"outdoor decking"

The AliDeck team enjoyed another site visit up in the Big Smoke today as we travelled into London to take a look at an ongoing project that is using AliDeck aluminium decking.

Gripsure non-slip decking made from Accoya® wood was specified for the Rising Path Project at Cambridge University’s Botanic Garden. The Rising Path is one of the gardens’ biggest horticulture projects. It revitalises the three-acre Systematic Beds, which were first laid out in 1845. The striking structure offers visitors new ways to explore plant taxonomy. The 65-metre-long spiral structure was designed by Chadwick Dryer Clarke as a gently sloping path stemming off from the gardens’ existing path network. The path leads visitors to a viewing platform with a three-metre vantage point from which the full layout of the Systematic Beds can be enjoyed. The structural frame is formed from galvanized steel with the majority of the structure built from Accoya® wood, which was selected for its durability, stability and clean aesthetic. To ensure safe access all year round the walkway and stairs needed to be slip-resistant. We supplied over 1,300 hundred linear metres of Gripsure non-slip decking made from Accoya® wood, backed with our ten-year non-slip performance guarantee. Along the pathway are sections of landing points that highlight some of the plants’ significant evolutionary innovations, which allowed them to leave the water for life on land. At these points, Gripsure Graphics non-slip deck boards were supplied to create custom typographics. The boards needed to provide a visual contrast to the main decking as well as displaying information for visitors. Project architects Chadwick Dryer Clarke and Designmap (whose design was inspired by the work of the artist Gordon Young) developed the graphic design of the boards. A representative from Chadwick Dryer Clarke said “Gripsure’s approach was positive and collaborative, with a real interest in supporting the design team and project. A number of prototypes were developed that refined the depth, size and edge clarity of lettering, and the successful result has a crispness and quality that exceeds the design aspirations.” The Rising Path is a well-crafted and elegant structure which enhances the experience of the Systematic Beds which are of global heritage significance. It has had very positive feedback from visitors since its opening.

Initial project meetings first started in early 2008, the clients owned a small cottage on the site which had been extended several times during the 80’s and had permission to make further adaptations. The mixture of building standards meant that their home was extremely drafty and very energy inefficient. The site itself is particularly exposed. The design which achieved planning permission was a crescent form which steps and slides into the slopes on the site. The crescent formation is in direct response to solar orientation.The brief was to design a building which would accommodate the family for many years into the future, the planned occupancy would be for 5 adults. Additionally, the home will be used for large family occasions. A requirement was set for a minimum 16 seated spaces to be available for dining during these family occasions.Op-Deck was added into the scheme very early into the design process as the way of creating the highly insulated structural floor as the house was being designed under Passivhaus standards. The overall U-value of the property is 0.1w/m2K as standard. The system was installed on the lower and ground floors and also the roof.