"hospital"

Leading partitioning specialist, Style, has launched a new glass sliding wall solution for balconies and terraces (BSW). Transforming a balcony into functional space, glass panels are used to enclose the area, creating a barrier against weather and noise without impeding the view. On fine days, the upper section of the glass panels can be neatly folded and stacked to one side, allowing people to sit out and enjoy the sunshine.For terrace rooms that open straight out into a garden or external seating area, Style’s new glass sliding wall allows the boundary between the two spaces to be easily removed on sunny days, whilst successfully combining weather protection with uninterrupted views of the outside during inclement weather.With a discrete guidance track that can be fitted flush to the floor, the BSW system creates a truly a streamlined aesthetic. “This is an exciting addition to our portfolio of glass moveable, folding and partitioning walls,” said Mark Cowley, who heads up the glass solutions division at Style. "With space at a premium, it makes sense to extract the maximum functionality from what is available.”“Our sliding-folding glass wall system brings the outdoors in, effectively expanding the living space in residential homes. In commercial settings, such as restaurants for example, the BSW can be used to increase capacity by making use of a balcony or external area that would otherwise only be enjoyed in good weather.” Making for a welcoming environment, even when a terrace room or balcony is entirely enclosed by the glass panels, air still circulates internally thanks to tiny, 3mm gaps between that provide continuous ventilation. Any condensation is quickly filtered outside thanks to unobtrusive drainage vents and guttering.Fitted with a sophisticated roller system, the individual glass panels also incorporate autonomous pivot point identifiers, ensuring smooth and effortless manoeuvrability every time.Ideal for residential and hospitality settings, the BSW system also offers opportunities for sports clubs, retail outlets and commercial offices, wherever a more enjoyable experience could be offered by opening-up an internal area to incorporate an outdoor space.

SGB Contractors have used UltraTile adhesives and grouts to install 250sqm of tiles at Slim Chickens’ brand new restaurant.BackgroundThe much-loved fast-casual food chain, Slim Chickens, have opened their latest restaurant at Bristol Cribbs Causeway shopping centre – the heart of Bristol shopping.The ChallengeTime was of the essence for SGB Contractors, who had just two weeks to install 250sqm of tiles at Slim Chickens’ brand new restaurant. It was imperative that the materials used adhered to the strict restaurant branding to be in keeping with the iconic interior design that Slim Chickens customers love.The SolutionUltraTile has a long and successful history of providing trusted and proven tile adhesives and grouts to the hospitality sector. For this exciting location, SGB Contractors used ProFlex SP and ProSS Flex adhesives and ProGrout Flexible grout to install and joint the chosen tiles.ProFlex SP rapid set flexible tile adhesive is classified as S1 in accordance with EN 12004 and boasts a high level of deformation for greater tolerance to movement. The S1 properties of ProFlex SP makes it the perfect choice for timber floors, swimming pools and underfloor heating systems.Specially formulated with enhanced adhesion and flexibility, ProSS Flex is a polymer modified adhesive suitable for use with most common substrates and tiles.Completing the project, SGB Contractors used ProGrout Flexible in Charcoal to grout the tiles. Designed for areas where movement or vibration is likely. ProGrout Flexible is suitable for joint widths up to 20mm and is washed down easily with minimal effort.Available in 12 beautiful tones, ProGrout Flexible is mould resistant, boasts a 30-60 minute pot life and will hard set in just 12 hours. What’s more, ProGrout Flexible has been developed using ColourShield Technology – a process which involves the addition of a specialist additive for lasting colour protection.ResultsThanks to the expertise of SGB Contractors and the reliability and durability of UltraTile materials, this project completed on time and the residents of Bristol are now able to enjoy their chicken wings in a beautifully decorated restaurant.

Sitting on the banks of the River Clyde, the Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel (GJCH) has recently been refurbished to a create hygienic, neutral and relaxing environment for guests. Designed by SPACE Solutions, Forbo Flooring Systems’ Allura Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) were specified to fulfil the cleanability and design requirements set by the hotel.The GJHC provides accommodation and conference facilities in the centre of Glasgow and sees a range of guests, from hospital staff and pre/post-operative patients to conference goers and more. As such, it was important that the rooms could satisfy the needs of every guest.SPACE Solutions was tasked to refurbish the 53 rooms, prioritising hygiene and comfort. Gillian Ralston, Senior Architect at SPACE Solutions spoke on the brief they received, saying: “With this project we wanted to create a welcoming, warm and inviting setting, with easily cleanable furniture and flooring. To make this happen, we had to design the rooms in a way that would minimise the risk of contamination for not only the guests, but also the staff who have to clean the rooms after a stay. However, we had to do this without compromising on the aesthetic value of the rooms. That’s why Forbo’s Allura LVT was perfect for this project.”Forbo’s Allura Decibel was specified in the Seagrass Anthracite and Light Grey Seagrass colourways, which both have a similar patterning. As well as this, the grey and green hues matched some of the design inspiration Gillian took from the surrounding environment.Gillian continued: “We chose Allura as it was available in designs that matched the scheme we had in mind, whilst also being easy to clean, fulfilling the hygiene requirements, and providing underfoot comfort. We also specified the Decibel format, which helps to reduce impact sound by 19 dB – an important factor for a hotel, where people expect a good night’s rest!”The Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel won ‘Commended’ in the Forbo Escapes 2021/22 competition.To find out more about Forbo’s Allura LVT products, visit www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/allura or to learn more about the Forbo Escapes competition, visit www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/forboescapes

House of Tomorrow Today... CHALLENGE + SOLUTION Before your imagination runs away with you: HoTT stands for House of Tomorrow Today. This new Dutch concept is based on both the Smart Building and Active House principles. It tries to gather recent innovations as well as new technological developments in one project, entirely in line with future market trends. From the very beginning HoTT gathers together all parties involved in order to have a smooth running building process and thus limiting the number of contacts and intermediaries. Compared with traditional building methods this optimal cooperation already results in at least a 30 % cost reduction. Also it is worth mentioning the construction itself - HoTT strives for prefabrication and modular building components, resulting in a decrease of project schedules, project budget and construction site waste. Although prefabrication had over time developed the stigma of cheapness and poor quality, it has nowadays been turned around into a green trend in construction. The first HoTT healthy home in the Netherlands has just been completed. Comfort, energy and technology are the main issues. It is a house with comfortable living conditions, a lot of natural light and fresh air, and, above all it is energy neutral, modular and durable, reducing its ecological footprint. Electrical wiring, plumbing and wall components can all be easily adapted for the future needs of the building. Both sloping roofs are prefabricated steel frame structures with insulation, vapour barrier and roof covering already included, allowing a fast and easy installation. The less sloping, south facing roof has a RENOLIT ALKORPLAN PVC roof covering, provided with aesthetic RENOLIT ALKORDESIGN roof profiles. Also part of the roof has solar panels which have been installed using RENOLIT ALKORSOLAR profiles. The building is being constantly evaluated by means of sensors gathering data to continuously improve and develop future HoTT buildings. The concept will not only be applicable for detached housing, further developments will also aim at terraced houses, schools, hospitals, etc. This project proves once again RENOLIT is a reliable “green” partner, a company that is responding to the growing demand for ecological products by offering sustainable building materials. It’s the first HoTT of hopefully many more...

Located on the iconic Berawa waterfront, the Atlas Beach Fest in Bali is decorated with contemporary charm thanks to stone-effect porcelain tiles from Atlas Concorde. Explore the project.From solariums that seem to float on the water to the show beach bars featured in the club, the luxurious beach club's choice of style comes across as sophisticated, with a clear multi-ethnic feel. In this heavenly setting, the stone-effect tiles of Atlas Concorde used to decorate the floors in several areas of the beach club add a touch of Made in Italy to the building. The area adjacent to the beach consisting of swimming pools, bars and relaxation areas thus takes on an allure with a timeless appeal. Inspired by split quartzites, or metamorphic stones composed almost entirely of quartz and small amounts of other minerals, stone-effect floor tiles retain all the natural roughness of the original material. Porcelain tiles evoke this trait by offering a surface with a strong, earthy appearance that is easy to clean and pleasing to the touch. Used in four different shades ranging from warm, intense nuances to grey tones inspired by the colour of the original natural stones, Atlas Concorde surfaces adorn the spaces of the beach club with highly accurate details. An attention to detail was critical both for the look and for the design itself. In fact, Atlas Concorde tiles are the ideal solution for those seeking design and technical functionality in spaces intended for public use. The resistance to foot traffic, the healthy nature of the material and the anti-slip properties of Atlas Concorde surfaces have made the beach club spaces an oasis of beauty and superior technical performance. With just the right mix of eye-catching visuals and technical properties, stone-effect porcelain tiles offer Atlas Beach Fest guests a relaxing moment of hospitality and safety. The decision to use stone-effect surfaces also tied in perfectly with the theme of the entire venue, creating a stylistic mix capable of combining eastern elements and the luxury of fashionable Mediterranean locales. And so it is that wood, stone, and soft fabrics typical of Spanish beach clubs coexist with the inevitable Indonesian canopy beds and furnishings with an eastern flavour. Atlas Concorde's stone-effect porcelain tiles helped to boost all the stylistic components included in the architectural design thanks to a material with a natural flavour.

A dynamic, highly flexible building at the University of Cambridge has been fitted with Junckers solid wood flooring as part of a light-filled interior scheme. The West Hub, designed by Jestico+Whiles, is a hybrid building designed to cater for students, commercial tenants, and members of the public. A focus on fostering connection and collaboration through thoughtfully designed interlinking spaces is evident in the interior, which is bright, open, and welcoming. The new building combines structured spaces with generous circulation areas for breakout and informal social and study use. The large, light-filled rooms make use of Junckers Nordic Oak Harmony flooring finished in ultra matt lacquer as an ideal backdrop. Using materials in paler shades helps maximise levels of natural light reflected into the space, supporting user wellbeing as well as minimising reliance on artificial lighting. A large plate-steel orange staircase, clad in Junckers Nordic Oak, zigzags its way through the main atrium, providing a visual and circulatory focal point as well as connecting the building vertically. Each of the floors in the building were designed with a different ambiance in mind, from a vibrant and lively ground floor housing a café and dining area, to a more relaxed, calmer first floor and a quiet upper floor intended for study. The building has achieved BREEAM Excellent and adopts many aspects of the WELL standard, including plenty of natural light and elements of biophilic design. On the lower ground floor hospitality areas, plants and trees have been integrated into the interior, which coupled with Junckers solid hardwood flooring provides an environment with a connection to nature, an element proved to support wellbeing as well as performance. An ideal choice for a busy, user-focused building, A pre-finished, solid hardwood floor from Junckers has a perfectly smooth surface and cannot harbour dust or mites. As an all-natural material, wood contributes to an even and balanced indoor climate as it helps maintain temperature in a room and reduces static from electrical equipment. All Junckers’ floors hold the Danish Indoor Climate label and have undergone extensive degassing and odour testing to ensure there are no chemical substances in the flooring. Junckers also complies with EU legislation REACH. The floor was installed by PICA Floorings Ltd. 

Anchor is England’s largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care for people  in later life, committed to providing homes where people love living in later life. This not-for-profit organisation serves more than 65,000 residents in 54,000 homes across almost 1,700 locations and operates in more than 85% of local councils in England.Deep rooted within the company values are robust initiatives aimed at providing the highest level of nutritional standards to the residents to support overall health & wellbeing. Comprehensive water hygiene inspection regimes are put in place to minimise risks and they continually seek new opportunities to reduce their environmental impact through reuse and recycling schemes.Committed to fulfilling their sustainability initiatives, Anchor partnered with BRITA VIVREAU and invested in premium drinking water solutions across multiple locations, bringing filtered, refreshing, clean drinking water for both it’s residents and staff. Based on business and residents’ needs, Anchor opted for different BRITA water dispensers across their care home sites – the versatile Top Pro is situated in waiting rooms and corridors and the powerhouse Fill model in the kitchen canteen, allowing for bottle-filling for residents in room, and keeping guests and staff hydrated. Additionally, BRITA’s signature Extra C-tap installed in the kitchen caters to hot & cold water requirements for their staff and residents.By being plumbed-in water dispensers, the care home could not only save money and use space more efficiently, without having to compromise on patient care, but this also encouraged round the clock access to fresh and hygienic purified drinking water, thanks to the powerful BRITA ThermalGateTM solution.Noel Finnegan,National Catering & Hospitality ManagerAnchor Hanover Group"To us, being sustainable means providing residences that people love living in. Sometimes maintaining an environmental policy in a healthcare setting can come with certain challenges and uncertainties, but our recommendation would be to start by taking small steps. Investing in a water dispenser program has been an easy way for us to reduce our carbon emissions, as we no longer have to worry about the logistics involved with handling, storing or recycling bottled water. We knew we needed to move away from our unreliable and expensive pre-bottled water process and the BRITA water dispensers helped us achieve that."

Architect/Designer: Norman Foster/Foster + PartnersLocation: The Robert Parfett Building, ManchesterProject Overview: New single storey building arranged around a central spine incorporating a mezzanine level, kitchen and variety of meeting spaces. Scope included a complete ironmongery package for all new glazed and timber doors.ServiceFull hardware scheduling & Bespoke finish.Project DetailsHere at 3v we were honoured to provide the ironmongery for the new Maggie’s cancer centre in Manchester that was designed by one of Britain’s most respected architects, Norman Foster, and engineered by his team at Foster + Partners.The first Maggie’s Centre opened in Edinburgh in 1996, there are now 19 Centres at major NHS cancer hospitals across the UK. The Centres have been set up to offer a non-clinical environment where anyone affected by cancer can stop by for advice or support. The timber frame creates a striking angular structure with tapered wooden columns and beams, however the use of warm wood and glass create a soft light-filled environment for people to gather in. What ironmongery do you choose to work with such a beautiful building? With timber as the primary building material and Nordic Bronze roof cladding we turned to our bespoke range and specified solid bronze ironmongery to compliment the natural feel of the buildings material palette. The simple design of our 304 model pull handle works in perfect harmony with the clean angular structure and homely aesthetic; functional while perfectly blending into the final design. Our most popular raw material is high quality stainless steel but increasingly our clients have been asking for something a bit different or unique. Stainless steel would not have worked in this design scheme, matching the bronze cladding added the perfect finishing touches to the warm and tactile materials used in this amazing structure. If you are thinking about specialist finishes for one of your future projects please contact our experienced team so we can advise you in more detail. To find our more about Maggie’s Manchester and to read Norman Foster’s interview on the design of the new centre follow the below link https://www.maggiescentres.org/about-maggies/news-and-publications/latest-news/designing-maggies-manchester/Photographs © Nigel Young/Foster + Partners

This project involved providing a soundproofing solution for a Grade ll listed period building located in the south west of Sheffield, close to the botanical gardens, where the former NHS building was undergoing conversion into residential wellings.Hush were involved in the very early design stages of this conversion/new build project and under direction of our client Jonathan Frith of Bamford Homes. We also worked alongside acoustic consultants HRS Services Ltd (now Stroma Specialist Access) and architect Richard Keighley from DKMY Architects.A variety of Hush Systems were specified to deliver excellent acoustic performance.HD1030: Hush System LP was applied to the ground and first floors. This is a floating floor system, compliant with Building Regulations Approved Document E, used in refurbishment of timber floors. It also holds 1-hour fire resistance at ceiling level.HD1032: Hush System LP/MF was used from the second to first floor and from the third to second floor. This economical sound insulation system for use between separating floors is made up of Hush Panel 28, Hush Seal 20 and Hush absorber slabs. It is used within refurbishment projects using timber joists and also provides 1-hour fire resistance at ceiling level.Along with using these systems, we also upgraded the existing walls using our HD1040: Wall System which provides high standards of airborne sound reduction and can be used to reduce both flanking and direct sound transmission. It again is compliant with UK Building Regulations and provides a minimum loss of space within rooms.Within the new build residential space, we recommended our HD1054: Double Timber Stud Wall System which is our extremely effective system comprising of Hush Slab absorber slabs and Acoustic Plasterboard.Although design stages through to completion of this project were around 3 years, the conversion and new build project itself, once begun took around 18 months. All acoustic testing carried out on site was passed.The flats are in a sought-after area, close to the University of Sheffield and Hallamshire Hospital, within easy access to facilities in Broomshill and Eccleshall road and have been finished to a high acoustic standard.

Riding Floors Ltd, contractors with over 50 years’ experience creating stunning hospitality venue floors, have used UltraFloor Prime IT Multi-surface Primer and Level IT Bond to install a beautiful LVT floor at The Heist pub in Elland, West Yorkshire.BackgroundLocated in a former Lloyds Bank, hence the name, The Heist has been lovingly created by two local business owners who have transformed the building into a smart and atmospheric pub. Earlier this year, the bar and daytime coffee bar was transformed by experienced flooring contractors, Riding Floors Ltd.The ChallengeThe highly experienced team at Riding Floors Ltd. required rapid drying expert subfloor preparation materials that would provide a super smooth finish to install the LVT floor covering.The SolutionWith a reputation built on quality workmanship, Riding Floors Ltd knew that UltraFloor would be the ideal subfloor preparation materials to use on this project.To prepare the concrete substrate for the application of Level IT Bond, the contractors first applied a coat of Prime IT Multi-surface Primer.Formulated to promote adhesion to all UltraFloor smoothing underlayments, Prime IT Multi-surface Primer reduces pinholing, minimising the risk of costly failures. With a coverage rate of 200sqm at 3:1 dilution, Prime IT Multi-surface Primer is a must-have product for all flooring installation projects.Once fully dried, Level IT Bond was applied at a 3-8mm depth across the 180sqm bar area. Level IT Bond is a rapid curing, high performance, free flowing two-part smoothing underlayment. It has exceptional adhesion characteristics making it suitable for use over a wide variety of subfloors and substrates, including old adhesive residues.This versatile and moisture tolerant floor leveller has a set time of 90-120 minutes, can receive foot traffic in as little as 1.5 – 2 hours, and can receive bonded floor coverings after just 4 hours – ideal for projects where a quick turnaround is essential.With a coverage of approximately 5sqm at 3mm and an exceptional flow, it is unsurprising that Level IT Bond is a firm favourite for today’s flooring contractor.ResultsThanks to the rapid setting properties of Level IT Bond, the entire project was finished in one week. On completion, Danny Ambler, Contracts Manager at Riding Floors Ltd commented: “The customer loved the finished job. Level IT Bond is a great product, flows well and can be used on multiple substrates.”