Parallel Threaded Couplers were selected from the comprehensive Ancon range. Various types and sizes, to match rebar diameters from 12-40mm, were supplied, with the three largest sizes being used to join reinforcement running the full height of the three 680ft support towers.

This project combines SuDS bound permeable paving with the most up to date methods of construction in BS 7533-101 and a variety of build-ups over varying substrates including structural concrete, permeable concrete, made up ground and attenuation crates.The Steintec tuffflow system of permeable bedding and jointing mortars was used to construct a SuDS permeable, bound/rigid pavement. The system allows the designer to capitlize on the low maintenance, high durability of a BS structurally compliant bound/rigid public realm pavement, while avoiding the disadvantages of loose bedding and jointing aggregates used in conventional SuDS pavement construction.

The enormous redevelopment of the site around Broadcasting House is situated between the Bakerloo and Victoria underground lines and the tube trains are clearly audible in all the buildings. Therefore, CDM Stravitec was asked to install floating floors using the Stravifloor Deck system.To protect the BBC W1 technical boxes from structure-borne noise each one was built off a concrete floating floor.The construction of the floating floors depended on the location within the building: in the basement the floors were 125 mm concrete on 100 mm void supported by bearings with a natural frequency of <8Hz.On the ground floor the floors were 90 mm concrete on 100 mm void; the 2nd floor was 90 mm concrete on 75 mm void and the 3rd and 4th floors 90 mm concrete on 50 mm void.

The Rowe is a new architecturally designed office space in Whitechapel London, where tradition meets innovation. With outside space on every level, the building sets a sustainable benchmark for new office space in central London. The new elements mimics the horizontal banding of the 1960s concrete building as well as contrasting with a steel structure and dark metal palette.The architects, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, had used KEIM previously. They contacted KEIM as they wanted a sustainable product in keeping with their core values. Samples were carried out, as shown in the photo below, to determine the most suitable colour.First off, KEIM Concrete Repair Mortar (KEIM Concretal-MR 2.0) was used for large repairs within the concrete. KEIM Fine Finishing Mortar (KEIM Concretal-FSP 0.2) was then used for levelling repairs as it is a much finer aggregate mix.KEIM Soldalit CL018, a light grey colour, was chosen to compliment the steel structure and due to its characteristics, was applied onto the previously painted surface without the need for a primer. It is fire resistant – A2-s1, d0 classified and Cradle to Cradle certified.The Rowe has been shortlisted for an AJ Retrofit Award 2023 in the Workspace (£10m and over) category. It was also awarded BREEAM ‘Excellent’, WELL ‘Platinum’ and received SmartScore certification.

A 150yr old stone built cottage had developed structural faults. The archway entrance was failing due to inadequate support causing distortion of the arch pier, the front door to jam and masonry cracking in the archway walls. HD BowTies were installed through the front elevation stonework and the first two floor joists to provide lateral restraint. HeliBars were bonded into the mortar beds to create masonry beams which assisted in distributing the loads above the arch. Crack stitching was undertaken to repair and stabilise the archway wall which was also secured to the internal cross wall with grouted CemTies.

This innovative, smartphone accessories company chose Milliken's Comfortable Concrete for its newly refurbished offices in the heart of Cork's business district. While offering the perfect aesthetic for the building's raw industrial heritage, the product also offered luxurious underfoot comfort due to its Comfort Plus cushion backing. The cushion backing also provides this environment with great acoustic performance.

Just a stone’s throw from Baden-Baden’s famous festival hall, a trendy and exclusive hotel has opened its doors in the name of Hotel Roomers. The hotel’s rooftop bar is a stand-out feature. Its lightweight steel canopy connects to the main concrete structure with Schöck Isokorb® type KS elements to minimize thermal bridging in the construction. And when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, the stairwells are fitted with Schöck Tronsole® to stop impact sound transmissions and ensure a restful stay. The building itself is a hotel, medical centre and apartment block all in one, and its radiant white facade complete with full-height windows creates a striking effect. But the real highlight is how the facade changes its appearance depending on the guests decision to shut out the light in their rooms using the integrated window shading systems. It is not just the facade design that makes this hotel so special, but also its energy concept, which is testament to its ambitious efficiency targets. A crucial component of this concept involved minimising thermal bridges, which were a concern in the hotel’s landmark cantilevered entrance canopy. Without the Schöck Isokorb® type KS elements, it would have been difficult – if not impossible – to build the cantilevered element so efficiently and to decouple the structurally challenging thermal bridge at the point of connection between the freely cantilevered steel girders and the reinforced concrete slabs. All stairwells within the hotel feature the Schöck Tronsole®, which allow it to live up to the high expectations of the investors and building owner Franz Bernhard Wagner in terms of both energy-saving aspects and – of course – sound proofing.