"lights"

With a new variant, SIEGENIA is expanding the opportunities for the use of its tried and tested TITAN hardware: the TITAN PVC hinge side now enables the achievement of sash weights up to 150 kg for PVC windows. The company is therefore providing a high-performance solution combining high light incidence with state-of-the-art sound and thermal protection requirements, thus enabling a high degree of room comfort. The new hinge side also exhibits additional strengths in production and assembly, where it distinguishes itself by its simple and speedy fabrication.

The new Costco warehouse in Farnborough is just one of 45 being built across the country by the leading wholesale giant as part of its UK expansion plans. A Sika Sarnafil waterproofing system has proved to be the perfect fit for the new 12,000sq m Costco warehouse. The size of the project and the quick installation time required resulted in the specification of the Sika Sarnafil S327-18EL membrane in Light Grey. Ideal for the job, the system is formulated for direct exposure to weather and is produced with integral polyester scrim reinforcement for high strength.

Financed by county council capital funds, Northamptonshire County Council undertook a multi-million pound remedial works programme on a number of schools originally built in the 1960’s and 1970’s. All of the buildings were suffering from some degree of water ingress, and the roofs needed to be brought in line with current building regulations for improved thermal performance. Sika Sarnafil’s specialist roofing contractors installed over 50,000m2 in light and lead grey of G410-18EL single ply membrane to the school roofs.

Witness the stunning transformation of The Smurf House in Devon, UK, where modern rooflight design blends seamlessly with nature. Led by Katie Woods, this renovation of a holiday home combines the beauty of its surroundings with bespoke interior design, thanks to innovative Vario by VELUX round rooflights. These custom-made skylights flood the home with strategically placed natural light, creating a breath-taking connection between indoor and outdoor spaces and a fun, vibrant environment. Let The Smurf House inspire you to embrace nature in your designs.

The new BBVA Headquarters is located in the northern outskirts of Madrid. The complex comprises an intricate network of buildings, patios and gardens. The buildings were designed to optimize the use of natural light and provide visualization of green areas within the work environment. The main building is easily recognizable by its geometrically shaped brise-soleil and its rounded silhouette central tower. The Effisus Ecofacade membranes were used to seal the connections of the glass elements to the facade, guaranteeing water and air tightness, optimizing the energy efficiency of the building.

In the heart of the London’s Technology District, this projects, is one of the most ambitious projects to be built. It’s a vibrant community of successful start-ups and established digital corporations. Revolutionizing the workplace, the concept of designing new office buildings inside industrial spaces, is based on the principles of reducing lighting, heating and cooling, allowing maximum flexibility and adaptability, allied with excellent decoration and design. In this project, the Effisus Breather+ breathable membrane was chosen in order to assure the façade’s watertightness, whilst also permitting aeration of its components, such as the insulation boards.

Architects: Loyn + Co Set in a stunning location in the heart of the Welsh rolling countryside and valleys, Vila Mir is a contemporary new-build home that features large sliding doors and windows to maximise light and to breakdown the boundaries between the house and its surroundings. Designed by the award-winning Loyn + Co the project was shortlisted for the Wales Gold Medal for Architecture 2018 and sits within mature gardens on a sloping site. A central rendered chimney helps divide the structure of the house with the ground floor of the property built into the side of the slope.

The largest free standing structure in the UK, Terminal 5, has a vast amount of essential building services that are concealed under the flooring. An access solution was required that would enable maintenance of services, including water and waste; electrical, communications, heating, cooling and lighting, without having to remove the flooring as this would be costly, time consuming and disruptive in such a busy environment. A number of Howe Green’s 1050 Series and 7500 Series access covers were specified to provide easy, safe and hassle free access to the vital services.

Architect: Selencky///Parsons. Transforming this tired old 1930s semi-detached house in South London whilst living in it with a young family was the challenge for this homeowner. The end result is a stunning light filled home with more than fifty percent more floor space and panoramic views over London. The design, by Selencky///Parsons architects called for a complete modernisation of the home and the addition of a ground floor extension featuring a three-panel theEDGE2.0 ultra-slim sliding door system and loft conversion to increase usable space for the family.

Oscar Elite exceptionally smooth acoustic plaster used on Grand Design Series 7. Oscar Acoustics' experienced in-house operatives installed Oscar Elite acoustic plaster directly onto the original concrete soffit at a depth of only 25mm and up the vertical faces into the feature light lantern. The end result was a flat white acoustic plaster finish, smoother than most conventional plastered and painted finishes, which made this potential sonic battle ground a relaxing and comfortable place in which to spend time.

Vienna Central station is a new, state-of-the-art railway station. The key architectural idea: Vienna should be open and free of barriers. Open halls, wide stairways and ceiling apertures create a sense of space and freedom. Simplicity and lightness are balanced by the use of high-grade materials such as natural stone and glass. About 1,100 metres of Q-railing’s oval-shaped, stainless steel Easy Glass cap rail on staircases throughout the station is a perfect example of this preference for quality. It also responded to the project’s demanding safety and accessibility requirements.

Striking the optimum balance between aesthetics and fire safety in glazed partitions is a reality with new additions to the SYSTEMGLAS® range from passive fire protection market leader Promat UK. Utilising the proven fire resistant material PROMATECT® H, two new Promat SYSTEMGLAS® options give designers and contractors the scope to create frameless, butt-jointed glazed screens that maximise light transmission, whilst offering fire integrity and insulation (EI) fire protection for 30 or 60 minutes.

A stunning and original Armourcoat Sculptural 'Flow XL' ceiling installed at the haz Restaurant on Mincing Lane in London. Located on the ground floor of Plantation Place building, the restaurant's contemporary interior designed by brand consultancy I-AM is light and spacious with high ceilings and long glass frontage. Armourcoat Sculptural creates seamless wall surfaces with impactful designs and cast relief. Each design is created from cast GRG (Glass-fibre Reinforced Gypsum) panels, CAD generated to enable a continuous pattern or unique decorative effect.

Viking Line is one of the market-leaders in passenger transport on the northern Baltic Sea. The company runs passenger, leisure and freight transport services on its seven vessels. When the passenger ferry ‘Cinderella’ was due for a refit, including the laying down of new floors, Amtico Marine was chosen for the wide range of designs and sizes. Pale Maple was chosen for the crew’s canteen, a light wood design to create a warm atmosphere. Ceramic Frost and Linear Metallic Jewel were combined in different parts of the duty-free shop.

This contemporary holiday home is located in the tranquil, unspoiled Swedish archipelago. Set into the cliff, the house is beautifully framed by the dramatic, rocky landscape and the deep blue sea. The wooden structure of the house was inspired by the local building traditions found in the boat houses of the archipelago. The interior reflects the minimalist exterior, with furniture in light wood and a subtle colour palette. The L lever handle in charcoal from the Knud Holscher collection plays a reliable supporting role to a serene and calm interior. Project by Norm Architects and images by Jonas Bjerre Poulsen. 

British Land commissioned Adam Richards Architects to design a custom-built barge for a new London restaurant, The Cheese Barge. The floating restaurant creates a distinctive focal point and destination for Paddington Central and the wider area. The boat’s curving, sloping roof is clad externally in Traditional Textures Copper Patina Precoated Aluminium metal to replicate aged copper. On the underside of this roof, a copper colour is visible from inside the boat, creating a warm and convivial interior as it gathers the light reflected off the surface of the water.

Sedlescombe is England's oldest organic wine estate. The new owners have totally transformed the Vineyard's shop and tasting room with a stunning combination of steel and glass being incorporated through the whole building design. The enormous pair of radius head door screens provide a magnificent feature both internally and externally. They are in keeping with the natural surroundings and a fabulous backdrop to the shop. Inside you will find further Clement EB24 door screens and doors used to beautifully partition rooms and allow light to flow through the building.

The Ecco concertina loft ladder features the very latest technology to achieve excellent thermal insulation and an airtight seal. The 4-point latching system ensures an airtight seal all the way around the hatch, while WDL tape provides an insulating seal between the hatch box and ceiling structure. Ideal for residential and light-duty commercial projects. The lightweight yet strong and durable aluminium loft ladder is easy to open and close. It is also suitable for smaller ceiling openings (as small as 800mm x 550mm).

Our client Pocket Living had the vision to refurbish and transform the 1920’s industrial office building of Astra House in Arklow Road, London into 44 affordable homes. NorDan products were the perfect choice for a refurbishment development like this one. Our fixed light windows allow extensive use of large glass areas and particular architectural styles. Additionally, NorDan fully reversible windows offer extra safety assurance, with integrated child safety restrictors that locks the hinge to operate in the ventilation position only.

Built in 1964, the Roscoe Building is the hub of the Faculty of Science at Manchester University. Designed by Cruickshank and Seward, it was named after 1860s Professor of Chemistry, Henry Roscoe. In 2009 we supplied the replacement windows for a refurbishment project undertaken by architects Farrell & Clark. The original windows were of German origin and advanced for their time: center pivot windows, to maximize light in the laboratories. To keep a consistent look we supplied the same style of windows but aluminium clad on the external face for ease of maintenance; and double glazed for energy efficiency.

Baptist Health and MD Anderson have partnered to create a new $184 million cancer centre in Jacksonville, Florida, focused on treating all forms of adult cancer. The building is situated overlooking St John’s River in a beautiful and serene environment. The new nine-storey 332,000-square-foot center is designed to provide state-of-the-art care and will also host clinical trials for new drugs. The facility has a contemporary design enclosing a central courtyard. With open views to all aspects, abundant natural light streams into the interior, creating a warm uplifting atmosphere. The frontage of the L-shaped structure, facing south, is flooded with light, requiring extensive passive solar shading. The teams involved in the project design and construction, which included HKS Architects (Dallas), adopted an holistic approach ensuring that all aspects of the design, both exterior and interior, reflected the goal of creating a positive, calm and caring environment focused on the individuals who inhabit it, namely the patients, their families, and the staff. Levolux elliptical aluminium fins form the horizontal bands of solar shading running across the front of the building. In keeping with using materials to create a calming feeling of warmth and comfort, Powdertech Wood Finish™ was specified for the solar shading. Back in the UK Powdertech coated 2000 linear metres of 150mm by 50mm extruded aluminium in PWF 31, Black Walnut, a “warm” finish, which were despatched to Florida as a single delivery.

Toploc provides sustainable cover for Solas Eco Garden CentreMarlon Toploc was the ideal canopy glazing solution for this impressive retractable canopy roof at the Solas Eco Garden Centre.  In addition to Marlon Toploc providing all of the characteristics required to realise the designers specification, product manufacturer, Brett Martin's values align perfectly with Solas when it comes to sustainability and a greener future. Solas is one of the few Eco Garden Centres in Ireland, providing an excellent, eco-friendly, customer experience.  Now employing over 100 people the Garden Centre brings a breath of fresh air to the local community.Clear Marlon Toploc panels provide 64% light transmission, flooding the area underneath with natural daylight to create a bright and airy outdoor space while providing shelter from the changeable Irish weather.In this instance, clear 16mm sevenwall Marlon Toploc panels were cold curved on-site and mounted in sections at three different heights to a retractable pulley, allowing the canopy roof to open. The Marlon Toploc panels are secured with the Marlon polycarbonate cap profile for a seamed finish on the canopy roof.Marlon Toploc polycarbonate panels are strong and durable and co-extruded with UV protection on both sides as standard to protect the panels and everything underneath from harmful UV rays. The Marlon Toploc standing seam system is light in weight making both installation and on-going movement of the retractable roof easy.

Surespan designed and manufactured several fire-rated roof hatches for the Killeen ISD East/West Ward Elementary School, in Killeen Texas.  The Project:Huckabee is the architect behind the East/West Ward Elementary School, tasked with replacing two 60-year-old campuses, by combining them into one new holistic learning environment. The planning behind the architecture focuses on efficiency, function and ease of wayfinding. From simple to navigate corridors, modernised classrooms and glazing to illuminate the interior with natural light. East/West Ward Elementary School blends district design standards with innovative thinking to achieve spacial efficiency and maintain equitability.Product:Surespan designed and manufactured five 35.5-inch x 35.5-inch Fire Rated Roof Hatch with an integral guard hand railing attached. These hatches are thermally broken and have been designed and tested with 4-hour fire resistance for integrity to EN 1634-1:2014.  Features:These hatches are using environmentally friendly materials such as non-combustible minerals and fireboard cladding to achieve a top-performing thermal efficiency. All the hatches were finished in a light grey polyester powder-coated finish for an aesthetically pleasing solution. The coating is set to last many years, just like the durable masonry veneer that is featured in the building, helping to maintain the space for years to come. 

Established in Eastbourne over 130 years ago, W.Bruford is proud of its reputation for exceptional service, exclusive choice and attention to detail. They are recognised as a prestigious jewellers and pride themselves in offering the highest quality products and services. We wanted to do their brand justice by working closely with them to make their vision for their entrance come to light.Project Year: 2019Product: ASSA ABLOY SL500 Transparent Sliding DoorProject Background: Having worked with Innovare Design on their shopfront redesign, the client approached us to request a bi-parting all glass automatic door with side screens and pocket screens, and for the operator to sit above the ceiling and be the closest match to the bronze finish on their sign. As a high end jewellery store, both security and a clean and sleek look, were priorities for the entrance.Solution:FAAC Entrance Solutions installed the SL500 Transparent sliding door four panel system and finished the operator cover in a 50% gloss Light Bronze RAL Finish. The pocket screens were replaced by flush mounted EN16005 compliant safety presence detecting sensors which together with the 10.8mm glass and a dotted manifestation, contributed to an elegant yet safe entrance. We integrated mechanical bolt floor locks, and first-entry switch and last-exit push buttons for the use of staff. For more information or assistance with any project, please contact enquiries.esuk@faactechnologies.com where we can provide expert guidance and detailed documentation.

The custom-made KEUCO washbasin board with truffle-coloured glass has a cleaning-friendly finish and offers ample space for setting things down. With their slender exteriors, the EDITION 400 two-handle fittings look like sculptures soaring over the ceramic washbasins. The continuous LED lighting of the matching light mirror extends over the complete wash area, brightening the room. And for a closer look, the illuminated iLook_move LED cosmetic mirror offers the guest five-fold magnification. The flexible swiveling arm means the mirror can be adjusted to any position.Linearly arranged KEUCO accessories can be found around the WC that perfectly match the symmetry of the room. The toilet paper is found under the cover of the COLLECTION MOLL toilet paper holder. The matching chrome-plated brush set with its easily removable insert is extremely easy to maintain.Awaiting the guests in the showers are the minimalist IXMO fittings from KEUCO. The suites and rooms feature combinations of shower head and hand shower or the innovative IXMO SOLO shower fitting, which combines single-lever mixer and hose connection in only one module. With its motto "less can do more", IXMO from KEUCO combines multiple functions in the smallest of spaces, and features a designer look. All in all an enticing choice of interiors, which makes a stay at Le Méridien Munich an unforgettable experience.

Individual or hinged panel single glazed sliding system with the option of with crittall bars. This single glazed sliding system can achieve 34dB.The benefit of our MG900 panels is that they work in the same way as conventional movable walls and can be either single or double point suspension. With the slim back painted border you have clear view visual lines. This allows a superior light flow around the office, cost-effective installation and flexibility in the work environment. Plus the simple fact that they look elegant and classy. Not only these, but they also offer exceptional sound reduction allowing for privacy to be had amongst clients or for important internal meetings.The MG900 glazed system is a 35mm thick panel that can be incorporated into your standard fixed glazed partitioning system.So this unique 35mm thickness gives endless designs and layout options.Furthermore, the aluminium frame can be coloured to your choice to match your design or branding needs. These panels retain a room’s spacious sense of proportion and maximise light and clear viewing lines. Truly a magnificent office aesthetic.MG900 Key FactsAcoustic reduction from 34dBSlimline 35mm thick panelsTop hung with a shallow 4mm floor guidePanel widths 450mm to 1200mmHeight up to 3000mmPanel border finish any chosen RAL finishCrittall bar glazing designs to suit your design needs

Individual or hinged panel single glazed sliding system with the option of with crittall bars. This single glazed sliding system can achieve 34dB.The benefit of our MG900 panels is that they work in the same way as conventional movable walls and can be either single or double point suspension. With the slim back painted border you have clear view visual lines. This allows a superior light flow around the office, cost-effective installation and flexibility in the work environment. Plus the simple fact that they look elegant and classy. Not only these, but they also offer exceptional sound reduction allowing for privacy to be had amongst clients or for important internal meetings.The MG900 glazed system is a 35mm thick panel that can be incorporated into your standard fixed glazed partitioning system.So this unique 35mm thickness gives endless designs and layout options.Furthermore, the aluminium frame can be coloured to your choice to match your design or branding needs. These panels retain a room’s spacious sense of proportion and maximise light and clear viewing lines. Truly a magnificent office aesthetic.MG900 Key FactsAcoustic reduction from 34dBSlimline 35mm thick panelsTop hung with a shallow 4mm floor guidePanel widths 450mm to 1200mmHeight up to 3000mmPanel border finish any chosen RAL finishCrittall bar glazing designs to suit your design needs

Individual or hinged panel single glazed sliding system with the option of with crittall bars. This single glazed sliding system can achieve 34dB.The benefit of our MG900 panels is that they work in the same way as conventional movable walls and can be either single or double point suspension. With the slim back painted border you have clear view visual lines. This allows a superior light flow around the office, cost-effective installation and flexibility in the work environment. Plus the simple fact that they look elegant and classy. Not only these, but they also offer exceptional sound reduction allowing for privacy to be had amongst clients or for important internal meetings.The MG900 glazed system is a 35mm thick panel that can be incorporated into your standard fixed glazed partitioning system.So this unique 35mm thickness gives endless designs and layout options.Furthermore, the aluminium frame can be coloured to your choice to match your design or branding needs. These panels retain a room’s spacious sense of proportion and maximise light and clear viewing lines. Truly a magnificent office aesthetic.MG900 Key FactsAcoustic reduction from 34dBSlimline 35mm thick panelsTop hung with a shallow 4mm floor guidePanel widths 450mm to 1200mmHeight up to 3000mmPanel border finish any chosen RAL finishCrittall bar glazing designs to suit your design needs

Trafalgar Place, London designed by De Rijke Marsh Morgan Architects (dRMM) is a Stirling-award shortlisted mixed-use project designed as part of the Elephant and Castle regeneration. It offers 235 homes set within a reinvigorated area, designed to replace 1960’s era mega blocks. Each new home comes with its own garden, balcony or roof terrace and has been designed to maximise light and space.A rich combination of MBH PLC’s Freshfield Lane clamp-fired Danehill Yellow, Anthracite, Selected Lights, Selected Darks and First Quality Multi bricks were used to create a stunning vertical gradient that helps to both blend in with the established vernacular while creating a modern identity befitting such an expansive redesign of the area. FabSpeed blended all the brick special products which had to be meticulously coordinated and blended to achieve the gradient colour change on the main facade.Additional care was given to the landscape, with pre-existing trees integrated into the project and a variety of open spaces created to allow residents to find solace amongst natural environments despite the site’s proximity to the wider city.Trafalgar Place won the ‘Best New Place to Live’ and the ‘Mayor’s Award for Planning Excellence’ at London Planning Awards, in 2016 and Best Housing Design Award at the 2015 Brick Awards.

Rutherford House is an imposing 58,000 sq ft office building located within the heart of Birchwood Park, Warrington, providing superior office space to rent for small, medium and large businesses employing up to 100 people. Consisting of two wings of three and five floors, the building has excellent natural lighting and is conveniently located for travel across the region. Recently refurbished to a high standard, the office complex now boasts a full-height glass atrium and spacious reception area. To achieve this record was chosen to remove the existing bi-parting sliding doors and replace them with a K32 Full Glass Revolving Door, pass door with a DFA 127 Swing Operator, full screen and linear framework.The K32 Full Glass Revolving Door, with the drive motor under the floor, provides a striking and welcoming entrance that complements the surrounding glass facade and allows natural light to flood into the building. With large, spacious compartments, the K31 can accommodate the constant flow of building occupants, ensuring they can safely and comfortably enter and exit the building at all times, whilst maintaining an airlock into the reception to create an ambient temperature and help reduce heating costs.To complement the record K32, a pass door with a record DFA 127 Swing Operator, which is silent in operation, has been installed to enable a wider opening, for wheelchair users and deliveries of large bulky items as and when required.

Our small bathroom design may only be 160 x 170cm, but for me, it’s perfectly formed in every way. You can reach both arms across and touch either side of the room, but that’s not actually what you immediately notice when you step through the door. Instead, you see a generous frameless skylight flooding the space with natural light, a wall of tactile sage green tiles and the unusual choice of a green sink paired with an off white floating vanity unit. I spent so long considering all the little details – from matching my grout to my silicone, to lining up the tiles perfectly – that size, here, really doesn’t matter.There’s a lot I learnt during the process of designing my own small bathroom design, so I thought I would share all my lessons and top tips in case you’re planning a space of a similar size. We don’t all have huge mansions, bedrooms we can convert into bathrooms or space enough for a roll-top bath and a shower. Most of us are working with tricky layouts and tight floorpans, trying to maximise the space we’ve got. Don’t be disheartened with your small bathroom, there’s a lot you can do to make it feel light, airy, uplifting and inspiring.

The ChallengeWith the architects hoping to realise their vision of space and light on the ground floor, but the fire officer demanding fire safety partitioning around the base of the lift shafts, Pyroguard tendered a stylish, high-performance solution – a lobby encased in glass and steel, capable of delivering best-in-class performance credentials and aesthetic appeal in abundance.Working closely with steel frame and glazing specialist Pacific Fire Control, Pyroguard designed a modern glass wall, with a glazed door and stylish, thin steel frames which were independently fire tested by Efectis France.The scheme amendment was accepted by both the architects and the fire officers, declaring Pyroguard as their manufacturer of choice for this flagship leisure development.The SolutionA subsidiary of India’s largest business conglomerate, the Tata Group, the Indian Hotels Company is known for its relentlessly high standards, which are visible across its portfolio of hotels.Meeting this quality benchmark head-on, Pyroguard supplied 390 square metres of ultra-thin lightweight Pyroguard Firesafe, which offers protection from flames, smoke and radiant heat for between 30 and 120 minutes.This EW-classified product is UV stable and offers exceptional light transmission, making it the perfect solution for encasing the lift lobby. The toughened glass was installed in fire-resistant steel screens and door frames around the lobby.

OverviewIn partnership with Tidyco, Powrmatic was selected to supply an energy-efficient air rotation heating system for a 5,100m2 warehouse storage facility in Derbyshire using a Powrmatic TEx41 Air Rotation Heater measuring over 20ft tall.Project BackgroundTidyco was approached by a customer who is involved with manufacturing, transport and additional services in the aerospace industry amongst others. After recent success, their customer needed to expand their footprint and managed this by moving into a newly built warehouse situated in Derbyshire.SolutionAs this was a brand-new commercial building, there was no heating provision and just the original lighting installed by the builder, which was not fit for purpose. Tidyco was tasked with installing an efficient and effective means of heating solution for the 5,100m2 (55,000 sq ft) vast space along with a modern lighting system. In order to heat and illuminate this space, which occupied a space of more than seven and a half football pitches, some heavy-duty kit was required.ResultFor the heating aspect, Tidyco engineers installed an internal Powrmatic TEx 41 air rotation heater, manufactured in the UK. With an output of 350 kW, the unit measured in at over six metres (20 ft) tall. This particular TEx model was gas-powered and has the superior capacity to provide complete climate control for a 55,000 sq ft with a single TEx Air Rotation Heater.

Rawson Carpet Solutions have supplied their structured Riven carpet plank at The Alconbury Civic Hub. The new Civic Hub is designed to provide an innovative and contemporary workspace for Cambridgeshire County Council’s staff. Rawson Carpet Solution’s designer nylon carpet planks have been used to great effect. Over 3000 sqm of Riven in Slate and graphite colourway has been installed allowing for subtle and natural expression in this new exciting building built by RG Carter.The curved building is split into two wings, the Riven plank runs though the internal spaces allowing the natural light to capture its structured design in certain spaces and for the flowing aesthetic of this 2ply solution dyed nylon plank to be truly utilised. The light, open plan office space is designed to Cambridgeshire’s brief of accommodating fixed and flexible workstations. Natural colours along with the structured pattern of the Riven range installed by Northants Flooring help to lighten the modern and comfortable workspace and contribute to a pleasing aesthetic. The 750g yarn weights ensured that the carpet is quiet and comfortable underfoot. The new building has been constructed with as little impact as possible on the environment and is designed to promote more flexible and agile working among staff, linked to technological advances and transformed working practices, and aimed at reducing congestion in Cambridge. An inspired space designed by AHMM

Hamburg architect Jan Störmer's design of The Fontenay luxury hotel is an homage to the Hanseatic city. The sculptural and organic circle-shaped architecture successfully achieves a balance between the urban character of the city and its natural surroundings. Situated directly on the Alster, it is an island of tranquillity in the middle of Hamburg. The exquisite structure makes it possible to experience the Hanseatic slogan "modern classic" first hand: an open-minded outlook together with a cosmopolitan lifestyle, but with a marked penchant for the classical.  Because of the way the bright, curvy and light-flooded architecture is designed, all 130 rooms and suits face outward, and many offer a view of the Alster. The interior design of the guest rooms by Christian Meinert of the architectural firm Aukett + Heese in Berlin employs perfectly coordinated colours that harmonise wonderfully with the surrounding waterside park landscape. Light beige tones, green onyx walls, warm white nuances, and turquoise and royal blue accents faithfully mirror the natural surroundings. In the hotel bathrooms, light natural stone is used. Here, too, the products and materials chosen with special care ensure an overall impression of refinement and complete harmony. The furnishings, which include KEUCO cosmetic mirrors, stools and accessories with brushed nickel finish, are ideal – a perfect synthesis of the classical and the modern – simply a "modern classic". The refined and matt shine of nickel, its extreme durability, and its solid value are what makes this finish so special and attractive, and the first choice in The Fontenay hotel. Particularly in a hotel, the bathroom furnishings must always meet the high expectations of guests and management. Lasting brilliance is guaranteed by the first rate "made in Germany" workmanship and the strict controls on quality.  Because of the careful attention given to the choice of products, time spent in the bathroom is a special experience for every hotel guest. For beauty care, the illuminated cosmetic mirror is a coveted utensil, and the bathroom stool with wooden seat invites you to stay a bit longer. With their pronounced design the accessories round off the bathroom setting perfectly. The Fontenay hotel in Hamburg is an architectural masterpiece par excellence. The meticulously thought-through concept and the stylish attention to detail resonate consistently throughout the entire premises. With their brushed nickel finish, KEUCO's accessories are the perfect complement and emphasize the exclusive and modern character of the bathrooms even more.  

Project: 1 Aylesbury Street, Clerkenwell, London, EC1R 0DRClient: MeritcapeArchitect: Atum Design LabM&E consultant: EngDesignProtecting Cities Against Fire with Advanced GlazingDaylight-flooded spaces command a premium from tenants, but in the densest urban areas – where buildings are very tightly packed – it can be difficult to achieve. Not least because of the need to protect against the spread of fire.This was the challenge for developer Meritcape when they set out to refurbish 1 Aylesbury Street – a converted historic warehouse building in Clerkenwell, East London.The designers wanted to fill every floor of the building with natural light, from both the front and the back of the building by using floor-to-ceiling glazing on every floor. However, the rear of the property was just three metres away from a neighbouring building.To prevent fire spreading from one building to the next, building regulations specify the fire resistance that external walls need to be able to provide. This is given as minimum requirements for integrity – how long they can contain smoke and flames – and insulation, or how long they can prevent the escape of heat. Steve Bond, technical and customer support manager, fire, at Pilkington United Kingdom Limited, said: “When you have two buildings this close together, standard glazing is not an option, as it doesn’t put up enough of a barrier to fire spreading outwards from the building.“That’s where fire-resistant glazing can make a big difference. By providing protection against fire while also letting light flow in, we can create light-filled spaces in very built-up parts of the city where not long ago it wouldn’t have been possible.“As well as sealing in flames and smoke for at least an hour, the glass also provides radiation shielding that reduces the amount of heat energy that can pass outwards through the glass – another key means of spreading fire.” The rear façade of the building is glazed in Pilkington Pyroclear® Plus insulating double-glazed units, delivering not only the right level of fire resistance, but have also been designed to give excellent thermal insulation (U-value) properties to reduce heat-loss from the building.Davood Kiani, Senior Project Consultant at Meritcape said: “Those looking for modern commercial space expect floorplans to be well lit with natural light, and this is one of the main design challenges when working with buildings in the most densely urban areas of the city.“Fire regulations are one of the big reasons for this, so Pilkington fire-resistant glazing means we can achieve the best of both worlds - a building that meets or exceeds all of the safety regulations while also feeling spacious and airy.”A total of 800 m2 of Pilkington glass was used in the project, including in the front façade of the building, in which hundreds custom-sized small double-glazed solar-control units were used to imitate the crittall steel-framed windows that are a signature feature of buildings in the area.Images by S G Photography