"separating membranes geotextiles"

As part of a £1.7m investment, Loughborough University recently remodelled Quorn Hall into an impressive 560-seat lecture theatre. Adding functionality to the new facility, Style was contracted to install a 57dB Dorma Hüppe Variflex ComfortDrive moveable wall system with fully automatic operation, allowing the vast space to be divided into two separate areas. A complex project, Style was specified by Core Architects to design a system that not only accommodated the exceptionally high ceiling but that also incorporated the stepped-rise of the seating.

The new centre, sympathetically designed by the prestigious Glenn Howells Architects, uses Reynaers’ CW 60 modular curtain walling, Vision 50 door system, ES 50 Eco System door, CS 68-HV Hidden Vent window and CS 77 doors. It was built by contractors Stepnell and the consultant was Wintech Ltd. With a large restaurant and shop, separate coffee shop and beautiful cloistered courtyard with garden, it’s hoped that the new centre will attract hundreds of thousands of new visitors to the Arboretum.

Initially three separate educational sites, LSST, Witham and City of Lincoln College (incorporating The Ruskin Academy) merged together to create the Priory Federation of Academies. Overseen by Balfour Beatty, the combination of new build and refurbishment projects is one of the final government Building Schools for the Future programs and also the largest single project Metrotile UK has been involved with so far. Once completed, the various roofs of the Priory Academies will feature over 50,000 Metrotile profiles in total.

When Shakespeare’s Globe looked at floors for their new education and rehearsal centre, Sackler Studios, they chose a Harlequin Activity floor with a hardwood oak surface. “It’s a product I am particularly familiar with due to working in and creating different spaces over the years and was something our acoustic consultant was keen on using. From a look and feel as a working surface and as part of the sound separation between all the studios I’m tremendously pleased.” Andy Scorgie Head of Facilities Management Shakespeare’s Globe

Hush Acoustics was tasked with providing an acoustic separating floor solution in an extensive material change of use project in Southall. Phoenix House was being converted by Vascroft Construction from an office building to residential flats, in a project which involved building into the basement, adding two floors and expanding at the rear.The development of 149 flats, each of which comprises 2 bedrooms, 1 ensuite, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen/living area, required an effective design for the separating floors to ensure they would be effectively soundproofed throughout across multiple different floor finishes.After assessing a number of floor construction materials, Hush Panel 28 floating floor panels were selected to meet the acoustic performance targets. Using this panel meant that throughout the bedrooms and living areas a simple underlay could be laid before the finished carpets or engineered timber floor were installed. Hush Panel 28 was also suitable for the floors in the wet rooms and entrance hallways by applying Detromat on top of the panel to form an anti cracking surface.A team of more than 100 operatives worked on site, with every 1000 sq. m of floor completed per week, which Hush Acoustics supported to ensure Vascroft could meet the project’s strict delivery schedule.

Players at Macclesfield FC enjoyed a speedy win thanks to the help of Styccobond F58 PLUS. The ‘no time to wait’ adhesive made quick work of the installation of LVTs and rubber floorcoverings as part of the creation of a new state-of-the-art gym at the Leasing.com stadium.  Flooring contractors began the project with a subfloor moisture test, which indicated high Relative Humidity (RH) levels in the subfloor, necessitating a moisture management solution to prevent excess subfloor moisture attacking floorcoverings and adhesives, potentially causing floor failure. Having removed surface laitance and old paint from the concrete subfloor on the lower floor, the contractors carried out surface repairs using Stopgap 460 Exterior Repair fast-setting rapid repair mortar. A single coat of Stopgap F77 waterproof surface membrane created a barrier against the excess subfloor moisture. Once the waterproof surface membrane had cured, the surface was primed using Stopgap P141 primer for non-absorbent surfaces before the company’s Red Bag self-levelling compound was applied at a thickness of 3mm to provide a perfectly smooth base for floorcoverings.   Styccobond F58 PLUS was used to affix charcoal-grey, wood-effect Kährs Calder Herringbone LVTs to create a bold statement in the main weights, cardio and boxing rooms, and changing areas.  Throughout the gym, rubber floorcoverings were also installed at fitness stations, using the adhesive in its wet state, to provide a soft cushion underfoot for customers using the equipment.  Upstairs, contractors made necessary repairs, including filling day joints, before priming the subfloor, this time opting for Stopgap P131 general purpose primer. Due to high RH readings contractors applied Stopgap F78 waterproof surface membrane. Once cured, Stopgap Red Bag self-levelling compound was again used to create a base for subsequently installed LVTs, completing a premier workout area for strength and resistance and cardio machines.

Ghent Diamond CHALLENGE The Ghent Diamond is proudly overlooking the Ghent-Sint-Pieters railway station and surrounding neighbourhood. On top of a stonelike base with a pattern inspired by the city of Ghent’s historical architecture, an impressive crystalline edifice rises. The 33m high office building has – as the name indicates – not only the brilliance, but also the shape of a gigantic, polished diamond with numerous facets. The special design makes the building unique, and that is exactly where the difficulty lies: roof surfaces with different inclines, steep and hard-to-reach slopes, kinks in the façade and a serious wind load. On the pitched roof segments connecting the glass facade, an exterior roof finish with Linius RENSON blades is to be installed. Just for aesthetic reasons! Such a finish creates a nice play of light, shadow and reflection. But this can only be achieved if the finish has been executed perfectly! But how to execute the construction so precisely, and at the same time be perfectly watertight? A true challenge for both architect and roofing contractor. SOLUTIONFor the internationally renowned New York-based architects practice Asymptote this monumental Diamond project is just another jewel in the crown. Innovative and visionary, they always pursue extreme and experimental challenges. And yes, this impressive Diamond really was a challenge, especially for the Belgian ROTEAM roof experts. The special shape, the height and the different slopes up to 47° made it a complex, gargantuan waterproofing project. On top of the steel deck structure tongue and groove insulation panels were installed. This guarantees a strong, perfectly fitting and smooth construction. After all this is very important in order to achieve this monumental task. The high wind load and shear forces were decisive for the choice of roofing membrane to be used on this difficult structure. Asymptote architects therefore opted for the mechanically fastened RENOLIT ALKORPLAN F membrane. This PVC-P roofing membrane is specifically suited for such a project, thanks mainly to its flexibility, lightweight and long life.

Harbour Central is one of the most recent developments in Canary Wharf, one of London’s two financial centres. There will be 5 residential buildings and a leisure complex. The main building of the development will be the Maine Tower with 42 floors. The upper floors are quite promising, as they will comprise breath-taking panoramic views of London. The Effisus Breather breathable membrane was the chosen solution for this project, in order to ensure the watertightness of the façade, and, at the same time, to allow ventilation of the façades components.

The Ascent Aluminium fixed ladder access system was specified to create a permanent safe access route to the roof for maintenance personnel. As the ladder provided access between two membrane roofs there was a requirement to specify non-penetrative support feet at both head & base. Hoops were provided throughout for fall protection and the ladder was designed in accordance with BS 4211:2005+A1 2008 and manufactured in accordance with CE 1090 factory production control procedures.

Koster Aquatecnic were approached to provide recommendations for sealing areas of heavy leakage in below ground sections within the vast basement.Given the type of construction, we designed a series of injection, Type A cementitious materials and Type C cavity membranes to protect the internal areas so they could be used by the hotel for storage, work areas and event spaces. Please read the full case study via the link. For further information please contact Technical@kosteruk.com.

Barrisol has managed the challenge of this extraordinary and original design by providing several notable construction and technical alternatives. The organic form was created on a 3D supporting structure of complex shapes. The well-developed Barrisol profiles combined with the variety of two taut surfaces with Barrisol membranes, enable the design of volumes and shapes in three exceptional designs. Further proof that with the Barrisol solutions are possible in all architectural forms. Architect : Lukáš Križek and Radek Bláha IO STUDIO

Built on a self-build development site at Graven Hill in Bicester, where every property is different, this house utilises a number of different design styles and is constructed from an ICF system called Durisol Blocks. The first floor is constructed using the Lewis Deck and includes sound separation, underfloor heating and wet-rooms. It is common for the 1st floor to see a liquid screed installed over the deck, however for this project the client just ordered a little additional of the concrete being poured down the walls to complete the floors.

Project: London Architectural Glazed approached Surespan to design and manufacture bespoke roof access and AOV Hatch. The project had a requirement for a huge 4700 x 1300 Smoke vent with access however due to EN12101-2 testing, Surespan only has CE Certification up to 1800 x 3000mm. Surespan designed a solution which involved combining a large 3628 x 1300 electric roof hatch with a separate 1300 x 1218mm SRHE/AOV unit combined into one frame.

Recently opened, the Engine Shed is Scotland’s dedicated building conservation centre, based in Stirling. Working with contractor, ESH Border and architect Reiach & Hall, Style Scotland installed a Skyfold operable wall to quickly separate the exhibition space from the auditorium, allowing educational seminars to be conducted in privacy whilst the rest of the space remains open to the public. Skyfold, a hugely innovative partitioning solution, is a vertical-rising moveable wall that retracts into the ceiling cavity at the turn of a key, creating an acoustic barrier of up to 59dB Rw.

Freestanding sink units for the ceramics studio comprising Decimetric sink drainer combinations complete with stainless steel frame and front valance. Sink bowls are fully integrated. Drainers were included to one side and each unit has an integral upstand. Legs have adjustable feet to facilitate levelling.V55 Gypsum Separators are mounted below each sink to prevent blockage of the drainage system by solid waste associated with working in clay.All units were produced in EN 1.4301 grade brushed satin stainless steel.

Our client was engaged to carry out a major office fit out that revolutionised the workplace experience for a global tech company. The design concept involved two separate creative viewpoints that needed to identify with the space to tell the combined story of the brand and the history of its location.Vtec Group were specified in this BREEAM Excellence rated workspace with our MaxiBeam and SupaSlat systems. Explore how we helped to ease the brain pain and eliminate risk of costly problems by creating beautiful flexible design solutions.

A residential developer approached Hush Acoustics after an acoustic test conducted on their project in St Leonards on Sea failed to achieve the acoustic compliance level needed under Approved Document E of the Building Regulations.The problem stemmed from a separating wall between two bedrooms which was constructed using a timber stud wall and had an overall thickness of 170mm. Its acoustic design was adequate on paper, but there was one issue that had not been correctly treated.One of the rooms measured 37m3 and the other 29m3 in size, with one notable consistent feature being a screed laid over a concrete floor.An airborne sound insulation sample test was carried out with no floor covering in place and this revealed a result of DnTw+Ctr 31dB.Levels of ‘flanking’ sound were significant - this meant sound was passing under the separating wall via the floor screed. The solution proposed by Hush Acoustics was to install Hush Mat 15 over the screed floor in both rooms.The effectiveness of this solution was evident in the follow-up test result of DnTw+Ctr 44dB. Whilst this result would be regarded as an average performance in most other types of buildings, the improvement here from a poor DnTw+Ctr of 31dB to 44db showed that Hush Mat 15 had delivered significant improvement and provided a solution to flanking transmission sound sources.The ensured the residential development satisfied the requirements of Approved Document E.

Located in Davos, Switzerland the InterContinental resort and spa consists of a guest building with 216 rooms, and a separate wood-framed building with 38 luxury condominiums. These two buildings are connected by an underground passage, combining the services of a five-star plus hotel with a private home environment.To experience the uninterrupted views of the Landwasser Valley, the InterContinental resort unleashes fully glazed fronts with extending balconies, taking over 882 ft2. The balconies combine the indoor space with the outdoors, visually merging with each other. Yet, in terms of insulation the thermal separations is made to avoid the effects of thermal bridging. Nestled in the Swiss alpine location, construction had to specifically address the fluctuations in temperature and climate.Insulating and SupportingSchöck Isokorb® was incorporated in the balconies to minimize heat losses between the ceiling and the balcony floor. "We have been working with the Schöck products for many years," says Patrick Hager, co-foreman at the construction company Toneatti that occurs along with Baulink AG as the consortium and total contracting.Residences at Minergie® standard (Swiss equivalent for passive house)"To achieve the high insulation goals in this climate, to even the hidden or seemingly insignificant component is an extremely important role to play," found Regina Meier when choosing Schöck products for the balcony constructions in the Residences. Regina is a construction manager at Baulink AG and responsible for compliance with the specifications. "We can at any time, even in the long term, rely on their reliability and durability."

The Lanesborough 5-star hotel on Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge in central London; is operated by the Oetker Collection, and is reputedly the most expensive hotel in the city.All the rainwater outlets on the roof were in need of replacement, and Holborn Asphalt needed a simple, effective solution that would be compatible with the waterproofing membrane that they were installing.An extensive number of our FarBo rainwater outlets were selected for this project - these outlets are perfect for this type of work as they fit neatly into any existing drains and downpipes.

This is a mixed-use development, planed by Marks Barfield Architects, creating 17 new homes. The purpose of this project is to promote the wellbeing of people, embracing circadian design principles. The building will include gardens and planting areas alongside office spaces, with a “forest floor” to the atrium spilling into the reception of the building. In this project Effisus Vapour FR Class A2 system was used to prevent the condensation risk, improving the airtightness and consequently the energy efficiency of the building, applying an A1 Vapour FR membrane.

The National Gallery and the Science Museum - two of London’s major and iconic visitor attractions built more than 150 years ago – required an extensive programme of roof upgrades and maintenance. Working with the National Gallery since 1995, the roof replacement and thermal upgrading project has seen in excess of 12,000sq m of Sika Sarnafil membranes installed, together with insulation, roof lights and walkways in a series of over 30 completed projects – including the complete Sainsbury Wing in 2008.

Ulticolour, Tarmac's coloured asphalt was used to surface the redeveloped Promenade at Morecambe. The buff colour complemented the clean, modern design of the new sea wall. It provided an accessible, trip-free surface with minimal maintenance requirement. The existing surface was an old hot rolled asphalt which was suffering from cracking. To resist cracking in the new surface and extend pavement life, ULTIMAT SAMI, Tarmac’s innovative stress absorbing membrane interlayer was also used. For more details visit the Tarmac website.

Products donated by F. Ball and Co. Ltd., including the company’s Stopgap 1200 Pro levelling compound, have been used to prepare subfloors as part of the renovation of the Coventry Caribbean Community Centre prior to its reopening to coincide with Coventry’s UK City of Culture status last year. Firstly, they removed old floorcoverings, revealing a rough screed. A moisture test also indicated that subfloor relative humidity levels were above the 75% maximum threshold for installing floorcoverings. Installers therefore opted to use Stopgap 1200 Pro to smooth subfloors.Stopgap F77 one-part waterproof surface membrane was then applied to prevent excess subfloor moisture attacking floorcoverings and adhesives, potentially causing complete floor failure.Once dry, the surface was primed using Stopgap P141, which is designed especially to promote the adhesion of levelling compounds to non-absorbent surfaces, including waterproof surface membranes. Another layer of Stopgap 1200 Pro was then used to create a perfectly smooth base for the receipt of new floorcoverings.Once the levelling compound had cured, Amtico Spacia stone-effect LVTs were installed in the majority of the floor area, with cream-coloured hexagon tiles positioned around the bar area for visual interest.

The conversion of a centuries-old house in Soglio presented an interesting challenge to the interior designer and the joiner. The end result is a residential house where the old building fabric and modern comforts complement one another perfectly. The interior designer and the joiner worked closely together to develop the interior. A sliding partition wall separates the bathroom from the bedroom. HAWA Junior 80 Z hardware makes sure it slides smoothly and quietly. Although sliding partition walls are rather atypical for the building type and its era, they are perfect for a house with confined spaces and slanting walls.

Brookfield is a recent acquisition that the University of Leicester is developing to offer supplementary and upgraded teaching facilities and office accommodation for support staff. When selecting seating for the scheme, landscape architects Barry Chinn Associates truly embraced the modular concept of RailRoad, so much so that the setting out of the perimeter planting beds was dictated by the seating sizes. Three separate seats were supplied, each comprising different radii modules that introduce a refreshing informality to the courtyard. The seating is further enhanced by the addition and informal placement of backrests, armrests and tablet surfaces.

Established in 1963, the University of East Anglia (UEA) is one of England’s leading public research and teaching universities. The university occupies a large campus and sought a locking system for its newest on-site residence, Crome Court. The accommodation has 231 en suite rooms rented to university postgraduates, separated into flats for between 8 and 13 people. Crome Court has been specifically designed to minimise environmental impact, including CO² emissions. Any access control system is expected to contribute to that goal... Click on the link below to read more.

The Enterprise Lab at Imperial College, London, benefits from the installation of a DORMA Variflex moveable wall system, allowing the room to be divided into a breakout area and workspace. Partitioning experts, Style was closely involved during the design stage of this project as the basement room is located at the bottom of a tight staircase, causing access issues. “We recommended Variflex as it is such a flexible and adaptable system,” said Julian Sargent, Style’s group managing director. “Most importantly, the panel faces are manufactured separately from the frames, allowing each element to be manually manoeuvred down the stairs”.

Few people realise that it is possible to clad old stairs with our engineered herringbone parquet floors. It is a specialist skill and you should only employ trusted professionals who have the specialist equipment. The parquet blocks used here are unfinished so that you get perfect square edges. They are then oiled after all other works are completed so that you get your perfect floor. There is no separate stair nose piece as the top layer of solid Oak is a good 4mm thick and this allows the fitters to create an accurate mitre join.

Over 266m2 of framed panels of Terra-34, which is a grating which conforms to anti-climb guidelines, were made to cover the south, east and west elevations. These were fabricated in 16 different sizes up to 2.5m high and 1m wide and fixed to the structural framework with custom welded plates. Access through the east elevation was provided by a very large double-leaf gate to allow for the removal of large sculptures and installations. The gate was made out of six separate panels within each leaf for an overall size of 4.6x5.3m (hxw).

The final phase of the £500m redevelopment of Kings Cross has been completed with the creation of a 75,000 sq ft square in front of the station.The square has granite benches with inset panels of high quality stainless steel grating supplied by Lang+Fulton, stunning lighting, trees and an area dedicated to art.The 11×66/25×2 heel-proof grating panels for the six separate seating areas were shaped to accommodate the up-lighters, the planting and adjacent watering points and were supplied in stainless steel grade AISI-316L with a satin finish.

Two five-panel BSF70 bi-folds installed on the front of the garden room open out from the centre, while the pool area features a single, nine-panel bi-fold which opens up one way from right to left to create a seamless link between inside and out. There are also two further five-panel BSF70 bi-folds installed at the end of the building and working as a divider between the two separate zones. All the doors are in Anthracite Grey throughout, double glazed with black, warm edge spacer bars.

Projects of complexity that demand innovative solutions to technically challenging interface design often deliver exceptional buildings. As a shining example, Axter recently completed the roofing systems for The Cheng Yu Tung Building, a landmark project for Jesus College in the heart of Oxford City.Systems in useStarcoat® PMMAForce Dalle®Excel®Cityflor®OverviewThis project required Axter’s extensive range of materials and methods combined to complete the multifaceted interfaces and deliver the demanding architectural design, whilst achieving the project’s ambitious goals.Founded in 1571, and with original buildings from this date, Jesus College is based in the centre of this diverse and historic city. With the development of the Cheng Yu Tung Building the college has undertaken its most significant transformation since the early 18th century.Combining new graduate accommodation, indoor and outdoor communal spaces, state-of-the-art teaching and meeting facilities with the latest digital technologies, this £36m innovative development is intended to have significant impact on the college faculty and students’ learning experience.Axter worked with architects MICA from early in the process, helping to specify solutions that would realise the design vision of lead architect Mandy Franz.“We’d worked with MICA before on a number of projects - including Keble College, University of Oxford - so they knew us and trusted us to add value through being involved with the design,“ comments Axter's Regional Sales Director, Matthew Saunders. “However, this project was a significant step up in complexity, with approximately 18 separate roof areas in total to complete. Looking at the main quad alone there is a raised area, numerous external stairways and walkways to waterproof as well as further raised terraces and inaccessible roof sections. Fortunately, we had significant experience to bring to this challenge.”Sustainability was the client’s major focus from the start, with the college already utilising ground source heat pumps, photovoltaic panels, and a heat recovery and cooling system to ensure zero carbon building operations, as well as reviewing all construction waste to ensure minimum diversion to landfill. We supported this aim working with main contractor BAM Construct UK to carefully plan and schedule the waterproofing systems to be installed, identifying the material composite of each roof to maximise efficacies in installation and logistics.The College’s key priority was to achieve a sustainability-focused design to reduce their carbon footprint. Naturally, this contributed to the challenges of the scheme, such as the additional fire safety requirements in response to the timber-framed construction. To help deliver the College’s ambitions, Axter supported the client’s design team by providing expert knowledge, understanding and application of the current regulations.Tapered roof insulation was used to support energy efficiency and drainage requirements, with bituminous waterproofing throughout. In keeping with the college’s sustainability mission, the main quad features a blue roof system to attenuate rainwater drainage. Other roof areas are finished with wildflower meadows. A combination of exposed and buried waterproofing membranes were consequently required, with additional complexity created by the range of different materials and surfaces involved.“Normally, if our membrane is marrying up to a vertical wall, we would see it come up as a visible detail,” continues Matthew, “but the beautiful Clipsham stonework used for the building façade wasn’t compatible with the typical detailing. We were also challenged by the desired architectural intent to defend the historic aesthetic of the stone, so we created a bespoke solution that has the required guaranteed watertightness whilst also delivering the architectural vision.”Additional challengesThe project started in 2020, just as the UK was trying to navigate the guidelines for operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Matthew explains: “there were still restrictions in place, such as a general 2-metre distancing requirement, which was challenging in the tighter spaces, for example corridors where you literally couldn’t pass another person. We had an unusually hot summer also, which wasn’t helpful when you have workers in full PPE using 1,400-degree butane torches where use of naked flame was permitted in accordance with NFRC Safe2Torch guidance.”The overall scope of the project, which encompassed multiple terraces at different levels and a mixture of concrete, CLT and steel frame structural composites, was a defining characteristic. “This was a large-scale development to begin with,” adds Matthew. “Furthermore, the university emphasised from the start the centrality of the significant sustainability objectives, and MICA had ambitious solutions in mind in terms of the materials used. Our job was to accommodate these various requests while keeping in mind all of the regulatory and compliance requirements. Achieving those without exception, for a large number of surfaces, does become more challenging where each part of the project has several ambitious aspirations intersecting with one another. Fortunately, we are known for always rising to a challenge.”SolutionsThe pandemic accelerated the shift to a range of technological solutions replacing traditional or face-to-face approaches. Systems were evolved for everything from distancing to digital rather than traditionally signed delivery acceptance.“As a manufacturer, we don’t have to be on site every day,” notes Matthew, “but traditionally we would attend fairly frequently, as well as meeting regularly with partners to agree and then oversee various aspects of the project plan. Fortunately, Axter was already moving towards solutions such as virtual meetings, so we simply shifted much more quickly to those approaches, using them wherever possible.“I think one advantage we have is the breadth of the product range we design. We can offer clients such as Jesus College a full system approach involving multiple solutions, to ensure we use the right system for the right application on each occasion. Our accredited installers are carefully vetted and trained by us, and have worked with us for long enough to know our products inside out.”The range of products we are able to offer, all developed in-house, does testify to the culture of Axter. Comments Matthew: “We are very much a technically-oriented company and that runs through every aspect of our work and our staff. Our sales team are all very aware of the products on that level, they aren’t selling products they don’t fully understand the technical details of. Our long-term partners know that what we offer them is reassurance that, from early-stage design meetings through to completion, whatever challenges they put to us, our response will be considered and robust in terms of quality and compliance.”Systems and products usedExternal stair cores used Axter Starcoat PMMA liquid waterproofing membranes.For the main quad and some lower areas, our innovative Force Dalle warm roof solution was used.Our Excel reinforced waterproofing membranes were used as an exposed membrane finish, with a tapered insulation to ensure the falls and consequent drainage characteristics required by BS 6229.Axter’s Cityflor warm living roof membranes were used as buried applications in several roof terraces, again with tapered insulation.Self-adhesive membranes were used where necessary to ensure compliance with NFRC Safe2Torch Guidelines, especially required due to the timber elements.Acknowledgments"To deliver the increasing demand on a building’s performance specification, combined with the seamless aesthetics of contemporary architectural design, an advanced understanding of technical detailing is required in the design and construction process. The design criteria have also resulted in an extensive range of engineered systems on the market to provide certified, technical solutions for multifaceted interfaces.Working directly with the designers and product manufacturers, we prioritise a full system approach to the weather-tightness of the building, focusing on durability, termination and compliance with current regulations. I have worked with the team at MICA Architects and Axter’s Matthew Saunders on a number of challenging projects, including The Cheng Yu Tung Building, Jesus College, and the HB Allen Centre, Keble College. Matthew Saunders has always been a key consultant for the technical specification of above ground waterproofing systems and the buildings’ thermal performance. He’s an expert in technical detailing and advisor on the materials required to deliver the optimum waterproofing system for the building."Eric O’Hare, Design Manager, BAM Construction www.bam.co.ukWith special thanks to: Tomasz Zozak, who provided the photographs, and BAM Construction Ltd.

Furnitubes designed and manufactured a number of AKRI retaining steel wall planters with ped and tray system for rooftop scheme in in Bexleyheath, south London. AKRI’s unique ped and tray system allows the planters to be left freestanding, sitting on a layer of waterproof membrane. Decking and pergolas were installed and benches were later retro-fitted to the planters to seamlessly integrate seating, manufactured in all steel to accommodate the required A fire rating, creating stunning landscaped roof tops across both buildings in the heart of a bustling city.

Liquasil Ultra PU is a BBA approved flat roof waterproofing membrane. Cold-applied, the system comprises an embedment coat, into which a chopped strand reinforcement mat is laid to provide exceptional strength. The mat dissolves and allows for hand-moulding around difficult details. Once cured, the Liquasil PU UV coat is applied to provide additional strength, durability & protection. The completed system comes with the unique Latent Defects Insurance Guarantee, which provides cover for Professional Design. Specify with 100% confidence. Made in the UK.

This huge new cultural center, located in the heart of the capital, covers an area of 214,000 square meters, which equates to the area of thirty football fields. It includes a 2,000-seat opera house, the first in the Gulf emirate, as well as a music center, a conference center and a library of historical documents. Inaugurated on Monday, October 31st, 2016, it bears the name of former Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Amad. Barrisol® has installed immense lightening membranes, giving the illusion that they are endlessness. Architect : SSH International, Architects

This development includes a tower that will exceed the height of the Burj Khalifa, and a sanctuary development with exclusive villas and a canal district. Sustainability is at the heart of development, with a road and transport network designed to minimize environmental impact, as well as various ecological initiatives, including artificial forests and open green spaces. In this project, it is being used the A2 Class fire rated weatherproofing membrane Effisus Vapour FR to protect façade from environmental agents with superior fire resistance, and the bi-adhesive tape Effisus 2Bond DS, to seal the connections on the façades.