"recreation"

Challenge Hard-wearing, aesthetically pleasing paving options were required to bring life back to well known tourist destination Portrush Recreation Grounds is a key destination for visitors to Northern Ireland’s beautiful North Coast. The location is such a well-known spot, providing visitors and the local community with sports, recreation and leisure facilities for the last 100 years.Unfortunately, due to wear and tear over the years the location had become rundown and underused. Due to the condition of the site, many areas had been closed off to the public.Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council with the support of Department for Communities and the UK Government Levelling Up Fund, have approved a refurbishment. The renovation hopes to improve the appearance of the Recreational Grounds.For the area surrounding the bowling green, suitable paving was required. Due to the high level of footfall expected and the modern design of the scheme, it was important to consider hard-wearing yet aesthetically pleasing paving options.Solution Tobermore’s Fusion in a mixed palette ensured the area stood out With a modern detailed design planned, Tobermore suggested a mixed palette using a range of colours to encourage the area to stand out. Being so close to the north coast with the beautiful surroundings a touch of vibrance was suggested.Fusion, with its vibrant appearance and manufactured with sparkling natural granite aggregates was the perfect choice. The extensive range of colours helped to create a unique paving pattern for the area with a mix of Sandstone, Graphite, Mid Grey and Silver.Tobermore’s Fusion Kerb and Edge was also used. As the perfect accompaniment to the Fusion block paving, it helped to complete the area.

Nearly 1000 metres of T-Pren gutter expansion joints were installed on the 28,000 sq.m. curved roof the Rocky Ridge recreational centre in Calgary, Canada. The wide curved gutter required long special lengths of T-Pren, 9-18m long, and were installed in pairs to provide double the expansion movement. T-Pren forms a waterproof expansion joint, which eliminates the standard step detail and so reduces the number of rainwater outlets required. T-Pren is a composite material made from neoprene and metal bonded under controlled factory conditions to ISO 9001 quality standards.

Hand Made Places were approached by Appleby Magna Parish Council to provide them with a wide range of playground equipment. The equipment was for an already established recreational ground in Appleby Magna, Derbyshire. The parish council acquired funding to expand their playground. This was done in order to encourage more children to get involved in outdoor activities. The funding was supplied by Tesco’s ‘Bags of Help Initiative’. This uses the money from carrier bag sales to enhance their surrounding communities. Working to the strict budget supplied by this great scheme Hand Made Places needed to provide a wide variety of equipment, which would be suitable for all age groups. The equipment not only had to be enjoyed as a collection of single units, but it also had to work well together. The equipment also had to integrate well with the pre-existing metal equipment which was already present on the piece of land.Our wide range of equipment which was installed created a fun and interesting trim trail. This surrounded both the pre-existing equipment as well as our Hawks Nest. The installed trim trail included: Swing Steps, Trapeze Rings, Duck ‘n’ Weave, Wobble Bridge, Rope Walk, Zig Zag, Balance Beam and Stepping Stones. These pieces of equipment fit the clients brief in providing a fun place for children to enjoy physical play. It also provided a wide range of equipment which will help to encourage children to develop certain important skills, including both coordination and balance. All of these products were positioned in such a way as to allow the playground to flow whilst not overshadowing the pre-existing metal equipment.Our equipment is both fun and safe for use by a wide range of children all of whom fall into different age groups. To further enhance safety however, grass matting was installed to provide an impact absorbent surface.

In 2013, the largest and most impressive Wall-Holla in the world was sold to Ketteler Hof - a family-owned Play Park that wanted something truly extraordinary to add to its playground. After extensive research, planning, and customisation tailored to their unique needs, they got exactly what they wished for - an incredible 36m wide Wall-Holla with not one but three thrilling Drop Zone elevators!Turning unused space into a popular family oasisThe Czyżyny Park Avia is an example of how public participation can help create vibrant recreational spaces that benefit the whole community. It provides an opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy nature while engaging in physical activity with friends and family. The park is located in the area of the former bus depot and part of a disused airport where used to be 3 hectares of asphalt and concrete.The playground includes climbing frames, carousels, swings, and a vertical playground Wall-Holla with challenging obstacles that will keep kids entertained for hours. There is also an outdoor gym with Lappset's metal gym equipment.The end result is a very popular recreational family place in the city of Kraków with a nice story still referring to its previous function: planes and buses are part of the pattern on the EPDM surface at the playground.The project was part of THE GREEN CITIES EUROPE AWARD – 2022 and it has been praised for its quality recreational spaces and innovative value.

Client: Blackpool Council Architect: TEP Warrington Contractor: Wright Landscapes

After an enquiry from Tenterden Town Council in 2013, Jacksons installed 65m of 1 metre high Anti-Trap Bow Top fencing and 3 matching single leaf gates around the play area. Over ten years later, the fencing and gates could almost pass as being new, showing no signs of weathering. Seeing first-hand the quality and longevity of Jacksons’ fencing and gates, and wanting to choose another sustainable solution, Tenterden Town Council made no hesitation to contact us again. Over 80 metres of our EuroGuard® Regular fencing and two 4.9m wide EuroGuard® Flatform double leaf gates were installed by our own team.

Project Overview: Westfield London has undergone a £600 million refurbishment and extension programme to become the largest shopping centre in Europe. With shopping and leisure outlets including a flagship gym, cinema, restaurants and bars, it is a premier retail and social venue in London.The design intention for the 740,000 sq foot extension was for Jura Limestone to surround a significant part of the exterior of the building and small sections of the interior. Various factors encouraged the designers to explore alternatives that could provide both a fast turnaround and the majestic, enduring appearance of Jura Stone.The Solution:Powdertech expertise, combined with the flexibility and design freedom of aluminium and powder coating, enabled the vision to be quickly realised.A sample of Jura limestone was sent to Powdertech where tests of different powders and effects were compared against the limestone which has natural veins of quartz and fossils appearing against a beige background. Test samples were sent back to the client and within four weeks ‘Ballycastle Stone’, a bespoke powder in our Landscape™ range, was ready to be applied to 4500sq m of aluminium cladding panels. These have an uneven leg tray to produce a saw-tooth effect as the image shows.It was essential to achieve colour consistency between batches and our powder coatings excel in this aspect. The overall effect on the finished building is an homogenous appearance of stone, across the whole, but with variations in flecks of colour against the background, just as in the stone itself. The powder coating will provide excellent corrosion protection and has an external life expectancy of up to 40-years.Benefits of using Powdertech:Powdertech is passionately interested in the development of powder coatings to reproduce natural tones and textures and in the effect of colour within architectural design.All powders have excellent weather resistance and colour stability.Powdertech's rigorous pre-treatment system will help to keep the façade free from corrosion for up to 40-years.Powdertech understands the need for fast turnaround in building construction and can accommodate short timescalesPowdertech’s state-of-the-art plant has capacity for large fabrications.

The centre, designed as a therapeutic environment for adults experiencing a mental health crisis, features 86 ensuite single bedrooms, as well as courtyard gardens for active recreation and quiet reflection, a shop, café, and innovative treatment and therapy areas.

Modern materials were employed in the quest to recreate part of Bristol’s heritage. SIG Design & Technology supplied IKO’s Armourplan PSG single ply membrane because it fitted the bill perfectly as the roof covering was ideal for replicating the original seamed lead roof.

The designated area that would need to be re-designed and converted was a former squash court. Gerflor would be required to deliver a loose-laid solution over the existing timber floor without the need to remove it. Rec 45 from Gerflor was the specified product; an ideal solution for multi-purpose uses which is also highly recommended for light recreation activities.

For this busy educational building with high footfall, the Unexpected Purpose modular carpet offers rich saturated colour and excellent wear performance. Its Comfort Lite cushion backing also provides additional sound absorbency, particularly important for the quiet study areas in this building. The LVT floor coverings provides the recreational areas with a hard wearing, practical solution and the perfect urban aesthetic.

Cairngorms National Park Authority are responsible for conservation, heritage, land management, ranger services, skills development, recreation and outdoor access, education and visitor experience, inclusion and outdoor learning. With a requirement to extend existing offices to create a modern working environment which would better support their service provision they appointed Moxon Architects and local contractor A W Laing Ltd to carry out the design and alteration works.

The new campus of the Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences and Arts is located only a few steps away from the Dansaertstraat. This iconic design is a treat for lovers of minimal design with exposed concrete and very monochrome colour palette. The new campus of the Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences and Arts is located only a few steps away from the Dansaertstraat designed by Architects B-Architecten, B-bis Architecten and B-city.The new campus hosts more than 1000 students. The 2 auditoriums, 40 subject classrooms, the teachers’ rooms, a study landscape, a library, a cafeteria and several sitting corners and terraces are now located in a trendy and lively city district.The building is a prominent and transparent construction with a heavy-set finishing touch. On the ground floor, the openness is transposed by a sunken and covered recreation ground. This big interior space is connected to the square in front of the building. Most public areas such as the students’ cafeteria, the library, the students’ administration office and several meeting areas border the recreation ground. The building opens up towards the square and the entire neighbourhood thanks to a full glass façade.

Marlborough Sports Garden, a long-time community recreation space in London Bridge, has been regenerated and reopened, featuring unique hexagonal planters made from MEDITE® TRICOYA® EXTREME. Transforming the once graffitied concrete space into an urban oasis, the planters were a central feature at the official opening, attended by British Olympian Tom Daley and MP Jo Cox’s sister Kim, alongside her parents Mr and Mrs Leadbeater.

The College Lane campus is currently undergoing an exciting three year development programme designed to transform the living space and surrounding recreational areas. RCM were appointed to supply their Y-wall system – a calcium silicate based fibre cement building board which offers excellent A1 Non-Combustible fire properties as well as high levels of dimensional stability. Being extensively used on timber frame structures, Y-wall provides the ideal solution.

Since it first opened back in October 2017, Liverpool Shopping Park has become one of the UK’s biggest retail and leisure destinations featuring fashion, food and recreation. The retail park boasts particularly good connectivity, both locally and regionally, with approximately 1.8 million people living within a 30-minute drive. The yellow-panelled buildings, designed by AEW Architects, are home to several big brands, including Boots, H&M, Smyths, Outfit and JD Sports.

Originally built by John Johnson and Alfred Meeson as a public recreation and entertainment centre, ‘The People’s Palace’ first opened to great public fanfare on Queen Victoria’s birthday in 1873 but burnt down 16 days later. With typical Victorian spirit, work quickly began on a new Palace, designed by Johnson, which opened in 1875. To maintain this grand old building for generations to come The low-profile design of our INTRAform DM Low Profile Entrance Matting was selected

Located in a district mainly composed of private residencies inspired by English architectural writing, cooworking Utopicus follows the design style. The aim of the project was to create a flexible and innovative coworking space in which recreate different atmospheres: pleasant and comfy spaces to bring well-being in the workplace. Following this purpose, our Premium Plus roller shades and Wooden Venetians complement perfectly the interior design as well as providing thermal and visual comfort. They also helped to achieve the BREEAM GOLD Certification of the building. 

Accoya has been selected for the façade of the building and has been designed to recreate Louis Vuitton’s famous quatrefoil branding which adorns many of the company’s luxury products. The façade also had to meet the high standard of quality associated with the brand and be delivered to the highest levels of aesthetic finish. The finished building is impressive and the Accoya façade is covered with our guarantee against rot and decay for 50 years for exterior use above ground, making it perfect for a demanding outdoor application and location such as this.

Oaks Park Secondary School, invited Lazylawn East London to tender for around 1000m2 of artificial grass to be installed in the school recreational areas. Due to past experience with artificial lawn installations at the school, with the perimeter of the artificial grass lifting and secured with nails, the school was seeking a more secure and safer perimeter finish for this project. Lazylawn East London proposed VertEdge and the contract was won by Lazylawn last London. VertEdge was used throughout the installation providing a completely safe and secure perimeter finish without the use of mechanical fixings.

Some recent shots of “Silk Mill”, the new purpose-built Novel Student Accommodation in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh – looking fantastic against a crisp, blue sky! Metal Technology Ltd supplied a range of high-performance architectural glazing systems through approved fabricator Avtek Ltd.The project was designed by Fletcher Joseph Associates and delivered by Watkin Jones Group. The building contains 225 rooms and includes a variety of recreational facilities to enhance student living, including a breakfast bar, gym, karaoke and gaming rooms and designated areas for dining and studying.

Skanstes City is a brand new, multi-modal campus that provides retail areas and office spaces to many small and large businesses. The Skanstes City believes that the office today is not a coercive tool to control employees, but a convenient, practical and pleasant place to go to work in simpler and more efficient conditions than at home. The Skanstes campus has many public spaces with great design and dedicated recreational areas.Forbo’s Sarlon acoustic vinyl, Tessera Cloudscape carpet tiles and Flotex flocked floors provide a professional and modern look to the various office spaces and contribute to a pleasant working environment.

Soap chiefs have moved Weatherfield from Manchester to nearby Salford so they have more space for filming. Builders have recreated The Rovers Return, The Kabin and Dev’s corner shop as well as the characters’ homes down to every minute detail. Builders laid about 11,000 cobbles, 190,000 bricks of different types and used seven colours of mortar so it looks realistic. The new set is full size so two cars will be able to pass each other on the Street. Broughton Brickwork used Naylor lintels whilst building the Coronation Street lots.

Accoya was chosen as the ideal material for the vertical cladding on a footbridge in Vossenvangen, Norway. Maintenance was an integral issue during the pre-planning & construction. Combining strength, durability and minimal maintenance over the years, Accoya wood was the natural choice for Rintala Eggertsson Architects. Constructed by IKM Steel & Facade, the project also won the Architizer A+ Award in the Transportation and Infrastructure category. Two other category winning projects included; The Royal Arena, Denmark (Jury Winner in the Sport and Recreation category) and City Hall Venlo, Netherlands (Jury and Popular Choice Winner in the Institutional-Government & Municipal Buildings category).

A series of stainless steel WC pans by GEC Anderson were specified for public lavatories in London’s Battersea Park.A special corner adaptation was produced to provide a solution to services that were located to the side of the WC. By creating a special boxing, the pipework has been fully concealed, thereby preventing vandalism and providing a totally hygienic solution.The stainless steel contrasts nicely with the vivid yellow colours adopted.Battersea Park comes under the London Borough of Wandsworth and the new facility is considered an important advancement to the amenities of this busy recreation area, just south of the river Thames.

On this fast turnaround project we worked closely with Apteriors; Interior Design and Furniture Specialists and McLaren Construction to manufacture and supply outdoor concrete furniture for new multipurpose recreation and study area for New Regent’s College in London. Living Concrete supplied 4 large Let’s Dine Concrete Tables and 12 concrete cube seats with oak cladding which were assembled on site and finished with a specialist sealant. Product Spec: Let’s Dine Table Size: height 70cm x length 200cm x width 100cm Finish/ Colour: Mist Hand-cast GRC concrete Indoor and outdoor use

Aker Solutions is a global Norwegian company that provides products, systems and services to the oil and gas industry. For the 350 offices and meeting rooms throughout the four floors, Planet used a combination of p100 and p20 relocatable partition systems, ensuring high sound attenuation. Full-height single glazed frameless glass doors complement the clean lines of the meeting rooms and offices. A small number of offices and meeting rooms have laminated beech timber doors too. Planet installed several atrium glass panels and glazed the recreational areas, including the squash courts. The job was completed over a three-month period.

The project gives a new life to a building with structural problems . It follows the values of its owner, putting the comfort and the safety of its patients first . DFG has designed the spaces focusing on users' well -being to allow meetings, relaxation, recreation and waiting . Our OMEGA Venetian blinds play a strategic part in enabling this close relationship while defining a calming atmosphere thanks to warm light and subtle shadows . This system offers an timeless elegance while giving an optimal sunlight management . Also, the slat white color fits perfectly with the interior’s aesthetics, full of plants and highly charged in anthropologic aspects . Photos: Marcello Bochieri, Ragusa, courtesy of DFG Architetti .

The power of a good student council has helped to shape six new outdoor areas at Denton Community College.Students at the secondary school in Greater Manchester highlighted the need for sheltered outdoor spaces for recreation, dining and for more comfortable journeys around the buildings.Working for Robertson Facilities Management, which looks after the school, Broxap was contracted to complete six installations.To keep disruption to a minimum, works on site began in July 2022, as soon as Denton Community College had closed for the end of term.Prior to that, our team had been preparing behind the scenes to ensure the design and manufacture stages were complete so the installation could go ahead without delay throughout the school holidays.The project included the survey, design, manufacture and installation of two twin conic tensile canopies; a triple conic tensile canopy; two bespoke link walkway tensile canopies and a bespoke access tensile canopy.The early works were of particular importance as the triple conic canopy and two walkway canopies were situated within a central courtyard.This required specialist plant to be moved into the space to accommodate all of Broxap’s installation processes.Thanks to the fact design works were completed in May and June, manufacturing began on time and the delivery and installation phases maximised the available time frames by working in partnership with other contractors on site.All six canopies were completed by the end of August, and students returned to school in September to three covered dining, study and recreation areas, as well as two covered walkways across the courtyard and a bespoke L-shaped entrance canopy over an inclusive access point to one of the buildings.

New Clubhouse Fits in Perfectly with Historic City Pool to Create a New CenterSpread across 3 acres in the Mission District of San Francisco is Garfield Square Park. A popular recreation hub for the community, the park includes a historically significant indoor swimming pool with its much loved culturally significant murals, clubhouse, basketball courts, and courtyard with BBQ facilities and splash pad. The pool and clubhouse had served the community for decades and were in need of updates to not only meet current code but also changing needs. The joint venture of PTA/TEF Design of San Francisco won the commission in 2016 and was tasked by the City of San Francisco with renovating the historic indoor pool and unifying it with a newly designed clubhouse and lobby.

Gripsure decking is helping to bring more visitors to an expanding network of scenic waterside trails in rural Ireland. Gripsure's Premier non-slip timber decking is used on a new 60-metre-long boardwalk at Acres Lake near Drumshanbo, County Leitrim. The boardwalk forms part of the Shannon Blueway, a network of multi-activity recreational trails providing routes into the heart of rural Ireland by canoe, bike or on foot. The boardwalk was officially opened by The Minister for the Department of Rural and Community Development, Minister Ring TD. Gripsure’s anti-slip decking is also used on Acre Lake’s new fishing and viewing platform, which is accessible to disabled visitors. Using one of the safest decking profiles available, it will ensure the waterside attraction stays safe underfoot– even in wet weather. Created by Waterways Ireland, the development is aimed at attracting more people to enjoy the waterways. In addition to traditional boaters, the family-friendly trails are now bringing walkers, canoeists, paddle boarders and cyclists to enjoy the trails. Deirdre Donnelly, Design Engineer at Waterways Ireland said: “The boardwalk is a fantastic facility that has been very well received. It is bringing in more visitors to use the Shannon Blueway, including walkers, cyclists, paddle boarders and anglers. When we were designing the boardwalk we decided we needed a non-slip surface that was also very durable. We are committed to making the boardwalk and fishing platform accessible to visitors with disabilities and safety has been an important consideration. The decking was very easy to install, looks great and works really well.” The Shannon Blueway encompasses more than 200km of waterborne or waterside trails. Its recreational trails offer walking, kayaking, and cycling routes in lesser-known parts of the State.

Birch bark façade, deploying Trosifol® Diamond white, creates complimentary design at the ‘City Between the Bridges’The Cultural Center Väven gets its name from the Swedish word ‘weave’, as it has been designed to weave multiple cultural programs and activities together in order to provide a common stage. The ‘S’ shaped building, which incorporates culture, literature, knowledge, socialising, recreation, and food, owes its striking external appearance to a contemporary architectural vision that took inspiration from the bark of Birch trees that are typical to the region.Trosifol® Diamond White PVB The lighter bands used in the Cultural Center Väven were created using glazed panels that deployed a specialist Trosifol® PVB interlayer called Diamond White, from Kuraray.

Inhabitants of Abu Dhabi have a safe and sustainably-built oasis right at the heart of the city! This awe-inspiring playground was designed to offer an exciting experience for children and families. It also encourages endless physical activity, essential for development and growth.An Oasis of Fun for Children and FamiliesLocated south of the famous Corniche near Arabia’s iconic Gulf coastline, this remarkable project serves as a reminder that even in high-density cities there is still room to create recreational areas surrounded by natural beauty — where young minds grow through inspiring playtime adventures!The family park was part of the Ghadan 21 initiative for the Department of Municipalities and Transport and it was supplied by our local partner Gebal Group. Cubic is the perfect choice to stand out in the Abu Dhabi skyline and the result is a modern playground, which has been featured also in many YouTube videos.

When Dundee-based architects Jon Frullani wanted to refurbish their own Grade B listed office they turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor to supply 250m2 of their Creation 70 LVT Dryback vinyl flooring in ‘Deep Forest’.Creation 70 LVT is a synthetic, decorative, flexible, antistatic abrasion group T floorcovering available in tile or plank, with bevelled edges. It consists in a 0.70 mm thick transparent wear layer, a design film, and a Resilient Comfort Core to provide softness and comfort surface.The LVT flooring has been used throughout the practice including the offices, communal areas including corridors, staff break-out areas, recreation space and the kitchen.Jon Frullani, Architect, and Company owner commented, “We specified Creation 70 LVT from Gerflor as it was the most suited product for our bespoke requirements. In fact, there is not one level floor in the entire building and the Creation 70 LVT has coped very well in this challenging situation.”

In 1861 a small group of stonemasons formed the Edinburgh Cooperative Building Company to create affordable homes, by and for workmen, to escape from slum landlords. Typically, the terraced houses were arranged back-to-back with individual gardens: the ground-floor front doors facing one direction and first floor front doors on the opposite side with external staircases.The ‘colonies’ design has been widely replicated and recently resurrected with a contemporary approach in a new Edinburgh development by Glencairn Properties. Bellevue Colonies at McDonald Road recreates the original sense of community and interaction between neighbours with shared footpaths, gates and external stairs.Lang+Fulton supplied Modena railings to delineate each private garden space and provide boundary demarcation to the street. The railings were mounted on dwarf walls and were hot-dip galvanized and polyester powder coated for a durable finish in keeping with the quality materials of brick, zinc and slate that were used throughout the development.Awards: Homes for Scotland - Housing Development of the Year (shortlisted)

Copenhagen’s Amager Bakke is a visionary project in Denmark that doubles as a recreational playground and a waste-to-energy plant.The towering structure is over 280 feet high, has an estimated cost of $670 million and is a part Copenhagen’s commitment to become the world’s first carbon-neutral capital by 2025. Part of the facility is already on line.The waste-to-energy plant, a giant incinerator that burns household garbage to generate heat for approximately 160,000 households and electricity for 62,500 homes, began operating in March. The recreational component is still under construction.Kalwall® translucent sandwich panels provided a critical solution in this truly global project, with their aesthetic beauty, energy efficiency and, most importantly, their best-in-class explosion-venting properties.Kalwall panels are used in areas of the building where a potentially volatile event could occur. The panels work to vent pressure out of the building, allowing it to withstand an explosion without collapsing roofs or floors. The panels are designed to release from their mounting system, but remain attached to the side of the building to avoid becoming falling debris. The interior of the panels are shatterproof and include a Fiber-Reinforced Polymer(FRP) face sheet that can be customied to withstand 230 ft-lbs (312J) of impact.Staying close to the project’s mission of being environmentally conscious, Kalwall panels provide dramatic savings in energy consumption through exceptional thermal and daylighting performance that reduces heating costs and artificial light usage.Working through Sipral, a leading supplier of external building envelopes based out of Prague, the panels were delivered on schedule and required no on-site modifications. Amager Baake was designed by the highly-acclaimed architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and has the world watching as it merges two completely different applications.BIG founder Bjarke Ingels hopes that Amager Bakke will “change public perceptions of what a public utility should be” by providing a social and physical infrastructure.Amager Bakke provides Copenhagen with a rooftop ski slope that is comprised of 1,600 feet of trails, as well as 10 running and walking trails. There is also a 260-foot climbing wall along the facade.Ingels said the concept of a structure that brings together two diverse interests can be lasting. “If you make a building that remains relevant to the people living around it, and using it and inhabiting it, it can last forever,” Ingels said in an interview with CNN Style.Photography: Christoffer Regild