"lights"

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

Standard Life Investments’ new £75m development at St Andrew Square in Edinburgh, as with many modern builds, it is fronted with lots of glass. It looks amazing and delivers plenty of natural light, but often requires robust shading solutions to protect people from the sun’s glare and heat. The fit-out company opted to use YewdaleDefiant® R20 systems with side channels throughout, and the YewdaleDefiant® R20M with double bracket. This allowed the installation of a dimout screen fabric and a blackout fabric, which can be easily switched between at the touch of a button. Read more...

When a Manchester blind company were tasked with fitting the blinds for the apartments in a £650 million redevelopment project in Salford, called New Bailey they had no hesitation in specifying Yewdale for the job. In the high-rise buildings, residents of luxury apartments enjoy enviable views of the city, but blinds were still needed for shade and privacy. To suit the environment, 448 YewdaleDefiant® R20 roller blinds were chosen with a 3% Roe white fabric to allow some natural light in the living rooms and blackout Medway chalk fabric in the bedrooms. Read more about this project.

How powder coating light-weighted a new buildPowder coated aluminium would solve the issues of weight and expense and is also low maintenance. The designers were impressed with the Powdertech Landscape™ ‘Stone’ range which replicates the colour and random markings of different natural stones. ‘Kilkenny Stone’ was the shade chosen, a Qualicoat Class 2 powder with high performance corrosion protection, weather resistance and colour stability. Over 3500sq metres of aluminium cladding panels, window reveals, column casings and soffit panels were coated.

Ngurah Rai International Airport, which carries a unique and futuristic building design, is the first airport in Indonesia that blends modernity and tradition. The roof is shaped like a wave, giving the iconic airport a representation to Bali’s famous sea waves and beautiful beaches. The airport is designed with a substantial use of glass to achieve optimal lighting, and the climate means regular maintenance is required to prevent staining. A bespoke fall arrest system was designed to ensure operators are able to practice 100% Fall Arrest tie off work methods when conducting maintenance activities.

The £43 Million second phase of the regeneration of Bristol Harbourside features two new residential buildings and four retail units.The design by Alec French Architects reflects the area’s historic past and features an extensive thermally efficient glazing package. This includes Senior’s fixed light plus tilt & turn SPW600 aluminium windows, SPW501 aluminium commercial doors for emergency exits and inward opening SPW600 aluminium doors giving access to apartment balconies.The highly durable aluminium construction of Senior’s glazing systems makes them ideal for coastal and waterside buildings.

When it came to Ty Oriel (‘Gallery House’ in Welsh), the brief was ambitious. Architects Nic Downs and Carolyn Merrifield wanted something sleek but striking. Eco-friendly, but instantly classic. A family home that was angular and modern, but that could simultaneously blend with its more conservative suburban surroundings. And they were that demanding for a very good reason. The house wasn’t just for anyone. It was theirs. Clean and minimalistic, the resulting build is stylishly open-plan, incorporating an office and an art studio as well as four bedrooms, all south-facing to maximise natural light.

Rubio Monocoat was specified on the interior and exterior timber surfaces, such as the furniture, kitchen counter top, built-in cupboards, stair casing, as well as outdoor furniture. The interior has a minimalistic and uncluttered feel, rather placing a greater emphasis on the sea, and to the mountains on the Northern side. A dark charcoal colour was chosen for the exterior, and this is in contrast with the light walls inside the house. The kitchen has a clean contemporary feel. There is a spine-wall running through the house, which is cladded with dark ribbon stoning, and copper colours. The furniture is uncluttered as well as being practical for a house that is right on the beach/

A major housing provider wanted their new workspace to reflect its corporate and environmental ethos. Vtec's premium wood-slatted system, SupaSlat, was used in the ceiling design. The beauty of the system was it supported the client's green initiatives, as FSC® Certified (FSC® 160047) wood was used. Vtec's SupaSlat system addressed the need for sustainable measures. The beautiful light-coloured grain complimented the sophisticated soft furnishes infusing warmth and vitality to the space. Read more to explore how the Lift and Shift system enabled accessible locations into the T-24 ceiling grid.

Architect: Redbox Design GroupMain Contractor: Tolent Construction Installer: Metcalfe Roofing & Building Services LtdStone: Cebecca LimestoneThe Sunderland Hilton Garden Inn, on the banks of the River Wear, is a 141 room hotel featuring MX curtain walling as well as Aztec 20mm Cebecca limestone Ventilated Rainscreen. Designed By Redbox the architects wanted a light and spacious building without the need for a heavy support system. The glass and limestone mix imparts this vision perfectly. Completed in 2016 The Aztec system was installed by Metcalf Roofing & Building.

We worked closely with Brown and Carroll, The Architects Make and Lend Lease the main contractor to create a competitively priced high-quality floor. There are two palette colours a “Latte” light board and an “Expresso” dark board. These were prime oak, fumed and then finished with a colour oil for maintenance and repair to create a uniform natural floor. We are supplying a 190mm wide board and a 260mm wide board in a very select clean grade 20mm thick engineered flooring. We also altered the tannins in the top layer to create a unique brushed finish.

We developed two engineered wood floors and advised on the subfloor build up and installation. The products chosen were initially designed by Goddard Littlefair and we worked with the designers to create two unique pallets. This is a new product and we do not have fitted pictures yet, but the images show one carton laid out.These boards were similar to some of our antique colours but the designers wanted a different hue. The TW E731 was based on our antique board but they wanted it light brushed with a matt UV oil finish rather than a lacquer.

Delivered under the 21st Century Schools and Education Programme, the new Caldicot School building in Monmouthshire offer the innovative and flexible learning facilities demanded by a contemporary secondary school. There are spacious classrooms, a multi-use hall, theatre-style learning areas and studio spaces for students to study informally. The building is designed to be energy efficient and natural light has been optimised throughout. Monmouth Comprehensive is equipped with state of the art facilities. Rockfon acoustic products play a pivotal role in both schools by creating stimulating learning environments that are at the heart of the architect’s vision.

For Bloomberg HQ, Foster + Partners originally approached SAS in 2012. Knowing SAS well, they were seeking a manufacturing and design partner to realise true innovation in product design and engineering. There are many architectural features of note both inside and outside of the building. That said, you immediately notice the ceiling once inside, it is unlike anything seen previously. The Integrated Ceiling Panels combine acoustics, lighting and temperature control. This is a first for the UK and likely globally. Achieving a 98.5% ‘Outstanding’ BREEAM rating, the project is the most sustainable commercial office building in Europe.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019, the iconic Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth, needed a new roof to protect the building. With the previous roof membrane nearing 30 years old the centre needed a long-term and robust roofing solution. The product of choice was the mechanically fixed Sarnafil S327-15 EL Light Grey as it is more than able to cope with all the extremes of the Scottish weather and has been certified by the BBA to last in excess of 40 years. The durability of the single ply material ensured a long-lasting solution for the project.

The Jo Coenen Architects Studio chose the technical porcelain stoneware of the Trust line, Titanium colour 30x60 format from the Atlas Concorde range, for the realization in Utrecht of the business centre housing the offices of the Dutch State Railways.Modern and functional, the structure greets the public with extensive spaces enhanced by light filtering in from large windows and carefully designed finishing details. The Trust collection, with its Ecolabel certification and its content of pre-consumer recycled materials, helps achieve LEED points for all designers concerned about the environment and eco-sustainability.

A new flooring finish was required for the atrium in the Radclyffe School in Oldham, Greater Manchester. Because the atrium floods this area of the school with so much light through a Perspex roof, it meant that whatever was chosen had to be UV stable, hard wearing and safe. The system also had to be economic, hard-wearing, easily cleaned, have low odour during application and chemical resistance, slip resistance and non-dusting. Sherwin-Williams’ technical flooring experts looked at their diverse range of Resuflake options for this specific application covering 800 sq metres.

Over 300 architects, specifiers, contractors and clients recently enjoyed the official launch party of Style’s impressive new London showroom. A market leader in operable wall solutions and the exclusive UK partner to Dorma Hüppe, Skyfold and SWG, Style welcomed the prestigious guest list with beer, bubbles and a buffet, whilst demonstrating the very latest moveable wall innovations and flexible space concepts. Conveniently located in London’s Shoreditch, Style shares the showroom with Optima Contracting, experts in glazed partitioning systems and Atrium, the UK’s largest independent specialist lighting distributor.

The Residence Nine Elms is a building that contains one, two, and three-bedroom apartments. They feature impressive views of the city with customized furnishings and a modern design. The building’s entrance and lobby contain luxurious décor. GRID Architects wanted to have an appropriate area in this part of the building for strong entrance matting to stop the visibility of dirt and water. CS’ Pediluxe entrance matting was chosen with colours Wrought Iron (Dark Grey) and Castle Grey (Light Grey) interior carpet inserts to prevent an extreme effect against the clear stone floor and brickwork in the lobby.

Specifying and installing 650m2 of Gerflor’s world class Taraflex® Performance vinyl sports flooring in ‘Light Cherry’ would turn out to be a pivotal decision for Axminster Leisure Centre in East Devon. The refurbishment project to replace the existing flooring in their main sports hall would yield spectacular results for both the operators of the facility and the end users. The indoor sports surface solution that was specified would need to be of the utmost quality and readily available, considering how short the timescales were for the project and would need to be competitively priced for the funds available for this iconic renovation.

Located in the small, but lively town of Bangor, Eclectic, a luxurious mind and body wellbeing retreat, has opened a three-story studio on the main street. The state of the art studio features wall and ceiling slats throughout the tranquil and elegant space in woodgrain decor H1146 ST10 Grey Bardolino Oak, which fits in perfectly with the contemporary interior. Its light colour tones and delicate texture complement the other materials used in the design, to create a warm and inviting space. As well as the slats, the decor was used to create wall units, door frontals and shelving.

We provided a bespoke locker where each employee can operate a unit of 4 compartments with one key giving them access to a twin locker for storing their clothing on one side and collecting clean workwear from the other side. Two further locker compartments above this provide storage for footwear and lunch boxes. The sloping tops keep the room clutter free and reflect the light around the room. At each end the design includes lockers for crash helmets; these bespoke lockers match the colour scheme and merge with the others to provide a unique managed system.

Overlooking the River Mersey, the iconic Royal Liver Building is the most prominent structure in Liverpool’s famous skyline. Classic on the outside yet modern, light and chic on the inside, the recent programme of investment aimed to reposition the building offering, with a new reception area, large open plan grade A office suites, gym and café. A first-class offering is key to attracting and retaining tenants – and Intraform Low Profile entrance barrier matting protects the flooring to maintain the interior aesthetic and create the right first impression. Read the full case study to learn more...

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.

Howe Green designed and supplied made-to-measure tree pit covers for a new social dining experience - The Winter Garden at Bluewater. The bespoke panels and frames facilitate access to the root chamber and make maintenance of the highly valuable trees straightforward. The covers were made from 304-grade stainless steel. Each tree pit was manufactured to individual size requirements and to accommodate light fittings. They were supplied with a double-seal to prevent dirt ingress which also helps protect the tree and keep the soil free from contamination.

Howe Green manufactured and supplied a number of custom made wall access covers and 1050 Series floor access covers for Crossrail in London. The wall access solutions were custom made from 5mm of stainless steel and lockable for added security. They were required to provide reliable and stylish access to the lighting circuitry. The 1050 Series floor access covers were installed along the walkways of Adams place to give quick and easy access to the water, power and data feeding the station. Each cover had an additional load bearing to accommodate specific requirements.

We were originally contacted by STEPS Rehabilitation when they were researching products to include in their new-build centre. they chose to go with us because of how subtle and sophisticated our product range is. The team wanted to make their facilities feel as comfortable and cosy as possible, and we provided equipment that could match that on all fronts. We also supplied and installed a completely bespoke stainless steel hydrotherapy pool complete with air jets and colour-changing LED lights! See videos of our work at STEPS over on our website.

Johnstone’s Trade is used to create beautiful interiors for the largest private residence in Glasgow. Delivering all requirements of the brief, Johnstone’s high quality decorative paints were used to complement the properties stunning interior and to offer a beautiful home to the residents. Johnstone’s Acrylic Durable Matt was applied throughout the property to give a long lasting finish. Used on the walls and ceilings in off-white to increase the light reflectance. Specified on the doors, skirting and other woodwork, Johnstone’s Professional Undercoat was used to provide the perfect surface for over-coating with Johnstone’s Eggshell.

Bloot Architecture, a concept-driven architectural practice located in the Netherlands, has recently specified P C Henderson’s Husky 100 sliding door system for the renovation of a luxury villa. After falling in love with the beautiful and picturesque surroundings of the National Park Veluwezoom in Holland, the architecture firms client purchased a dilapidated 1950’s villa in order to live in their dream location. What ensued was a sustainable refurbishment and extension project – key features included the creation of open plan living, full of natural light, with the inclusion of a flexible office space built on via an extension.

The Building Centre, London’s premier architecture and construction gallery, invited Q-railing to re-design its central staircase. It supplied a staircase balustrade with LED lit handrails and a frameless glass balustrade for the void. John Bonning, the Building Centre’s commercial director said: “We applied glass risers to each solid oak tread, which safely created the same floating stair effect as the original but made the stair compliant with modern building regulations. The materials reflected the quality of the Building Centre, whilst drawing natural light into the lower gallery.”

Wembley Park is one of the UK’s largest urban regeneration schemes, offering a vibrant hub where people want to live, companies want to grow, and neighbourhoods come alive. The project aims to make a feature of the iconic Wembley Stadium, as well as facilitating unrivalled views of across the site. Reynaers utilised systems that create a maximum presence of space and natural light, resulting in seamless integration between the indoor and outdoor environments. This was achieved using Reynaers CW 50 curtain walling system, and aluminium window and door systems; CS 77.

The project is designed within an existing structure to turn into a Passivhaus building and the nZEB (near Zero Energy Building) objectives.Our outdoor Z-Box motorized roller blinds are perfectly integrated into the façade to avoid thermal bridges.It also allows maximum opacity configurated with Trend Light Blackout fabric thanks to its lateral zip guide that holds firmly the fabric and guarantees resistance to weather conditions.Thanks to our system and fabric, this building achieves an energy reduction of almost 60%.First social housing project that gets Passivhaus Classic Certification in Spain.

Canal were approached to manufacture a bespoke, straight staircase for a residential property in Kent. The architect wanted to allow as much light in as possible to permeate throughout the property which meant incorporating extensive amounts of glass into the design. The specification required a contemporary steel staircase structure with glass balustrades and treads. The structure and handrails were manufactured in stainless steel and a satin polish finish was applied to provide a brushed appearance. Pig nose fixings were applied to the glass and stringer, which married up the initial welded fixings to hold the glass panels in place.

Arbor Bankside Yards is a part of the UK’s first fossil-fuel-free mixed-use development that is net-zero carbon in operation. The stunning new development comprises 223,000 sq. ft. across 19 floors and provides light-filled, health-centred workspaces and amenities with incredible views of the city.Designed by PLP Architecture, Arbor is a future-focused workplace that prioritises sustainability, wellness, and technology to improve the user experience, enhancing comfort and productivity for its occupants. Discover how automated entrance control provides occupants with a seamless, contactless entry experience.

Accoya selected for the cladding & decking of the new Forest of Genetic Resource Department, Korea. To date, this project marks the largest wooden scale structure in the whole of Korea. Because of this iconic status the construction had to ensure that the most advanced materials such as Accoya were chosen. Due to the project being 4 storeys high Accoya was selected for its extreme durability & stability. Designed by IDS architects, Accoya was also chosen because of its natural & bespoke aesthetic. Due to Accoya’s light appearance the cladding could be painted to satisfy the designers requirements.