"reception"

Client: Cheval ResidencesLocation: Edinburgh, ScotlandSector: Hotel, Leisure & HospitalityYear: 2021Project Size: 150 m²System: vebroscreed Renovatevebroscreed Renovate, from Vebro Polymers, bonded to marine ply and concrete, has been installed across the ground floor reception and concourse leading to the bar area and restaurant.vebroscreed Renovate is a single part, fibre reinforced, cementitious smoothing underlayment screed, incorporating a blend of graded fillers, fine cements, and polymers, with excellent flow properties. The material is mixed with a cold-water addition to deliver a fine flow slurry that can be both pump and pour applied. The material has been used to level the existing concrete surface prior to the installation of terrazzo and ceramic tiles, which have been chosen in keeping with the listed building’s new interior scheme. Incorporating a specially formulated fibre technology, vebroscreed Renovate aids application and strength resulting in a strong, sound and even base that is ready to commence the tiling process after only 8 hours.All screeding on site has now been completed and the site turned over to the tilers, who are on track to complete ahead of building’s opening in a matter of weeks and to coincide with Scotland’s relaxation of international travel restrictions. 

The London Borough of Sutton Council wanted to breathe new life into a number of communal areas in their large municipal office building. For this iconic refurbishment, they turned to international flooring and interiors specialist Gerflor to provide an array of spectacular world class flooring that would deliver outstanding durability and incredible eye-catching designs. Gerflor supplied over 2500m2 of Creation LVT and Gradus Lunar Carpet tiles for this major renovation.Commenting on the Sutton Civic Centre project Paul Sceats, Specification Sales Manager at Gerflor commented, “At the time the Gradus Lunar collection had recently been launched, it would be an ideal product to consider as the natural and neutral tones would blend extremely well alongside the authentic wood-effect planks of Gerflor’s Creation 70 LVT. The client Rob McNaught used these finishes to very cleverly “sculpt” a walkway through the main carpeted area of the reception.”In supplying a superior interiors finish, the Gerflor floorings for this distinguished project would be installed by South-East London- based Specialised Flooring (Bromley) Limited. Ian Hook, Company Director at Specialised Flooring said,” Our client is extremely delighted with the finished result. Specifying Gerflor products, is for us, a natural choice as they offer a vast range of flooring in a fantastic array of contemporary colours and designs, which are suitable for many demanding applications.”

PROJECT OVERVIEW Jaguar planned a £500m investment for their first in-house engine manufacturing facility. Opened by Her Majesty, it currently produces 400,000 Ingenium petrol and diesel engines a year. Norwood worked with Interserve to deliver this ground-breaking project to the highest standards. The overall project won the Regeneration award at the RICS Awards Grand Final.OUR SCOPE OF WORKThe main challenge was to provide a 120Min fire-rated demountable compartment wall at 11 meters high. Norwood teamed up with Interserve, developing our 200mm Mediline system, which was subjected to excessive laboratory testing to achieve the 120Min Fire Rated certification. In addition to solid partitions, Norwood supplied a 90Min fire-rated 9-meter high glazed partition wall which provided a viewing gallery from the grand reception onto the manufacturing floor.In addition to the fire-rated compartment walls, Norwood provided a self-supporting machine and QC enclosures. The enclosures had to give a clean environment to a GMP standard; therefore, they had their own mechanical equipment, which was all supported by the Norwood enclosure. This was delivered by designing and installing a bespoke PodSolve system which consisted of a hidden ceiling joist system that provided the structural support for the mechanical equipment.Norwood often returns to Jaguar Land Rover providing modifications without business interruption to the build as their product cycle changes.

The ChallengeLocated in the city of Nancy, the Centre Prouvé offers a flexible conference space complete with a 3000 m² exhibition hall, two auditoriums, thirteen meeting rooms and a panoramic reception area.With glass playing an integral role in the building design, the architect required a proven smoke control solution that would not distort the aesthetics of the development while adhering to safety regulations. Additionally, due to the high footfall of visitors, the chosen solution would have to be maintenance-free.As a leading fire-glass specialist, Pyroguard was approached by the architect Marc Barani of Atelier Barani to offer a suitable solution.The SolutionTo meet these requirements Pyroguard recommended Smokeguard – a permanent, maintenance-free glazing solution that acts as a smoke barrier, keeping low-level toxic fumes at bay for up to half an hour to give visitors maximum time to exit the building safely.Thanks to its perfect transparency, Smokeguard also met the aesthetic requirements with the 8 mm thick tempered monolithic glass offering 87 percent light transmission, to provide the perfect transparent protective barrier with minimal visual impact.As a result, over 100 m² of Smokeguard was installed in the atrium, escalators, and lift areas utilising its patented fastening system to mount the system to the ceiling areas.Click here for further information on Smokeguard or for further advice and support please contact us.

he BriefLivingston Eyre Associates and Kier were working on a 44 million-pound project for the Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust which aimed to create a through campus, linking a nursery, primary school, SEN school and secondary school providing 1,800 school places.The development included a number of canopies to provide shade and shelter throughout the campus grounds and to provide designated cycle parking areas to encourage cycling to school.We were originally contacted by an Architect at Livingston Eyre Associates in April 2018 when the project was in the planning stage. Able Canopies had been specified for the canopies and they contacted us to check that the sizes stipulated were feasible.The SolutionWithin the project, Able Canopies were specified for the supply and installation of seven canopies which included three Grange Junior Free Standing Canopies with Sheffield Cycle Racks to provide sheltered cycle parking adjacent to the drama courtyard and within the school square; two Coniston Wall Mounted Canopies to provide covered outdoor areas for the reception and early years pupils to play and learn outside; a bespoke pergola to cover an outdoor stage for impromptu entertainment within the schools community square; and an entrance canopy for the SEN school to provide a sheltered area for the school busses to drop off and pick up their SEN pupils.All products were standard products excluding the Kensington and pergola:

A 9-storey, 18,000m2, mixed use development at 150 Holborn in the centre of London. It incorporates retail on the ground floor, offices above and 13 apartments in an adjacent block. Architect Perkins & Will specified URSA’s Walltec 32B slab in critical areas of the new build structure.URSA has supplied 1000m2 of URSA Walltec 32B slab as part of the multi million pound development in London. The mixed use scheme replaces a 1980s office block and feature a café, exhibition and reception space, atrium and roof pavilion with rooftop gardens. The overall building height was limited in order to maintain views of the nearby St Paul’s Cathedral.  The new building aims to offer a healthy work place with natural daylight being a key design feature. As a result the design also incorporates measures to minimise solar gains. Additionally the scheme aims to achieve a LEED ‘Platinum’ rating, BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ and Fitwel certification. URSA products assisting here with BS EN ISO 9001 and BS EN ISO 14001 certification along with a BRE Green Guide rating of ‘A+’.Ian Claydon, Technical Manager at URSA commented: “We worked closely with Perkins & Will in developing the specification for those areas of the external walls incorporating URSA Walltec 32B. Including options for the type of insulation to be used and U-value calculations. A particularly critical requirement was for the insulation to be non-combustible, Euroclass A1”.

THE PROJECTAPO Barking is an exciting location located on the banks of the River Roding and opposite Abbey Park , Barking, East London – offering a brand new ‘living’ style and completely flexible membership. This new residential development provides London renters with access to thoughtfully designed Build to Rent apartments and a bucket list of services and amenities that take the hassle out of everyday life.Their mission is to create a living network that listens and responds to the everyday needs of its members. ‘Life admin’ is made easier – for example all utility costs are wrapped up in one simple monthly payment, myRENZbox digital parcel lockers take in deliveries 24/7 and their mailboxes enable the secure and easy delivery of all mail in one location.THE PRODUCTSLB installed 126 no. myRENZbox parcelboxes in various sizes , arranged in one large system which look suitably impressive within the reception area in matt white. The customised process was created specifically for them to suit their exact needs and resulted in a future proofed solution to cope with the growth of e-commerce and parcel volumes. H1 model mailboxes were installed in a postal area to ensure both mail and parcels were considered and a suitable and aesthetic solution provided.PROJECT DETAILSProject Type: BTRProduct: myRENZbox parcel boxesInstallation: FreestandingDetail: Both Mailboxes and Intelligent Parcel solutions installed

The ChallengeNo. 1 Horgan’s Quay is one of the development’s three office buildings, with the upper floors of the new modern structure cantilevered over the site’s original Goods Shed. The lobby area features a large glazed partition on the first floor, helping to create an open, light space, as well as sympathetically blending the old restored structure with the new.KCC Group, a door and glazing contractor, were appointed to deliver the EI30 SWS Screen works on the project. Site Contracts Manager, Ger McNamee, said: “In order to ensure the safety of those within the building, 30-minute fire protection was required for the reception area, providing a fire barrier between the lobby and the first floor. Once we had the fire safety glass specification from the architect, O’Mahony Pike Architects, it was up to our team at KCC Group to source a supplier – this is when our relationship with Pyroguard began.”The SolutionTo ensure that the desired aesthetic was achieved, while also meeting building safety regulations, Pyroguard Infinity T-EI30/24-2 SWS fire safety glass was chosen by KCC Group and installed in the glazed partition, within a Jansen steel profile system.Pyroguard Infinity is a range of fire safety glass certified for butt-joint applications. With no vertical frame profiles required, it’s the ideal solution for providing visually appealing seamless partitions. Manufactured to EI classification, Pyroguard Infinity provides the highest level of integrity and heat insulation, protecting against flames, smoke and heat.

A former pub located in the heart of Taporley village, Cheshire, has been converted into a luxury health and welbeing centre, featuring a state-of-the-art-gym, treatment rooms and apartments for staff use. Instinct Gym and Wellbeing aims to help improve the health and mental wellbeing of the local community through new initiatives. When it came to selection the best floor coverings, having worked with JA Flooring on previous projects  Enigma Holdings Group, the owners of the building, called upon the flooring contractor once more. As aesthetics and durability were key objectives of the project, JA Flooring advised the use of an array of solutions from Forbo Flooring Systems’ portfolio including its Allura luxury vinyl tiles (LVT), which played a significant role in the renovation works.The natural wood and stone aesthetic, combined with the benefits of strong, comfortable vinyl tiles, meant that Allura was installed in the gym, treatment rooms, spin studios and circulation areas. In the treatment rooms where a more serene surrounding was required, Allura Wood in the Whitewash Elegant Oak colourway was used.In the entrance and reception area, a bespoke Coral Logo entrance flooring mat was produced to reinforce the Instinct Gym and Wellbeing branding – helping to create that all important first impression, whilst offering protection in extreme traffic conditions and maximum functional performance.Finally, Tessera Earthscape carpet tiles in Iceberg were installed in the apartments; and in the changing facilities and kitchens, the Surestep range in various neutral colourways helped to complement the overall sophisticated interior of the health and wellbeing centre.

60-70 St Mary Axe is an office building designed by London-based architectural firm Foggo Associates with retail space on the ground floor. It is located in thearchitecturally ultra-modern financial district of the City of London in close proximity to the iconic 30 St Mary Axe, also known as "The Gherkin," whose facade was realized byLindner. Also, the new building is nicknamed: "The Can of Ham" in its semi-elliptical shape reminiscent of the packaging of English canned ham. The 360° view through the vaulted, all-glass façade offers a great view of the city of London. The BREEAM Excellent building offers 28,000 m² of office space, spread over 21 floors and designedto meet a wide variety of needs.Lindner Interiors contributed to the construction with interior fit-out products. These include the suspended ceilings for the "A" category office rooms on the 3rd, 9th and 12th floors, and the luminous ceilings at the reception and in all elevator anterooms.The Lindner fire grid ceiling system LMD-B 100 with linear grid arrangement was installed on two floors, while on the third floor, light strip modules were chosen instead.These complete the appearance of the iconic building in an impressive way. If required, LMD-B 100 partitions can be attached to the Lindner ceiling system so that the office space can be individually divided. With its radiant fire grids and trapezoidal ceiling tiles, the system is perfect for the sweeping silhouette of the 60-70 St Mary Axe building.

Armourcoat's 3D Sculptural wall has been specified for innovative healthcare practitioners One Stop Doctors clinic in Hemel Hempsted by luxury interiors specialists Goddard Littlefair.The client design brief was to create a high-end service environment that communicated the calm, soothing and welcoming feel of a patient-centric experience. Bespoke furniture,a Goddard Littlefair design signature element, is used throughout in a range of high-end materials, including velvet, leather and suede in a spectrum of browns, slates, taupes, blues, purples and greys. To complement this, a feature wall of Armourcoat's Sculptural 'Flow Wave' provides the backdrop to the clinic's stunning reception space. Lighting was an important part of the mix, creating features with natural and artificial light. Reflected and diffuse light create moments of drama and art throughout the interior.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 of unique decorative effect.The state-of-the-art centre is the first of eight planned clinics to be located around the M25 corridor area. "We are not looking for the usual clinical healthcare design", One Stop Doctors CEO Ella Tracey commented, "but wanted a designer who could share our vision for creating an ambience that was relaxed, reassuring and tranquil, very comfortable and also aesthetically beautiful. Staff, visitors and patients alike are so impressed with the elegance of the design and the attention to detail, but also appreciate the feeling of warmth and comfort that it creates" Photography © Gareth Gardner

Scientific research into the development of new cancer treatments across the UK is vital, with accurate new medicines and therapies, such as immuno‐oncology, being introduced to help ensure an increase in survival rates among patients. In line with the developments, new cancer care centres are being opened to provide these bespoke treatments for patients. Building Design Partnership (BDP), an international architecture firm, was appointed to design a new 11-storey cancer centre in the heart of Liverpool – the city’s first dedicated cancer hospital that comes as part of a £162 million investment in cancer centres in the region. With cleanliness, hygiene and inclusive design in mind, BDP turned to PPG Architectural Coatings to provide a Johnstone’s Trade paint specification for Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Liverpool. In an environment where cleaning, sanitation and hygiene practices are of the highest importance, BDP needed to provide a coatings solution that could be thoroughly cleaned regularly, while retaining a high-quality finish and colour. On the recommendation of the project’s main contractor, Laing O’Rourke, BDP specified a range of Johnstone’s Trade paints including Acrylic Durable Matt. Acrylic Durable Matt is a premium emulsion, designed to provide a tough, durable finish. With a Class 1 Scrub Rating, it is ideal for high traffic areas that need regular cleaning – such as healthcare environments. The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre provides specialist chemotherapy and other drug therapies and services so, when it came to specifying paints, it was critical that BDP provided a durable solution with hygiene and quality in mind. As the building will be home to a high number of vulnerable patients and need to be extremely clean at all times, it was crucial that the paint chosen could withstand regular wear and be cleaned and scrubbed regularly, without compromising on quality or colour. For BDP, Acrylic Durable Matt was the perfect solution. Johnstone’s Trade Microbarr Anti Bacterial Acrylic Matt was also used in the Brachytherapy Suite, and HDR and Anaesthetic rooms. Formulated using Silver Ion technology, the coating is a suitable choice for healthcare settings like Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool as it to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and infections, while having a tough, easily washable finish. Another consideration throughout the cancer centre was design and colour. BDP proposed a colour scheme that tied the building and departments together, starting with the referencing of one of The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust’s corporate colours at the main entrance levels. BDP wanted to create an environment that was inclusive for all patients, visitors and staff within the centre, taking into account dementia-friendly design while also matching the Trust’s colours – the output of their design needed to be the perfect balance. PPG helped them to do this with its colour-matching service. They worked in collaboration to develop the colour scheme and submitted that to a Dementia Focus Group for their approval before decoration took place at the centre, to ensure the design took into account their needs as well as looking good. BDP used the bold Trust colours in the reception areas within the building, and worked with PPG to create tonal variations that were used throughout the corridors and rooms on each floor. Each floor had its own colour identity from the PPG Voice of Colour collection. A calming range of blues such as Mystic Iris and Ocean Skies were included within the inpatients ward, contrasting with bright, bold greens such as Be Spontaneous and Funky Frog in the reception area.

The scope and challenge:Millions of people visit Edinburgh each year for its renowned history, iconic buildings and vibrant social scene. With year-round visitors from the rest of the UK and overseas, there is a growing need for accommodation that combines the heritage of the city with high-quality, comfortable stays.Old Town Chambers offers exactly that, as a collection of luxury serviced apartments located in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town. Each room showcases the building’s fascinating history in a globally-renowned part of the city, teamed with contemporary furnishings and distinctive architecture.The original Old Town Chambers, a listed building from the mid-18th Century, is home to 50 high-quality apartments, accessed via Roxburgh Court, which sits just behind the Royal Mile. In 2021, the owners of the hotel had the opportunity to refurbish the existing building and expand their footprint by taking over an adjoining address – 329 High Street – which would add 24 new high-end apartments to the property across three floors and a mezzanine level, as well as a street-level reception area, bar and restaurant.Häfele was called upon by Chris Stewart Group, who were overseeing the refurbishment, to provide a suite of suitable door ironmongery for the apartments at 329 High Street. The schedule would need to complement both the new, modern apartments added to the hotel and the more traditional reception, bar and restaurant areas.The solution:Working closely with Chris Stewart Group and architects ISA, Häfele developed a tailored hardware schedule and specification. For the communal areas of the hotel, specialist Frank Allart​​​​​​​ handles were selected in a satin nickel finish to complement the traditional style of the space. For the apartments, Häfele’s stainless steel mitred lever handle provided the perfect solution.​​​​​ Furthermore, given the complexity of the requirements, it made sense to utilise the Häfele to Order service – which allows customers to order their products cut, labelled and delivered to their exact requirements. This included both phased floor-by-floor and door-by-door packaging to make the installation process as efficient as possible for contractors Thomas Johnstone Ltd.The outcome:Karen Brown, head of interiors for Chris Stewart Group, worked closely with Ken on the 329 High Street project. She said: “The attention to detail offered by Häfele Projects was excellent; ironmongery can be a minefield but Ken and the team listened to what we wanted and knew exactly what to apply to the project.“There were some intricacies to consider, which were met with experience and a knowledgeable approach. For example, some doors required a lever handle on one side but we were retaining the existing door knob on the other. Getting the two to marry was looking difficult and would’ve been an ongoing maintenance issue for the hotel if not resolved, but Ken suggested connecting them via a spindle which instantly resolved the matter.“We were able to meet and discuss our requirements in-depth, explore a huge range of samples and Häfele Projects were more than happy to liaise with the contractor direct to enable us to focus elsewhere. This project has really opened our eyes to what Häfele is capable of, and we’ve been able to consider other project ranges too which we intend to utilise on future developments, like lighting and small appliances.“We’re already working together with Häfele on another hotel project in Glasgow, and there is huge scope for where our partnership can go in the future.”

A new ferry terminal on Brodick Bay, created as a tourism and community gateway to the Scottish Isle of Arran, has been fitted from stem to stern with door and window systems supplied by GEZE.Maritime design and modern comfortThe ship-shaped terminal, designed by the renowned architectural firm Norr of Glasgow, is part of a £30 million investment which aims to update the harbour, get it ready for 21st century travel, and improve passenger comfort.Natural ventilation thanks to automated windowsThe generously sized lounge with its double height and large wall of windows on the western façade offers visitors a breathtaking view of Brodick Bay. The large windows, which are automatically opened and closed by 30 GEZE Slimchain chain drives, give the reception area at the main entrance to the building a bright and spacious feel. The uniquely slim and understated look of the Slimchain window drives integrates perfectly into the unique façade design of the Brodick ferry terminal.The Slimchain window drives were installed not only on the large windows in the lounge, but rather throughout the entire two-storey building – with the exception of the upper ventilation openings: Powerchain chain drives are used there. These especially powerful window drives were chosen to operate the larger windows, since they allow for large opening widths – which is important for quickly venting smoke in case of a fire.The window drives are connected to a GEZE MBZ 300 SHEV control panel for smoke and heat extraction drives, which is integrated into the building management system of the terminal. This makes it possible to easily control and monitor the complex natural ventilation system.Ventilation, smoke and heat extraction, and emergency exit protectionThe windows in the staircases are also equipped with Slimchain chain drives. If needed, the window systems also allow for natural smoke and heat extraction: In case of smoke and heat, the smoke extraction solutions open the windows and control fresh air openings, so that lifesaving escape routes remain smoke-free and safe to use in case of an emergency. In addition, GEZE OL Line manual fanlight openers provide supplementary natural ventilation.Door systems for accessible fire protection doorsBeneath the glazed western elevation are two automatic swing doors to either side. These are powered by GEZE Slimdrive EMD-F door systems, just like another door on the side façade of the building. The electro-mechanical swing door drives for single leaf fire and smoke protection doors are extremely versatile: They provide power assisted opening and can be initiated using the operating button with constant opening and closing speed. Integrated obstacle detection also identifies potential obstacles and stops the opening or closing process if needed. By doing so, Slimdrive EMD-F drives also ensure easy and safe access for people with mobility issues.Understated design and high access convenienceFrom the main entrance, a glazed corridor leads to a bi-parting sliding door powered by a GEZE Slimdrive SL NTsliding door system, which leads into the foyer of the main reception area. The Slimdrive door drive fulfils two key stipulations here at once: It is suitable for interior and exterior doors with high levels of footfall, and ideally suited for glass façades with high design standards – such as the Brodick ferry terminal – due to its low operator height of just 7 cm.

PROJECTAquilana, Baden [CH]COMPLETIONMarch 2023ARCHITECTofficeKonzept GmbHPRODUCTSTICELL-N open-cell ceilingSingle-louvre open-cell ceiling made of ’woven’ aluminium; cell dimensions: 33 mm; height: 40 mm; rectangular and round design; white strip-painted [74 m²]TANGENTA-Q24 linear LED lightingLight distribution: 2 x 60° wide distribution; light colour: 4000 K; DALI dimmable; CRI > 80; various dimensions [approx. 15 linear metres]PUNTEO-N 1x1 S02 LED downlightLight distribution: 2 x 38° wide distribution; light colour: 4000 K; CRI > 80 [81 units]’Health for Generations’ – Aquilana Versicherungen has been committed to this guiding principle for the best part of 130 years. This company values direct and personal contact to its customers. This is reflected in the modern design of its new customer zone. Sustainable materials, plants and natural colours create a pleasing atmosphere. The reception area is visually fascinating thanks to the round curves of the TICELL-N single-blade open-cell ceiling made of ’woven’ aluminium. The integrated and highly efficient PUNTEO-N downlights feature superlative anti-glare properties while also delivering maximum light output for a pleasing and well-lit ambience. In the consulting rooms, TICELL-N combines with the elegant TANGENTA-Q24 linear lighting installed above the open-cell ceiling and with LED spotlights to create unique light reflections, bathing these interior spaces in homogeneous light. Aquilana’s generously proportioned customer zone succeeds in creating interior spaces that situate customers and employees centre stage.

The Award winning Erwlon Caravan and Camping Park in Llandovery, Southwest Wales is a family run park with a large range of facilities open all year round. It is an ideal base for touring, exploring, walking, mountain biking or cycling on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park and the Cambrian Mountains. Erwlon Caravan Park contacted Frontier Pitts to upgrade their site entry and exit access control to an Automatic Rising Bollard system.The 600mm lift height stainless steel bollard was installed complete with safety photocells, safety vehicle detector loops and dual direction LED traffic light system. The bollard was connected to ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) which is linked back to a popular booking system for Holiday and Caravan Parks called ‘Anytime’. The complete system allowed visitors to book their holiday online and allows authorised visitor vehicles to gain access to the park during their stay, even allowing entry in the middle of the night when reception is closed. On the last day of the stay the system automatically deactivates the vehicle registration number after a predetermined time. Easter Holidays are known to be one of the busiest times of a Caravan and Holiday Parks year, and Erwlon Caravan Park were very pleased with the system. Frontier Pitts manufacture a range of made to order perimeter security barriers, bollards, and gates. We have installed equipment at many sites nationwide and have a network of Technical Consultants that will visit any site in the UK to provide you with a full proposal and quotation. We also provide a range of maintenance contracts and response times to suit your sites individual requirements.

A secure and flexible solution with DORVISIONAs part of a programme of reducing maintenance costs whilst improving security across its stadium and ancillary club buildings, Blackburn Rovers FC has launched a new “open and closed doors” policy. As part of the policy, the football club has installed DORVISION, an innovative GPRS based door controls system developed by dormakaba, global leader in the development of door technology products and systems. Enabling the remote opening and closing of multiple doors from one central location, the system has enabled the Football Club to significantly achieve its goals of reduced costs and increased security.dormakaba’s contribution to the projectAn extensive review of the way the club manned the many entrances associated with its estate and the costs involved with using staff to maintain security, highlighted the rising costs associated with manually unlocking and locking its doors plus emergency and regular maintenance visits. Requiring a solution that would cut man hours associated with manually opening and closing doors as well as reduced service costs, and having been satisfied with the dormakaba automatic door controls used throughout the stadium, Blackburn Rovers Football Club turned to the company’s innovative DORVISION solution.DORVISION was installed onto the existing twelve sets of doors which included dormakaba’S automatic sliding door operators ES200 and ES90 and the electro-hydraulic swing door operator ED200. These were located at various parts of the stadium including entrances for fans and players, a reception area and a retail shop. The club had the additional requirement for a retail shop, located offsite in Blackburn city centre which also required a remote opening, closing and locking facility on the existing dormakaba automatic doors

Severn Trent Water’s new £60m operations centre in Coventry, which aims to set new industry standards with one of the lowest carbon footprints for any UK office building, incorporates equally eco-friendly Armourcoat polished plaster.Designed by Birmingham-based Webb Gray Architects, and built by BAM Construction, this highly-sophisticated energy efficient building featuring the latest eco-technology. Designed for low-energy and low-carbon consumption, the offices include thermal adaptive cooling, biomass boilers, photovoltaic panels, solar panels and rainwater harvesting; justifiably achieving a BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating.Armourcoat was used within the reception and main atrium space, to create a stunning and original design statement. Totaling nearly four hundred square metres of hand-applied decorative plaster, Webb Gray specified colourfade artwork for feature panels and curved walls using Armourcoat Spatulata. For the 30-metre high atrium panels, artisan plasterers blended over seventy colours of paste to achieve the seamless finish. Known as ‘stucco lustro veneziano’, Spatulata is a superfine stucco paste that is trowel applied in a series of fine layers to create a highly polished decorative surface. In keeping with the eco specification, the product contains 40% pre-consumer recycled marble.The project also included the use of ‘Anti-Crack’ - an innovative substrate preparation system from Armourcoat which ensures fast-track construction and a tough, unrivalled backing for Armourcoat polished plaster wall finishes. This cost effective, skim-coat plaster is designed for application in 3-4mm layers over plasterboard surfaces. Its use eliminates the need for taping, jointing and sealing the plasterboard surface and provides a first class substrate for Armourcoat finishes.

THE LOCATIONHounslow House is the new headquarters for the London Borough of Hounslow. The new facility creates a distinctive architectural form that gives the new building a strong civic presence within the community, with the design promoting a feeling of openness and creating connections between the public and private functions of the building.THE PROJECTThe seven-storey structure is the new civic centre for London offering a library, adult learning classes and a reception area to help with any enquires. The other floors are offices for the local council workers with a civic chamber placed on the top floor. The new civic chamber is a prominent feature of the building framing the views of Hounslow.THE PRODUCTThe Safety Letterbox Company discussed the requirements and strategy for both mail and parcel delivery, giving suitable consideration to future demands, and the inevitable growth of parcels.Hounslow House decided on COM2 letterboxes in Pearl Gold with manual parcel boxes in the same colour. Hounslow ordered 500 boxes to be placed in their blocks A-D. This mail and parcel combination was a bespoke piece as it’s a free-standing combination including a bespoke table and back braces. These popular COM2 mailboxes from our classic range provide a quality solution, manufactured from aluminium and steel, they provide a strong and attractive solution for mail delivery.Hounslow House also added myRENZbox to make sure they could manage their Parcel deliveries. The myRENZbox modular has ten extensions with different size doors in order to maintain their parcel deliveries. The Safety Letterbox Company has an algorithm to work out how many parcel boxes a building requires. myRENZbox was polyester powder coated with the colour RAL 9005 Jet Black with a Matt finish. Copper House also opted for a barcode scanner to help deliveries become more efficient. myRENZbox has also futureproofed Hounslow House with the option to extend the intelligent parcelbox in the future.

Falco has completed the design, manufacture, supply and installation of new cycle parking infrastructure at Oxford Brookes University.Installed this winter, the new facility comprises 72 spaces of the UK’s leading two-tier cycle parking system – the FalcoLevel-Premium+ combined with the open and spacious FalcoRail double-sided cycle canopy.Two key products of the scheme here at Oxford Brookes University, are the tried and tested Falco Level Premium + two-tier cycle parking system and the Falco Rail cycle canopy, which When combined together, create the ultimate cycle park - providing cyclists with high levels of cycle security in a spacious contemporary canopy design.Each 4m bay of double-sided FalcoRail cycle canopy features cycle parking for up to 36 bikes utilising double-sided two-tier racks. The double-sided nature of both the cycle canopy and cycle racks provides a maximum number of cycle spaces whilst occupying a minimum of floor space.The new facility, with everything a cyclist will need in order to visit the university by bike, has been installed next to the main reception, adjacent to the car park.Oxford Brookes is a four campus public university with over 16,000 students and three main campuses located in Oxford and a fourth in Swindon.In addition to Oxford Brookes University, Falco has supplied cycle parking infrastructure to many other universities including Cambridge University, University of Edinburgh, The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, University of Brighton, Queen Mary University, Loughborough University, University of Southampton and University of West Scotland. For more information about the scheme here at Oxford Brookes University, or how Falco can assist your cycle parking project, please contact our helpful sales team at sales@falco.co.uk.

RESTORATION ENSURES SUSTAINABLE FUTUREThe historic Bath Abbey has undergone extensive repair and conservation work along with the addition of new facilities. With its Footprint project, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios sensitively restored the 1300-year-old place of worship and improved the accessibility, flexibility, and sustainability of the building. As part of reworking and improving the Abbey’s back of house facilities, FCBStudios designed the Song School, a new, timber-lined choir practice room where up to 60 singers can rehearse. The oak-panelled room features Junckers solid 20.5mm Oak Harmony plank flooring installed by Moran Floors. The solid oak further enhances the acoustics in the room, an important consideration to the Abbey. Said Huw Williams, Director of Music, Bath Abbey: ‘The floor of the new Song School is a beautiful feature, we are particularly appreciative of the acoustic properties of the floor. It really helps to create a suitable acoustic for rehearsing which has given our choirs a huge boost following a difficult year of lockdowns. The standard and finish of the floor is exceptional, it provides a warmth in contrast to the natural stone features and contributes enormously to the professional and high-quality character of these unique new spaces.’ The importance of high ethical standards was a key objective for materials sourcing on the project, and FCBStudios was able to rely on Junckers’ experience in procuring sustainably sourced and manufactured material in the specification process. Naturally low in carbon, Junckers solid hardwood flooring comes with sustainability credentials including EPDs, FSC®, PEFCTM and Indoor Climate certification as well as an A+ rating in the BRE Green Guide, which played an important part in the architects’ specification. Said Alex Morris, Associate, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios: ‘FCBStudios selected Junckers wooden floors for the Bath Abbey offices and new choir rehearsal spaces because we needed to provide hard wearing and elegant floor finishes that would be sympathetic to the character and historic significance of the Grade 2 listed Georgian buildings.” In addition, Moran Floors fitted Junckers’ 15mm single stave blocks made in solid oak in a single herringbone pattern with a 129x15mm oak plank border in the ground floor reception area. The floor was sanded and finished with Junckers’ Rustic Oil on site. The reception spaces are made up a series of domestic-scale rooms original to the Georgian terrace, which contain many original features. The parquet floor was selected to complement and enhance the elegant grandeur of the building as a whole. A solid hardwood floor from Junckers has a crevice-free surface which cannot harbour dust or mites, easy to keep clean and contributes to a healthy indoor climate, one of the RIBA’s targets in its 2030 Climate Challenge for architects. Junckers floors carry the Danish Indoor Climate label, recognised by BREEAM, and have undergone extensive degassing and odour testing to ensure no harmful gasses are released into the room. Installing timber in an interior helps minimise static from electrical appliances and helps maintain an even temperature. A very old, historic building which forms part of the UK’s architectural heritage has been updated and adapted to secure its sustainable future. Junckers flooring with its proven long lifespan was an integral part of the project - expected to last well over 60 years, the floor forms part of the design to future-proof the Abbey. The Bath Abbey Footprint Project by FCBStudios has been shortlisted for Renewable Energy Project of the Year in the BusinessGreen Leaders Awards 2022. The awards celebrate the best of the UK’s green economy and burgeoning net-zero transition. This category recognises projects that have demonstrated a wide range of environmental and economic benefits associated with clean energy deployment and development. The £19.3 million programme of restoration, building works and interpretation will help to secure the Abbey’s physical future. This included repair and restoration of 2,400 floor stones conserved and re-laid, and a revolutionary underfloor heating system harnessing water from Bath’s hot springs. 

Over six years ago, law firm Kingsley Napley considered consolidating its three Clerkenwell offices into a single building. Before committing to do so, the firm first embarked on a programme of partial refurbishments and pilot testing in its existing offices to examine how a transformation from cellular to open plan working might suit their business and its more than 400 employees. Once the decision was made to move, Kingsley Napley collaborated with design specialists KKS Savills and Overbury fit out and refurbishment, along with BPC interiors as sub-contractor, to create an environment which would help enable the company to flourish and meet its aspirations for recruitment, retention and growth. Fast-forward to 2021 and the firm occupies six floors at Twenty Bonhill, Shoreditch.Delivering a best in class workplace Kingsley Napley CFOO Darren Jesse spoke about the project, “I am delighted we have delivered this project, pretty much on time and on budget, despite the challenging circumstances of the last year or so. We had an incredible team working on this internally, and our external advisers… provided superb support for which we are grateful. Together I believe we have delivered a first rate, best in class workplace for Kingsley Napley that will support the firm in its next chapter.” The new space has been designed with collaboration and activity-based working in mind by allowing lawyers and other team members to choose workspaces according to their needs. The guiding aesthetic throughout the six floors is one of hushed self-assuredness with a hint of opulence characterised by classic contemporary furnishings in muted tones, modern art and the use of deep blue and orange on feature walls. In the reception, elegant slim lighting is fixed at a distance from the high ceilings in converging angles while a fully glazed wall lets diffused natural light stream in. The move coincided with a new brand identity incorporating the phrase, ‘when it matters most’ into its communications – words which underpin the role often played by the company in the lives of its clients and informing the values it wants to portray in everything it does.Creating that Wow with added HushBPC Interiors Senior Construction Manager, Stuart Dowling, “We managed the project and instructed Pacy & Wheatley to install Rockfon® Mono® Acoustic throughout the large double-height reception. The Installation went very well and an impressive smooth finish was achieved that even with sunlight or interior lighting shining on it did not show any of the services behind, which can be the case with plasterboard.”Installation specialist Pacy & Wheatley Director Craig Wheatley, “This was a prestigious and exacting project where creating a space to project the perfect first impression was vital. Rockfon Mono Acoustic is unique as it combines the elegance of a monolithic ceiling with performance characteristics and sound absorption thought only possible with modular ceilings. The ceiling tile substrate is installed and then finished with a specialist acoustic render to create a seamless surface.” Beauty and performanceThe system allows for easy incorporation of lighting, audio and other mechanical systems whilst delivering Class A2 fire protection. It also offers dimensionally stability at up to 100% relative humidity and can be installed in temperatures ranging from 0˚C to 40˚C.KKS Savills Associate Director and Senior Designer Paul Butterworth, “Mono was chosen for its appearance but also for its ability to mitigate against the unwanted sound generated by hard surfaces. It delivered clean lines while successfully hiding the services above. We are so pleased to have discovered this beautiful, fabulous product!”Fully recyclable, all our ranges are made from a core of naturally occurring, non-hygroscopic and non-combustible stone wool. Their surfaces provide no sustenance to harmful micro-organisms, embody high humidity resistance and are impervious to most environmental pressures – ensuring that perfect first impression will last.