"special fittings"

We supplied B. Doherty Screeding with SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing Screed for the new build in Harold’s Cross in Ireland. The product supplied helped our Smet Supported Partner, B. Doherty Screeding to deliver the project as a high-quality pumpable, CE-marked, self-levelling screed based on calcium sulphate.German-made SMET LiteFlo® is unique because it’s the first pumpable lightweight flowing screed available. Made from specially selected aggregates – means it’s 30% lighter than conventional flowing screeds and can be laid in reduced thicknesses. The screed offers a high yield, 43kg per m2 @ 40mm.Innovative SMET LiteFlo® is particularly suitable for use in timber-frame builds, suspended timber floors, tower blocks, apartments, and high-rise buildings. SMET demonstrates best practice in construction partnerships – providing a superior level of customer service to their Smet Supported Partners during the installation process.Whether your job is – self-build, retro-fit, floor renovation or repair, design floor, commercial or shop, sustainable build, historical renovation, ECO build, Lightweight, or an industrial flooring venture – SMET has a flooring compound or ready to use product suitable for your application.TDS SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing ScreedAftercare SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing ScreedSMET Floor Screeds and Compounds Product Selectorwww.smetbuildingproducts.com or www.smet.ie

We supplied our partner, Fast Floor Screed Ltd with SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing Screed for the renovation job in Fleet Screed in Dublin city. This is a high-quality pumpable, factory-produced, CE marked, self-levelling screed based on calcium sulphate.German-made SMET LiteFlo® is unique because it’s the first pumpable lightweight flowing screed available. Made from specially selected aggregates – means it’s 30% lighter than conventional flowing screeds and can be laid in reduced thicknesses. The screed offers a high yield, 43kg per m2 @ 40mm.Innovative SMET LiteFlo® is particularly suitable for use in timber-frame builds, suspended timber floors, tower blocks, apartments, and high-rise buildings.LiteFlo® complies with EN 13813: 2002, is CE-marked, and is available in 27Kg bags or bulk silos.Have a look at the Northern Builder MagazineTop 5 Liquid Screeds Article.  Read about SMET LiteFlo® in the Irish Construction News.SMET demonstrates best practice in construction partnerships - providing a superior level of customer service to their Smet Supported Partners during the installation process.Whether your job is – self-build, retro-fit, floor renovation or repair, design floor, commercial or shop, sustainable build, historical renovation, ECO build, Lightweight, or an industrial flooring venture – SMET has a flooring compound or ready to use product suitable for your application.www.smetbuildingproducts.com or www.smet.ie

Smet Supported Partner, Fast Floor Screed pump applied SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing Screed for the retrofit of this large house in Dalkey Co Dublin. This lightweight screed is ideal for renovation projects where loading is an issue. LiteFlo® is a high-quality, innovative, pumpable factory produced, CE marked, self-levelling screed based on calcium sulphate.German-made LiteFlo® is unique, in that it’s the first pumpable lightweight flowing screed. Made from specially selected aggregates, makes it 30% lighter than conventional flowing screeds and therefore 70% lighter than traditional sand & cement – ultimately this means less is required per m2. Another plus is that screed made from Calcium Sulphate has naturally substantially lower embodied carbon emissions than a sand and cement screed.LiteFlo® complies with EN 13813: 2002, is CE-marked, and is available in 27Kg bags or bulk silos.Have a look at the Northern Builder MagazineTop 5 Liquid Screeds Article.  Read about SMET LiteFlo® in the Irish Construction News.Smet Building Products Ltd in partnership with Fast Floor Screed Ltd, demonstrates, once again, a superior level of customer service, both pre and after-care. Whether your job is self-build, retro-fit, floor renovation, design, commercial, or an industrial venture – the flooring gurus have a floor compound suitable for you.Contact Smet Building Products Ltd 

F. Ball’s high performance subfloor preparation and adhesive products have been used to renovate the floor of a 160m2 school hall at Christ Church CE Primary School in Kent. A combination of Stopgap 600 deep section base compound and Stopgap 200 Smooth acrylic floor smoothing underlayment was used over a Stopgap Waterproof Surface Membrane, firstly to build up the subfloor to the required thickness and then create a smooth, durable surface on which the final floorcovering could be laid. Styccobond F46 pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive was used to secure the vinyl Polyflor XL floorcovering to the finished subfloor...

About My Prime DentalMy Prime Dental is a cosmetic and general dental practice based in Hampstead Garden Suburb in north London. It has a team of 17 dentists, hygienists and dental nurses with a range of specialisms. The goal of the practice is to offer each and every patient an experience that exceeds his or her expectations – combining excellent clinical skills and outstanding customer service in an atmosphere that is warm, friendly and relaxed. The atmosphere, look and quality of the treatment rooms is therefore paramount. With that in mind, My Prime Dental has installed miscea taps in three of the treatment rooms in its London dental practice. The taps offer both staff and patients the most convenient and hygienic way of cleaning their hands, both pre and post treatment.Why did My Prime Dental install miscea taps?Maintaining strict standards of hygiene is of upmost importance for all dental practices. The miscea Classic’s touch-free functionality makes this easy. The miscea CLASSIC is not just an award-winning hand hygiene system, but also an effective solution for professionals who require the highest possible standards in hygiene.The miscea CLASSIC wall model was installed by Anglian Dental, the leading dental equipment specialist who have more than two decades experience of designing, developing and installing exceptional dental surgeries. Anglian Dental worked in partnership with My Prime Dental. My Prime Dental had researched the equipment market extensively and found that the miscea CLASSIC tap fitted his vision for the development of a specialist referral practice."We installed the miscea taps to provide an ergonomic and efficient clinic dispensing system for soap and alcohol. We have been very pleased with their performance and with Ecoprod’s after sales support."Principal Dental SurgeonTouch-free dispensing of both water and soapThe miscea CLASSIC is ideal for dentists and other medical professionals because it is much more than just a tap – it’s an advanced hand hygiene system, using advanced sensor technology to enable touch-free dispensing of water and a combination of two other liquid products. Its attractive award-winning design means the miscea CLASSIC is also a stylish addition to any surgery or practice.An additional benefit is that miscea taps can reduce water use by up to 60%. This is because miscea taps ensure that water flows only when you really need it and automatically shut off the flow when you don’t. Special aerators integrated into miscea taps also help to reduce water consumption by enriching the water with air, resulting in a luxurious stream of bubbly water that is soft to the touch and splash-free whilst using even less water.

Ayr, a port town on the Firth of Clyde in the southwest of Scotland, attracts tourists with its picturesque sandy beaches, mild climate influenced by the Gulf Stream, and a view across the water to the Isle of Arran, the home of several popular whisky distilleries.For the Scottish, Ayr is particularly significant since it is where Robert the Bruce held the first Scottish parliament in the early 14th century. Today, Ayr is one of the locations of the University of the West of Scotland, which offers one hundred graduate degree courses at a total of seven faculties. In its direct vicinity is the Riverside Sports Arena, built in 2022, which is used by students of the university and serves as the training centre for the Ayr Seaforth Athletic Club. For over 60 years, this traditional club has offered almost every classic athletics discipline, as well as special programmes for juniors, seniors and disabled people.Following an investment of £8.5 million, the state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor sports arena now includes an indoor sprinting and jumping facility, a roofed stand with 250 seats, a changing pavilion, and a rugby/football field. Specially for track-and-field athletes, there is a 400-metre running track with eight lanes, an area for jumping and throwing disciplines, and a 60-metre indoor track with six lanes. All the tracks are equipped with Polytan Rekortan M in brick red, our globally established professional sports surface, which we offer in an indoor and an outdoor version. It is loved by professionals and amateurs alike for its excellent acceleration and high tread elasticity. In addition, Rekortan M is fast and offers high cushioning and excellent sport medical properties.Due to country-specific emission limit values for indoor spaces, Rekortan M is well-suited to indoor athletics facilities. Unlike the outdoor version, the indoor version contains 100% rubber granules.With 153 World-Athletics-certified installations worldwide, Rekortan M is the world’s most certified running track system. The synthetic surface celebrated its debut at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico – ever since, Rekortan has embodied high-performance running tracks for international competitions, training facilities and school sports facilities.Moreover, our digital performance diagnostics system Polytan SMART has been installed at the Riverside Sports Arena. It is suitable for both running tracks and synthetic turf system, and can be integrated into both new and existing facilities with very little effort. Once fitted, the permanently installed timing gates are available at all times for precise time measurement – in any weather and for multiple athletes at once. Developed specially for amateur athletes who want to optimise their training, the free smartphone app Smart Run by Humotion is available to download from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. The smartphone is worn in a running belt. This allows the app to make use of the sensors in the smartphone, and measure all the relevant parameters in conjunction with the SMART timing gates. The measurements are then evaluated and analysed directly in the app. These include distance, time, number of steps and step frequency, both as interim results and absolute values.For all professional athletes who want to train with as little weight yet as much precision as possible, we have made the DX5.0 sensor – weighing only 15 grams – available. This is attached to a special belt and worn on the body while training. In conjunction with the Polytan SMART timing gates, it records all the parameters, and displays and evaluates them either on the professional SmarTracks diagnostics software on a laptop, or directly in the Smart Run by Humotion app.We have installed a total of 80 timing gates in the running track, the sprint track and the long jump at the Riverside Sports Arena. Scottish Athletics Ltd, the national umbrella association for athletics in Scotland, will use the Polytan SMART-equipped facility in Ayr for national competitions in the future. Polytan is the official partner of Scottish Athletics Ltd, which is associated with World Athletics via UK Athletics. In turn, Scottish Athletics comprises 150 athletics associations that offer people of all ages the opportunity to try out various athletics disciplines, as well as train and compete – from casual jogging, all the way through to the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games.

The merger of two primary schools in south London meant one of the school buildings would be retaining and upgraded to facilitate the combined 380+ students in the 3-11 age range.The newly formed Bird in Bush Primary School is Southwark’s newest school, which has been adapted to accommodate an increased number of children to ensure their needs are met, and that the learning environment is inclusive for all.One of the ways the school was adapted prior to opening for the autumn term was to create the right acoustic conditions inside one of the classrooms for a student with special educational needs (SEN), who was moving from Coburg School. The child’s condition meant that they were more susceptible to the adverse effects of noise resulting from reverberation and echo, which could potentially have an impact on their learning outcomes.The child’s parents felt this was a particularly important issue to address given that their child was entering Year 6, which they believed would be more significant than previous school years and more stressful. The acoustic treatment deployed involved the installation of Hush Absorber 50 sound absorber panels. These products were previously installed in the school's large dining hall to reduce high levels of background noise and echo.The aim was to calculate the current reverberation time (RT), the time taken for the sound pressure level from the original sound to drop by 60dB after it stops, and work out how much absorption would be needed to bring this in line with the requirements of BB93.The solution provided by Hush involved the manufacture and installation of 40x Hush Absorber 50 panels, which were sized 1200 x 600 x 50mm and covered in a fabric coloured in a neutral tone to blend seamlessly with the classroom’s main colour. These were fitted onto the soffit of the classroom’s sloping ceiling which was important to ensure the walls could continue to be used for notice boards and other displays.Prior to their installation, the RT was measured at 3.8s and following the upgrade the reduction in reverberation is evident in the fact that this figure is now 0.8s. This was the lowest figure possible given the available space for the sound absorber panels on the soffit.Disruption to teaching was completely avoided because the Hush Absorber 50 panels were fitted in just one day during the summer holiday closure of the school.

Originally an anonymous, almost forbidding, seven-storey office block constructed in the 1980s, York House on Pentonville Road in Islington is being transformed into a contemporary, light-filled co-working space fit for 21st century use.The original building frontage was set back from the road, but the addition of a new five-story front extension introduces an attractive double-height entrance with offices above. Using similar engineering bricks to the main, original building, the new construction allows light to flood in through the use of structurally self-supporting perforated brick lattice, angled at 45 degrees to gain stiffness. A cross-laminated timber structure sits behind while openable windows allow fresh air to circulate.At roof level, a new, cross-laminated timber structure, clad in a perforated zig-zag aluminium screen, echoes the front extension while softening the building edge.The brick selected for the project was a Blue Brindle Smooth – a high quality smooth brick that closely matched the masonry of the original building. The complexity of the lattice work structure required special shapes of brick and perforation to allow visibility through the bricks at the right points. Working closely with the architect, it took the team nine months of developing and testing to get the strength of the product right. Three lengths of brick were produced and used in the construction of the extension: 215s were used in the building of the chevron parapet, 345s were used on the parapet and alongside the entrance, and 440s were used to create the latticework on the main entrance.We are proud to announce that York House was highly commended at the 2019 Brick Awards in the Innovation category and is a great example of a collaborative approach with our customers.

Just a stone’s throw from Baden-Baden’s famous festival hall, a trendy and exclusive hotel has opened its doors in the name of Hotel Roomers. The hotel’s rooftop bar is a stand-out feature. Its lightweight steel canopy connects to the main concrete structure with Schöck Isokorb® type KS elements to minimize thermal bridging in the construction. And when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, the stairwells are fitted with Schöck Tronsole® to stop impact sound transmissions and ensure a restful stay. The building itself is a hotel, medical centre and apartment block all in one, and its radiant white facade complete with full-height windows creates a striking effect. But the real highlight is how the facade changes its appearance depending on the guests decision to shut out the light in their rooms using the integrated window shading systems. It is not just the facade design that makes this hotel so special, but also its energy concept, which is testament to its ambitious efficiency targets. A crucial component of this concept involved minimising thermal bridges, which were a concern in the hotel’s landmark cantilevered entrance canopy. Without the Schöck Isokorb® type KS elements, it would have been difficult – if not impossible – to build the cantilevered element so efficiently and to decouple the structurally challenging thermal bridge at the point of connection between the freely cantilevered steel girders and the reinforced concrete slabs. All stairwells within the hotel feature the Schöck Tronsole®, which allow it to live up to the high expectations of the investors and building owner Franz Bernhard Wagner in terms of both energy-saving aspects and – of course – sound proofing.

SMET supplied SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing Screed for a timber suspended floor, in a self-build set in the idyllic district of Ballymena. Smet LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing Screed is a high-quality, innovative, pumpable factory-produced, CE marked, self-levelling screed based on calcium sulphate. German-made, SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing Screed is unique, in that it’s the first-available, pumpable lightweight flowing screed. Made from specially selected aggregates, which make it 30% lighter than conventional flowing screeds and 70% lighter than Sand & Cement - means less is required per m2. Another plus is that that screed made from Calcium Sulphate has naturally substantially lower embodied carbon emissions than a sand and cement screed.LiteFlo® complies with EN 13813: 2002, is CE-marked, and is available in 27Kg bags or bulk silos.Have a look at the Northern Builder MagazineTop 5 Liquid Screeds Article. Read about SMET LiteFlo® in the Irish Construction News.Innovative SMET LiteFlo® is particularly suitable for use in timber-frame builds, suspended timber floors, tower blocks, apartments, and high-rise buildings. SMET demonstrates best practice in construction partnerships - providing a superior level of customer service to their Smet Supported Partners during the installation process.Whether your job is – self-build, retro-fit, floor renovation or repair, design floor, commercial or shop, sustainable build, historical renovation, ECO build, Lightweight, or an industrial flooring venture – SMET has a flooring compound or ready to use product suitable for your application.www.smetbuildingproducts.com or www.smet.ie

Efficient and safe goods lifts optimize performance for a large online shopping retailer’s warehouseThe top online fashion retailer improves its productivity, efficiency and safety to meeting higher market demandsOnline orders for the fashion industry have significantly peaked over the last few years, making fashion retailers recognise the need to expand their warehouses. The international and rapidly growing fashion brand has opened a new warehouse in Litchfield to supply their multinational customers efficiently and on time. In 2021, Lödige Industries was contracted to design, manufacture, deliver and install one SHERPA and one ESCORTA goods lift for the new facility. Installation work of the goods lifts was accomplished in November 2021, while the rack system will be finished afterwards.Optimizing space and serving each mezzanine floor efficientlyDue to the increasing number of online orders, the international fashion retailer needed an efficient and space-saving lift solution. The client envisioned a multi-level storage solution, to fully utilise the available warehousing space.Lödige Industries in the UK decided to implement large goods lifts as a solution to access each floor. The free-standing SHERPA and ESCORTA goods lifts fully automate the transfer of goods across five and six floors and were easily integrated into the rack system. The two lifts have been configured specially to help the flow of goods in the building. They have been fitted to align with their vast increase in orders, facilitating their constant success globally. Overall, the cabin sizes of the goods lifts allow the customer to fit all their equipment in the shaft without any disturbances between different stops.Safety and security are key priorities for the customerSafety for employees in installation and operation of goods lifts is one of the key priorities for the fashion brand. Therefore, engineers from Lödige Industries installed the goods lifts in line with Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. It contains guidelines to minimise any injury to the user or people close to the machine. It specifies the maximum gap in a guard and directives regarding the lift such as lift speeds for different applications, alongside many other guidelines.For the ESCORTA, Lödige Industries fitted a bumper rail to protect the emergency stop button from being damaged. Additionally, rumble strips were installed to prevent the trolley from moving and maintaining the smooth running of the lift. As a result, this reduces downtime of the goods lifts, the amount of call outs and allows them to be more cost efficient.Consistent site coordination to apply the best lift solution for the customerThe biggest challenge for the customer was the limited space available for the goods lifts. Consequently, the customer required a lift solution to fit between the steel building columns and respecting all other work and storage areas. This made the sizing of the lifts become complex.In close collaboration with the customer, the efficiency of the building was maximised by optimising both, general goods flow and use of space within the goods lifts areas. The constant coordination and communication between the customer and Lödige Industries allowed a precise location for the lifts within the space available.SolutionIn order to save space and meeting the available space restrictions, free standing goods lifts were attached to the rack system.The applied safety measurements reduce downtimes of the goods lifts, the amount of call outs and allows the customer to operate more cost efficient.Close collaboration between the go-to fashion brand and Lödige Industries enabled the customer to optimise goods flow while respecting all site specifications.

ClientManchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) Market SectorHealthcare The Project BriefWythenshawe Hospital is a major acute teaching hospital part of the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT). Its area of specialisms includes cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, heart and lung transplants as well as cancer and breast care services and supports patients from across the North West and beyond.During the upgrade of the Emergency Department (E.D) the team decided on both protection and preventative measures to ensure only the highest of standards were adhered to which were in line with the Hospital’s renowned reputation. The SolutionIntastop Ltd was chosen to supply and fit a range of protective products designed specifically to integrate seamlessly with the hospital aesthetics.They included Bed Head Protection, Hand Rails, Sanparrel® Wall Sheet and Corner Guards from the Inpro product range in addition to Intastop’s innovative I-Gienic Smooth Hygienic Sheet and Rigid Frame Guards. Impact protection sheet along with the other products installed at Wythenshawe Hospital boast a plethora of benefits including high impact resistance, Class ‘O’ Fire Rated; tested to BS476 Parts 6 & 7 and available in a variety of colours. Additional Benefits of Impact Protection SheetEnsures staff and patient safety in the event of a fire by maintaining fire integrity of the surface.Protects against localised damage.Maintains a clean, safe environmentAchieves colour contrast for critical surfaces to assist with visually impaired staff and patientsWhat the client saysMarcus Ashurst, project manager for the emergency department said“With a collaborative approach from the inception of the project through to completion, the Trust was mindful that the new emergency department operating 24 hours a day would require careful thought and consideration with regards to the finishes selected. With leading healthcare architects IBI plans were drafted with full engagement with the clinical teams to develop an extremely well-considered and effective design – fit for purpose.Working with Interserve, the principal supply chain partner appointed to construct the new development, Intastop were nominated to supply and install a fully comprehensive system of door and wall protection that would not only withstand and protect the built environment, but also enhance the aesthetics of the environment. The holistic approach taken and end result was indeed most satisfactory.”

The fit-out of a new primary school building in North-West London has featured the installation of half a dozen different configuration of high quality stainless steel work-surfaces within its teaching, staff and family areas, specified for their durability and visual appeal as well as the creation of hygienic, easy to clean and maintain facilities.The Edith Neville Primary School in Camden has been built by Orpington based Neilcott Construction for the London Borough of Camden with Hayhurst and Co. Architects leading the design team. Project Architect, Jamie Wakefield, commented: “I had seen GEC sinks on another project and we specified them as part of a full Stage 4 design for the Edith Neville Primary School, which has been built for the London Borough of Camden. Schools inevitably get some very heavy usage, but with stainless steel it is easy to clean the surfaces up and get them looking smart again and they’ll still look good in ten years’ time. The different GEC fabrications feature throughout the new school as classroom art sinks, tea-point countertops and in spaces such as the family centre. There is also one in the staff kitchenette and a special studio space. We’re very pleased with how they look and they are working well for the school.”The many and varied units supplied by G. E. C. Anderson include a total of 16 in varying sizes from 1440mm long x 600mm deep and up to 3073mm long x 650mm deep, all with flat surfaces for food preparation and stacking dishes, including ten units supplied with one full size sink and six with a full sink together with half sink, plus three with cut out for cooker hobs, while 300mm high splashbacks- again in stainless steel, help prevent water or waste material staining or damaging the walls. The tops also incorporate five different edge details for such purposes as preventing water run-off.Since its formation in 1962, GEC Anderson has built its reputation for the supply of top end stainless steel sinks and sanitaryware on a combination of innovative design, top quality materials and expert craftsmanship. In addition to the company’s Decimetric system of cabinets, sinks, drainers and other equipment - widely specified for sectors including health and catering – it is able to create custom engineered solutions to exactly fit any space or specification.

Made-to-measure satin-brushed stainless steel worktops and sinks from GEC Anderson have been used to enhance the light and contemporary spaces they are situated in at Brockholes Nature Reserve near Preston, Lancashire.The nature reserve was formed over 10 years out of a former gravel quarry, with a range of habitats added to existing woodlands and water, carefully crafted to attract different species of birds, animals, fish and plant life. The project is the winner of 2 Civic Trust Awards and has achieved the new and highest rating of sustainability, BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ for interim design stage.Owned by the National Wildlife Trust, Brockholes combines a visitor centre with a 67-hectare nature reserve funded by the North West Regional Development Agency. Brockholes is one of the best sites in the UK for many species of birds and different habitats have been created throughout the area to encourage them and other wildlife to visit the siteThe buildings and open spaces form a village-like cluster, floating on a large pontoon and include various facilities such as a café, gift shop and information area. The kitchenette is situated in the conference centre, which is available for hire by companies and individuals for private functions. The small kitchen space is used for general washing up tasks as well as for the storage of crockery and cutlery, includes two GEC Anderson made-to-measure brushed-satin stainless steel sinktops. Designed to fit the compact space available, the stainless steel worktops combine robust functionality with their professional and attractive appearance.The Education Classroom is situated in the Visitor Village and accommodates up to 60 people. It is used for school and adult education activities during term time and family activities during school holidays. A single piece, 3.5 metre, GEC Anderson made-to-measure brushed-satin stainless steel sinktop is located within this area, that includes a special 2.2 metre trough sink to a 180mm depth. This special trough sink is used for general wet activities and for cleaning of art and craft equipment. Kath Knight, Manager at Brockholes said, “Stainless steel provides clean lines and good looks in a modern classroom environment and compliments the surrounding building materials, which are mainly timber.”For the architect, it was also the obvious choice for this busy educational space, as it is hard wearing, hygienic, maintenance free and retains its original appearance over time. GEC Anderson was also chosen for their ability to provide the sinktop configurations to meet the design requirements.Managing Director of GEC Anderson, Martin Tye, comments: “This is a situation where practical requirements must be satisfied but where design and use of natural, balanced, honest materials are, equally, of importance. Stainless steel worktops tend to blend-in so well precisely because of their neutral appearance.”

The Darwin Centre cocoon creates a new architectural icon for the capital, ground-breaking in scale and breath-taking in its originality and creative brilliance.The design features a vast free-standing structure taking the form of an enormous cocoon within a glass atrium. The eight storey high cocoon houses a unique collection of 17 million insects and 3 million plants collected over the last 300 years by scientists including Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace and Sir Hans Sloane. The building completes the Museum’s life science complex, the Darwin Centre, following the first phase opened in 2002.Design TeamThe response of the architectural design team at C.F. Møller, lead by partner Anna Maria Indrio, was to create an engaging image reminiscent of an essentially organic form. The surface and texture also needed to reflect this, so the subtle sheen of the ivory coloured Armourcoat plaster was chosen. With an intersecting network of ‘silk threads’ that criss-cross the cocoon, the surface allows for movement and provides a visual framework for openings and niches. Armourcoat was specified to devise a unique creative solution combining both the insulation and the final decorative layers. The cocoon performs a genuinely protective job providing thermal mass to inhibit any fluctuations to the internal temperature – essential for the museum’s treasured specimens. The structure also houses state-of-the-art laboratories for 250 international scientists and an interactive visitor exhibition.ConstructionA sixty-five metre long skeletal structure was built by sprayed concrete specialist Shotcrete – the first above ground sprayed concrete structural element in the world. Expanded metal mesh was fitted to the steel re-bar framework and a 250mm thick layer of concrete was spray applied to create a 3,500 m2 raw concrete surface. Armourcoat then applied a resin modified render to the structure to minimize localized variations to the surface, before the polystyrene insulation layer was fixed. Using Dryvit Genesis adhesive and over 16,000 Hilti insulation fasteners, a 50mm polystyrene layer was fitted to the entire surface of the cocoon then covered with a layer of reinforcing mesh bedded into Dryvit Genesis basecoat. To create the silk threads wrapping the structure, a special cutting machine was devised which could cut an accurate slot and create the individual 340 panels which make up the cocoon surface. A total of 5.6km of edge bead was then fitted before Armourcoat’s unique AntiCrack substrate preparation system was applied. AntiCrack is a polymer and fibre modified gypsum skim-coat plaster which creates a first class substrate, keeping the Armourcoat plaster layer in peak condition. Two layers of Armourcoat keycoat were applied prior to the application of the final finish. The finished effect of a giant silk cocoon was achieved using ivory coloured Armourcoat Armuralia polished plaster - an exquisite, smooth finish with subtle tonal variations.The cocoon is a milestone achievement, a unique design and technical solution befitting the historic and social reference of the Natural History Museum. This also is a stunning example of the type of commercial projects now undertaken by Armourcoat, celebrating twenty-five years of creative excellence in 2009.Client: Natural History MuseumArchitect: C. F. MøllerMain Contractor: HBG Construction

County Sligo has been blessed with a brand-new luxury hotel, the internationally renowned Radisson SAS Hotel, where the comfort of guests and staff is of paramount importance. Every precaution has also been taken to ensure the safety of residents including the installation of high quality, clear view fire-resistant glass products, Pilkington Pyrostop® and Pilkington Pyrodur®, which have been fitted extensively throughout the entire hotel.Pilkington Pyrodur® is a laminated glass with a special interlayer, developed for the optimum combination of minimum thickness, integrity fire resistance and impact performance. In a fire, the glass forms an opaque barrier to exclude flames and hot gases as well as blocking the sight of the fire, hence reducing panic. In addition to its integrity performance Pilkington Pyrodur® reduces the transfer of radiant heat significantly.Jackie Corcorran of main contractor, J J Rhatigan & Co. Galway was closely involved in the specification of the specialised glass alongside White Bros. Joinery Sligo & Jim Walsh of Greaney Glass Galway. 160 m2 of 10 mm Pilkington Pyrodur® with a 30-minute integrity rating was installed within the corridors of the building. In other areas where there is a slightly greater risk of fire, such as the kitchen area, internal doors and function room screens, were fitted with 21 mm Pilkington Pyrostop®, which provides 60 minutes fire integrity and insulation.Specialist glass & glazing contractors, Greaney Glass, were responsible for installing the fire-resistant glass and Ivan Greaney, Managing Director, comments: “For such a prestigious project it was imperative we used a fire-resistant glass we could trust. There could be hundreds of people within the hotel at any one time so we needed to use materials that would provide maximum protection under the most extreme circumstances. As Pilkington Pyrostop® and Pilkington Pyrodur® are backed by a full suite of impact and fire performance tests, we had no doubts that this was the ideal glass for this project.”Pilkington Pyrostop® and Pilkington Pyrodur® provide excellent levels of protection and have been tested and assessed to BS and EN standards. Not only do they offer excellent fire-resistance they also fully comply with impact safety tests and permit safe breakage in the manner of a laminated glass. In addition, they provide acoustic improvement over standard fire-resistant glass, an important consideration in the hotel that offers a peaceful and relaxing retreat for guests.

Third Space has opened its sixth and most luxurious health club in London with spacious training areas, state-of-the-art facilities, tranquil yoga studio, 20m adult pool, cycle amphitheatre and special facilities for youngsters.Free Weights AreaTVS Group’s heavy-duty, interlocking SPORTEC® Style Tiles, custom-produced black and grey-flecked finish perfectly completemented the gym’s colour scheme. Installing a layer of SPORTEC® Team Cup-X flooring beneath the tiles provided extra protection for the concrete subfloor and will further reduce noise and vibrations, while TVS proprietary rubber ramped edges created a neat transition with adjacent gym areas.Stetching AreaTo offer comfort and durability for the club’s large stretching area, TVS Group installed its SPORTEC® MotionFlex product, a fine-grained polyurethane puzzle-mat. It is ideal for fitness applications involving floor-based movements and wellness activities. The interconnecting tiles are simple to install and neatly shaped to suit most flooring schemes while their elegant dark grey colour set the calming mood for this part of the gym.Athletics-Based Track AreaTVS Sports Carpet was selected for the track as it offers excellent grip underfoot, especially relevant for speed, agility and quickness drills. The durability of the surface also allows athletes to push or drag a sled, helping to further develop their muscular strength and endurance. The track was supplied in a cool, oceanic navy blue and white colour scheme.Main Gym AreaThe expected high usage of the main gym area meant the flooring had to be sufficiently resilient. To achieve this and to ensure a perfectly level flooring finish across the gym, TVS Group first laid a dense rubber shock pad over the concrete substrate. It was overlaid with a covering from the highly wear resistant SPORTEC® Purcolor range. A light grey finish was chosen to reflect the sophisticated look and feel of the club.The StudioIn the studio, where high intensity training will take place, TVS Group opted for a highly elastic shock-absorbing underlay overlaid with a wear-resistant performance layer called SPORTEC® Color. The combination will protect the concrete substrate below while offering a comfortable and safe surface above for those involved in a diverse range of training activities.Other Fitness AreasIn other areas of the gym TVS Group supplied and installed a variety of high performing acoustic underlays, helping reduce noise and vibrations caused by treadmill running and other high impact activities in the studios.

Auckland Castle is just one of the many charming attractions of the Auckland project. The castle is one of the best-preserved bishops’ palaces in the whole of Europe and is at the centre of the Auckland Project. It is based in North England, showcasing fragments of a medieval castle discovered during recent archaeological digs, open to the general public.The project criteria The reconstruction of Auckland Castle required new access walkways, landings and stairs for visitors to be able to access the top, where they can experience stunning views across the town. For this purpose, it was essential to provide a very safe solution that responded to the strict criteria for public access walkways, while also meeting the prescribed design criteria to match the architectural milieu and building. Safe, Practical, Architectural steel walkwaysEven though the stairs, walkways and landings’ primary function is to provide safety for users to wander around Auckland Castle at height, the architects had unique requirements for the design. The solution had to fit perfectly with the rest of the construction with the following prescribed:High quality finish tailored to project requirements and matching the building type and architecture The gratings and treads had to allow natural light to penetrate through, owing to the size and shape of the buildingMaintaining a high level of slip resistance and loading capacity in accordance with relevant British Standards The solutionIn close collaboration among the contractor, architect and PcP, a bespoke solution was designed consisting of a special nosing solution to enable installation off aftermarket nosing, whilst relying on the integrity of the close PcP MESH™ tread.Additionally, slip-resistant requirements were addressed by reducing slip and fall risk to enhance slip-resistance.Utilising our experienced in house drawing office, we initially provided general layout drawings and ultimately panel drawings for client approval, to ensure all items were correct, with any specific site considerations being accounted for.

PROJECTCentral library in KAP 1, Düsseldorf [DE]COMPLETIONNovember 2021ARCHITECTSchrammel Architekten Stadtplaner PartGmbB & RKW Architektur + [ Düsseldorf ]LIGHTING PLANNERBartenbachPRODUCTSRectangular metal panels with torsion springs as a special version of S4.7 K-TS0.96 mm thickness of aluminium [DUROPLAN A], dimension [L x W] 1396 x 353 mm [approx. 400 m²]More than 135 years of history, always changing with the times: The municipal libraries in Düsseldorf can look back over an eventful time. At the end of last year, to reflect changing requirements, the central library in the KAP 1 cultural centre opened its doors on Konrad-Adenauer-Platz 1.Located directly in front of the railway station, this library extends across two floors with a total surface area of about 8000 m², attracting visitors young and old to browse, learn and linger.The ceiling design for the rectangular vestibule area presented a particular challenge to the renovation of this former postal service site. This called for a product that delivered precisely fitting angles while also bringing sufficient daylight into the library. An optimum daylight solution was provided by durlum.Made of highly reflective aluminium, these visually prestigious panels direct daylight effectively into the interior, contributing to the feel-good factor for visitors. The easy-to-install sprung system can either present a seamless appearance without joints, or can provide contrasting accentuation with visible joints. It was therefore possible to highlight this uniform ceiling pattern with joints 13 mm in width for light integration. There are also no obstacles to any revision work that may be required. The panels are quick and easy to swivel downwards and remove. Here, the position of individual elements is defined by the indexed mounting.

Plaza 13 stands on a space previously occupied by an old industrial warehouse. A residential development designed by the Bueso-Inchausti & Rein architecture studio, this 3,566m² complex comprises 14 apartments spread over four floors, four of which are penthouses with private garden and swimming pool. In order to keep a flexible interior layout, Bueso-Inchausti & Rein decided to maintain a geometric uniformity in the complex, with a facade that is almost entirely glazed, fitted with the O-Box system as a solar control solution to optimize sunlight and heat.This was an ambitious and daring project aiming to create a distinguished product with clear floor heights of 3.5m. In this context, the Bandalux outdoor O-Box roller blind systems offer a simple and elegant esthetic solution for the facade, as well as exquisite solar control to create maximum comfort inside the spacious apartments with floor-to-ceiling windows.The O-Box technical blind has an attractive cylindrical box and an aluminum side guide that binds the fabric. To fulfill the project requirements, Bandalux developed a cylindrical handrail, which limits the run of the blind and creates the impression of a floating rail.The O-Box system works like a double skin for the apartment windows, ensuring an excellent compromise between thermal efficiency and visual comfort thanks to the Polyscreen 550 Pearl fabric with a 5% openness factor. A fabric with a high resistance to extreme weather conditions and chlorine which, from outside, contributes to significant energy savings in terms of heating and air conditioning inside. The Polyscreen 550 Pearl fabric is also easy to clean, as it can be simply wiped with a damp cloth, and no harmful elements are used during the manufacturing process.Bueso-Inchausti & Rein works in the field of architecture and urban planning, specializing in residential and tertiary projects. Its buildings are spread across Spain, Romania, USA, Mexico and Switzerland.

In 2015, Roger Stretton, an architect and one of the foundersof the practice Berman Guedes Stretton, and Martin Smithcollaborated to bring to fruition their shared enthusiasm forcontemporary, cutting edge, environmentally-friendly residentialdesign.On an attractive, mature garden site near Dorchester in Dorset,two 2,100 sq ft detached, two-storey houses were designedaround south facing courtyards with a one-and-a-half storeyheight living room.When designing the properties, environmentally responsiblematerials, products and processes were at the forefront ofthe specification. To this end, incorporating renewable andinnovative technologies, such as air-source heat pumps and heatrecovery ventilation systems enable the buildings to be highlyenergy efficient.Having previously used Allgood products, Roger recognisedthe brand for its quality and reliability, and consequentlyspecified Allgood’s Alite lever handles and Allgood doorsetsfor the project. He explains, “The new houses have a modern,minimalist design, so it was essential that the ironmongery anddoors complemented this approach, Allgood’s stainless steel Alitehandles and bespoke finished doors met these requirements.”To complement the interior architecture of the buildings, Allgoodsupplied doorsets incorporating fully fabricated and finishedflush doors with rebated frames to create a perimeter shadowgap. An important design feature was a clear line of visionthrough each house along the main axis of the plan. To achievethis, four special, full-height glazed doors with glazed side panelswere supplied. In addition, two 30 minute fire resisting doorswere also specified to the plant-rooms.Arriving on site, factory painted and with hinges and locksalready fitted, the Allgood doorsets provide valuable savings intime, cost and waste as well as a higher quality finish.

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.

The self-build project is situated in the small coastal village of Borth and stands prominent on the cliff overlooking three miles of gently shelving golden sand. The private dwelling offers a breath-taking vantage point for the homeowners achieved by Keystones carefully considered bespoke bow lintel design for a 13.7m curved span panoramic living room window on the upper floor.ChallengeKeystone’s technical team appreciates the importance of personalisation and were tasked with turning the clients dream vision for the family home into a reality. The unique structure would require a continuous irregular lintel to accommodate the variations of internal and external curves above each opening for the perimeter of the living room.The lintel was designed to incorporate the distinct feature window which will add interest to the room and soften the space where light would enter.SolutionKeystone’s technical engineer was tasked with creating a structural steel solution capable of accommodating the curved structure and unusual loading conditions – tailor made to suit the lifestyle requirements of the client.The engineer worked closely with the client to develop the lintel for the complex curved opening and provided comprehensive technical support from design through to installation. This included a site visit to ensure all measurements were accurate with minimal tolerance. For buildability and logistical purposes, the 13.7m bespoke bow lintel was delivered as five separate components and fixed together on site.The innovative and intelligent design fitted and aligned perfectly with the contours of the building and achieved the desired continual curved opening bringing a sense of flow and energy to the room. Keystone lintels also provide special lintels in stainless steel to prevent corrosion in buildings that are subjected to aggressive environmental conditions, typically in coastal locations within 500m of the shoreline.Testimonial“I was unsure if the vision I had for this project was even possible, but Keystone’s team of engineers offered a creative and effective solution, ensuring an incredibly personalised touch to the building.”Lee JenkinsSelf-builder

More than 5,000 m² in porcelain stoneware for Germany’s largest leisure pool – Villeroy & Boch tiles in the Stegermatt Swimming Pool in OffenburgSport, wellness and leisure spanning more than 10,000 m² – the largest leisure pool in Germany, Stegermatt Swimming Pool in Offenburg, opened in late July 2017. Along with an outdoor area with 50-metre swimming pool, wave slide and adventure pool, indoor visitors can look forward to a fitness courses pool, a teaching pool, a diving pool with two diving platforms and a 25-metre competition pool. The sauna landscape comprises a variety of saunas, a steam bath and a cold-water area with adventure showers and a plunge pool. The developers for the project were the City and Technical Operations of Offenburg. 4a Architekten of Stuttgart were the architects in charge of planning for the project. The tiling work, with a volume of EUR 2.5 million, was performed by the Freiburg subsidiary of Fliesen Röhlich GmbH; with a staff of around 300 professional layers of tile and natural stone, the company is considered the largest tile specialist in Germany. For an entire year, this major project in Offenburg had 15 employees working constantly, increasing to 25 in peak periods. As a result, in spite of at times difficult weather conditions, the work was completed on time.  With the exception of the swimming pools themselves, the entire bathing level, including the changing rooms in the interior of the facility, was designed in the X-PLANE range of vilbostone porcelain stoneware by Villeroy & Boch Tiles. The range features a trendy concrete look with fine colour gradations. Spanning an area of 5,000 m², cream-coloured tiles in the two modular formats of 30 x 60 cm and 15 x 60 cm were laid in a brickwork-effect pattern, creating a space with a harmonious and at the same time vibrant look. Another approx. 600 m² of matching mosaic tiles were also used. With the special 5 x 5 cm format and a slip-resistance class of R10 they are suitable for use in shower areas.

When Galaxy Insulation – Hush Acoustics’ parent company – moved into its new regional offices near Glasgow, the team wanted to ensure the spaces were pleasant to work in and acoustically comfortable.The offices at Blantyre to the south of the city are contained within a modern building in a business park. This is typically designed and optimised for versatility, energy efficiency and low maintenance with large windows to allow for plenty of natural light transmission.As is common with office buildings of this type, given the relatively low levels of soft materials and furnishings used in the fit-out and décor, once the team moved into their offices it quickly became apparent that the environment was echoey and acoustically uncomfortable as a result of reverberation.RESOLVING ACOUSTIC ISSUESBeing familiar with this issue, the team at Galaxy Insulation were keen to ensure that everyone in the new office could work without being disrupted by excessive background noise, which is often caused by soundwaves reflecting off hard surfaces like glass and wood.Galaxy Insulation turned to the team at Hush Acoustics for assistance with this issue, having seen how it had worked with clients across the UK to address similar reverberation problems. Hush started the process by conducting an acoustic survey to determine the extent of the problem and identify where sound absorber panels could be fitted to resolve the issue.Hush proposed fitting six Hush Absorber 50 panels in varying sizes, including 1800x1200mm, 1200×1200 and 1000x1000mm, which would be strategically mounted on the walls of the offices.This is a Class A absorber that comprises a specially formulated 50mm thick acoustic foam, hand-finished with an interior fabric, which is applied to the face, edges and back return.ADDING A CREATIVE DIMENSIONAs Hush Absorber panels are always manufactured to order in a fabric cover coloured to the requirements of the client, this presented an opportunity for Galaxy to use the new panels for decorative purposes too.Rather than apply a single colour or generic pattern, the local team leading the project wanted to celebrate their great city by printing large photographs of famous Glasgow landmarks onto the panels. A number of high-resolution photographs were sourced and supplied to Hush to arrange the fabric printing as part of the manufacturing process.Hush manufactured and supplied the absorber panels within three weeks from the date of order, and installed them all in a matter of hours to minimise disruption at the Galaxy Insulation offices. Feedback from the team gave the panels an immediate thumbs up, with the difference in acoustic comfort noticed instantly and the images giving the office a distinctive new look.CLIENT FEEDBACKJim Downie, Scotland’s Managing Director of Galaxy Insulation said: “What a transformation the absorber panels have made! Firstly, they look amazing with the vibrant colours of the photographs reproducing extremely well, reflecting our intention to celebrate Glasgow’s iconic buildings and skyline.“Acoustically, the offices are far more comfortable for everyone. We’re an extremely busy office here as we work with customers across Scotland, so we’re always speaking on the phone or talking to each other to deliver for clients. We wanted to ensure high levels of background noise did not result in reverberation and make the working environment potentially unbearable.“The team at Hush Acoustics were quick to understand our requirements which gave us complete confidence that their proposed solution would meet our needs. Now the panels are installed, it is clear that the Hush Absorber 50 panels have worked exactly as planned, working in the background to minimise the risk of nuisance reverberation.”

The former Marlow Railway Station dates back to 1873 and stood at the junctions of Station Road and Lock Road. The Old Coal Yard, adjacent to a station platform now only present, has been developed and designed by Bellwood Homes on the concept of three converted Victorian railway terraced buildings.Broadsman House, Palatine Place and Fenman Court consist of three 2-bedroom houses, eight 2-bedroom apartments and one 1-bedroom apartment providing commuters stylish suburban living. Keystones brick slip feature arch lintels and special segmental arch lintels encompass the traditional and contemporary balance of the housebuilders architectural vision.ChallengeThe fashionable commuter town on the Thames has been well preserved, limiting modern styled developments to maintain its original character and historic fabric of heritage buildings. Bellwood homes wanted a sense of purpose for their regeneration project – reconnecting people with what really matters to them, property location and design. The vernacular architecture provides both. A prime location for commuters to ride the branch line into London, renown as the ‘Marlow Donkey’, and fits subtly within the notable context of Georgian, Edwardian and Victorian styles of architecture in Marlow.SolutionKeystone’s technical engineer designed extra heavy-duty brick slip feature arch lintels for ground, first and second floor openings with a 1085mm span and 543mm rise. Over forty brick slip arches were manufactured by Keystone’s production team to a high quality and consistent finish. Each Hoskins Maltings Antique brick was cut to size and bonded using a BBA approved construction adhesive to the load bearing lintels. The patented perforated lintel design allowed the adhesive to squeeze through the perforations and form a ‘mushroom’ on the inside, providing a mechanical lock between the steel lintel and the brick slips.The offsite economical solution did not require skilled bricklayers on site to replicate each traditional arch. This saved approximately labour costs of one bricklayer per arch per day and ultimately weeks of the project build schedule. All prefabricated lintels were delivered to site and ready for final pointing in line with the phased construction plan of the three buildings being erected. The arches produced in a factory control environment were unaffected by torrential weather and winter reduced day light hours limiting productivity. This can often occur on other build schedules which lead to further delays in creating architectural features with real significance to the landscape.The offsite construction method facilitated onsite construction further by supporting bricklayers to recreate window tax designs, bricked up window spaces seen in buildings from the Victorian period. The detail of the façade is prominent most through the repetition of window arches positioned symmetrically on elevations facing the Marlow station. Keystones heavy-duty special segmental arches measuring a 2400mm span, with either a 600mm or 450mm rise provide a modern contemporary twist which feature above glazed bedroom windows and are in complete contrast to the smaller traditional arched windows striking a balance between old and new architecture.Testimonial“From R&D to installation we found Keystones prefabricated lintels very efficient. They reduce brick wastage approximately by 5%. Typically, traditional built arches would require one bricklayer for approximately six hours work. Therefore, this reduced labour costs on site whilst supporting bricklayers to achieve the desired architectural design.”Matthew McGillSite Manager at Bellwood Homes

The town of Saint-Siméon-de-Bressieux in the Département Isère is about 40 km away from Grenoble and has a little over 3,000 inhabitants. Among its points of interest is the former Girodon silk weavers’ school from 1873, which remains as a monument to early industrial culture. Today, the town is home to the Collège Marcel Mariotte, which provides adolescents with an education up to middle-school level. The sports field of the school was renovated in 2022 and the football pitch fitted with Polytan LigaTurf Cross, our filled synthetic turf that combines smooth and textured filaments. The benefits of both turf types come together in an ideal surface that can be used for various kinds of ball sports; in Bressieux, it will first and foremost be used for football during PE lessons.Unusually, the pitch has neither the standard football pitch dimensions of 105 x 68 metres, nor is it a mini-pitch. The reason for this is that the available plot did not allow for a bigger pitch, so the developers and pitch designers had to come up with a special solution. At the same time, there were the needs of middle-school students to take into account. By the way, our LigaTurf Cross is now available in various environmentally friendly variants, such as LigaTurf Cross R, which contains recycled materials, and LigaTurf Cross GT zero, the world’s first carbon-neutral synthetic football turf to be made from sustainable, organic PE raw material based on otherwise non-reusable sugar cane. Our flagship in terms of sustainability and future viability is the LigaTurf Cross GTR, which now contains recycled material in addition to renewable raw materials.However, the size of the pitch is not the only special feature of the sports facility at the Collège Marcel Mariotte. The running circuit around the pitch is also highly unusual in its design. Of its three circular lanes, not only do five branch off towards the long jump facility further out, but there is also an integrated sprint track – two solutions that offer maximum flexibility and versatility when it comes to the variety of sports that can be practised in such a limited space. What is most peculiar about it is the shape of the running circuit, because it is not actually round, as one would expect. It too has been shortened along the two opposing straights and its curves do not follow a circular arc, but each have an additional inward curve at the ends. This not only gives the entire sports facility an usual appearance, but a playful feel, thanks to the organic, almost flowing lines. One thing is certain: the runners won’t get bored in Bressieux, even during longer runs. And this example shows that there are alternatives to conventional solutions that generate interest and encourage participation.For the surface of the track, the developer and pitch designer opted for our tried and true PolyPlay S surface. The granulated, two-layered all-rounder is the perfect solution for school sports in general and various leisure activities. Its smooth surface is the ideal substrate for a multitude of outdoor uses. Since PolyPlay S is water-permeable, the surface dries quickly and can be used all year round. Another benefit of the low-maintenance surface is its slip resistance and high wear resistance. Given that PolyPlay S is generally installed flat over a base layer, the construction method ensures consistently good values for damping and deformation. Bressieux opted for Polytan PolyPlay S in the colour Hertha blue, an intense colour tone that further accentuates the unusual shape of the track.

A leading Brighton veterinary practice has specified made to measure stainless steel sinktops from GEC Anderson for its new clinic. Combining durability and easy maintenance with an aseptic surface, the sinktops give Coastway Veterinary Group a quality solution to a key requirement in specialist areas. GEC Anderson supplied five sinktops in satin stainless steel for the new clinic at Freshfield Way, which provides treatment for many of the city’s pets.Coastway needed the sinktops for the new premises which replace its original Kemp Town surgery, at nearby Montague Place. Founder and senior partner Tony Cowie says: “We chose GEC Anderson sinks at the recommendation of our architect who well knows the abuse that routine veterinary work can dish out on the unsuspecting sink. We wanted something resilient and hard wearing for our new showcase clinic. The Freshfield site is the first where we have had no design constraints. It was a huge industrial shell unit, in which we could design the ideal practice in terms of ergonomics, health and safety and the ever present clinical imperatives. With GEC Anderson we had the opportunity to have sinks made to our bespoke specifications – and ‘man’ enough to cope with what we will throw at them.”Specialist veterinary architect Norman Ray, who has designed all Coastway’s clinics, says he has specified GEC Anderson products for 15 years. “They are good, solid products, and ideal for veterinary surgeries. GEC Anderson can manufacture virtually anything and they have an excellent advisory service.”GEC Anderson provided five satin stainless steel sinktops in three configurations, all with water retaining edges and integral bowls with basket strainer wastes and overflow fittings. The 1,215 x 600mm sinktop for the consulting room hand wash has two bowls, each 500 x 400 x 190mm; the front edge is 30mm high, while side and rear edges are 50mm high. The cat and dog recovery rooms each have 1,000 x 615mm sinktops with 30mm high edges all round and a single 550 x 500 x 240mm bowl. The isolation unit and the education room have identical 450 x 500mm sinktops with 30mm high edges and a 300 x 344 x 175mm bowl.Coastway opened its first Brighton surgery at Montague Place in 1974, and the group now has five clinics between Shoreham and Rottingdean. Tony Cowie says relocating its Montague Place clinic to Freshfield Way provides improved facilities for staff, patients, and owners. These include separate cat and dog areas, bespoke hospitalisation and intensive care facilities, a specialist referral centre and a new home for the group’s 24 hour emergency surgery. “The move also allows us to extend our veterinary nurse training programme, holding seminars and courses on the premises. We’ve waited several years to make this move, ensuring that the new position, building and facilities were worth the wait,” he says.Martin Tye, GEC Anderson Managing Director, says the new Brighton clinic highlights the role that quality stainless steel products can play in modern veterinary, medical and dental facilities. “Stainless steel is extremely durable and it can be maintained to high standards of hygiene with minimal effort. It is impervious to most chemicals and is available in a special acid resistant grade for special applications.”

Preserving Gothic Heritage: Exquisite Heritage Windows for William White BuildingsThe William White Buildings in Audley, Staffordshire, renowned for their Gothic design, required special heritage windows to uphold their distinctive character. Gowercroft Joinery, with their expertise in timber craftsmanship, provided a solution that combined traditional aesthetics with modern efficiency.Architectural Heritage:Designed by esteemed architect William White in 1855, the Grade II listed William White Buildings exhibit remarkable Gothic revival features. The red brick facades, adorned with traditional bond patterns and alternating narrow and wide pointed arches, create a visually striking ensemble.Restoring the Character:Purchased in 2006 as a family home, the property underwent extensive restoration to preserve its unique charm.Retaining the original fabric, including some ceiling lath and plaster, and fireplaces, played a crucial role in maintaining the house's character.Modern Windows, Conservation Standards:The deteriorating condition of the old windows prompted the search for high-quality replacements that would meet building conservation requirements.Gowercroft Joinery's Accoya® timber-framed windows with LandVac vacuum glazing provided the perfect blend of traditional craftsmanship and thermal efficiency.Exquisite Heritage Windows:Gowercroft supplied six Richmond casement windows from their Heritage range, featuring delicate astragal bars, to complement the front and back of the property.The configuration of the first-floor and attic windows, echoing the ground-floor arches, retained the distinct architectural feature.The replacement casements were fitted flush with the internal arch, requiring careful removal and reinstallation of the surrounding brickwork.Testimonial from a Satisfied Customer:"We are delighted with our new casement windows, as they look as though they've always been there," expressed Robert, the owner."The LandVac vacuum glazing has made a noticeable difference in the warmth of our home, combining slim design with the energy efficiency of triple glazing."Gowercroft Joinery's commitment to preserving architectural heritage while integrating modern advancements allowed the William White Buildings to regain their splendour and offer a comfortable living environment for generations to come.

Stainless steel work tops and sinks from GEC Andersons Made-to-Measure (M2M) range have been installed in the kitchen of a newly renovated Grade II listed Georgian terrace to provide a striking and contemporary contrast to the historical setting of the property.The five storey dwelling is situated in the beautiful and unspoilt Myddleton Square in the Angel district of London. Built between 1824 and 1827, the square is named after Sir Hugh Myddelton, who was the engineer responsible for bringing a fresh water supply into the city.The sympathetic renovation work was carried out to a very high specification, incorporating as many of the original features as possible.Renovation specialists Fullers (Builders) Ltd were asked to undertake the work. Many aspects of the refurbishment project were bespoke including the new kitchen, situated in the basement, designed by Butler Hegarty Architects and created by Fullers in-house joinersGEC Andersons M2M bespoke range is not only highly flexible but also is of very high quality. It was therefore ideal for this part of the project.The brushed satin stainless steel sinktop 4374x615mm was specified, with specially sized sink and drainer area, including (500x400x200mm and 180x400x200mm) sink bowls. To complement the worktops, stainless steel splashbacks were incorporated into the design including socket cut-outs. For ease of installation, the sinktop was mounted on a waterproof substrate, sound deadened and plastic protected.Central to the kitchen is the stainless steel bridge island worktop (1482x623mm) that includes a bin-chute with a flush-fit lid, for easy rubbish disposal. The sides of the island are integral and therefore manufactured and supplied by GEC Anderson in one piece with the worktop. They include cut-outs for sockets. There is a stainless steel panel at the back of the island, against which the range cooker stands. Stainless steel plinth kick plates are included throughout the kitchen.Gary Butler of Butler Hegarty Architects said, We recommended stainless steel to our clients and it suited their aims for the kitchen. We particularly liked the all in one surface and the general crisp aesthetics which the material created against the historic setting.

Gripsure decking has been used to provide safe outdoor areas at a learning centre and holiday lodges owned by a Cornish sailing charity. The Children’s Sailing Trust has taught more than 5,000 youngsters to sail since it was established in on the Helford River in 1997. The charity offers accessible sailing to children who might not otherwise get the opportunity to get out on the water, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.Gripsure’s non-slip decking has been used to create safe outdoor spaces at the trust’s recently opened public waterside Learning Centre at Trevassack Lake on The Lizard, as well as outside six holiday properties at the same site. The three accessible lodges and three cabins, all with inset hot tubs, are available for people to rent and help to raise important funds for the charity.Charity staff say the decking areas had to be non-slip and accessible, as well as in keeping with the style of the site. Up to 3,850 linear meters of Gripsure’s Contemporary profile boards have been used around two sides of public waterside at the Learning Centre, including the outside eating area.The Contemporary boards also form the large decking area outside each of the holiday properties. The lakeside has three architect designed lodges, two of which are fully accessible with integrated ceiling hoists, adjustable kitchen facilities, wide doorways and other aids.There are also three double-depth cabins, more suitable for non-disabled guests or those with some mobility limitations.Katie Chown, marketing manager at Children’s Sailing Trust said: “The non-slip surface is very important because we have children running around and people with mobility difficulties who need to have safe, level walkways. We chose the Contemporary profile because we are a brand new site with purpose-built, modern facilities to welcome all ages and abilities, so all the finishings and furnishings are classic, modern and good quality.”Gripsure’s low maintenance Contemporary profile boards are made from high-quality Northern European Redwood Pine. They have an expected service life of 15-20 years and a 15-year non-slip performance warranty.Katie said: “It does the intended job and looks smart,” adding that it is “very practical in day-to-day use.”The decking areas at Trevassack Lake were fitted through contractor Brady Construction. Alastair Knight from Brady said although tough to cut, the boards blended in with the look of the centre and holiday properties. “It all looked really good in the end,” he said. “Apart from blunting a few cutting tools, everything else was brilliant. The decking fitted in very well.”The Children’s Sailing Trust was established for local school children. The opening of Trevassack means it can offer a wide range of accessible and inclusive facilities.Trevassack is open to the public, for all ages and abilities or disabilities.To find out more, see childrenssailingtrust.org.ukAll media is courtesy of The Children's Sailing Trust. ©2022 The Children's Sailing Trust

Sotech worked with installers Stanmore on the Barrett Homes Residential Development Westgate House, which was a £500 million mixed-use regeneration project, designed by London-based Assael Architecture and located in Brentford, Middlesex. Westgate House is an NHBC (National House Building Council) project, and Sotech initially became involved in the project because the original specified cladding did not fit NHBC requirements. To provide an alternative, we worked with installers Stanmore to specify our Optima IPC Interlocking Pressed Plank Rainscreen cladding system for the project, which is both NHBC approved and full independently CWCT tested.Over 2000sqm of secretly fixed Interlocking Pressed Plank panels were used on the Westgate House development. 4 different colour panels were specified; 3 with a matt powder-coated finish and one using a bespoke, pre-coat, high gloss special finish.The combination of a series of PPC matt panels arranged in bands, combined with a reflective high gloss panel stripe created a sophisticated, modern appearance for the building’s exterior.There were some design challenges involved in this project, but all were tackled successfully through the development of bespoke areas of the system. Initially, Sotech had to develop a new, bespoke joint method between the Optima IPC rainscreen cladding panels to avoid slab deflection because a lot of the panels spanned floor slab areas. These customised joints allow the panels to move between the slabs like a damper while maintaining a pristine exterior.For the curved area of the building, Sotech developed a bespoke substructure for the Optima IPC panels with a different panel depth than that used for the flat rainscreen cladding. This involved setting the grid behind the IPC panels differently to the rest of the project, ensuring a seamless line from the flat areas to the curved areas. Although it was a complex design challenge, the solution was effective and ensured a uniform, flawless appearance.Our secretly fixed Optima IPC system was specified in particular because the long narrow panels were ideal for bringing the architect’s vision to life, and because it could be easily adapted where necessary.As well as the IPC rainscreen cladding, Sotech provided all the fascias and soffits required for the development.Westgate House involved the regeneration of iconic Grade II listed Art Deco building Wallis House and the construction of over 800 residential apartments spread across 17 new buildings.The site used advanced construction techniques to minimise waste and also ensured that homes benefit from solar panels and other renewable energy techniques.In addition to new housing, the Westgate House development also offers communal gardens, a health and fitness centre, a convenience store, a medical surgery and hotel, as well as cafes, bars and restaurants.The training facility and showroom at Sotech is open to specifiers and contractors, where all of our Optima Rainscreen Systems are on display alongside the widest selection of materials and finishes, including pre and post coat aluminium, ACM, Copper, Zinc, Stainless Steel and Anodised.

Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, SomersetSomerset NHS Foundation TrustContractor:Portakabin®Product:The Coniston Wall Mounted CanopyProduct Size:Phase 1 - 23.8m x 4m – 4.5mPhase 2 - 11m x 4.5m and 2.5m x 4mAccessories:Side panels, planter pads and rear postsFrame Colour: Hipca White – RAL 9910Install Date:Phase 1 - 21st March – 1st April 2022Phase 2 - 19th – 27th April 2022The BriefMusgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, Somerset were looking to increase the space within their hospital and provide a discharge lounge to support patients on the day they are ready to return to their usual home setting.Building a permanent extension would be a lengthy process, so to speed up the project, they opted for a temporary portable building supplied and installed by modular building specialists Portakabin®. The temporary building would be in place until a more permanent solution is found within the next couple of years.Although the building would only be in place for a couple of years, it was established that they would require some form of shade and shelter to connect the new building to the existing brick building and provide shelter above entrances for both buildings.The Solution To provide the shade and shelter the hospital required, Portakabin® contacted Able Canopies having previously worked with us before, to request a quotation. The canopy of interest was the Coniston Wall Mounted Canopy, this is because we have worked with Portakabin® in the past and have developed special brackets so that our Coniston canopy fits onto their modular buildings perfectly we’ve also developed planter pads so that the Coniston is not installed into the ground.These adaptions were introduced specifically for temporary buildings because our canopies are designed to be permanent structures however, the need for high quality canopies attached to temporary buildings was becoming more and more apparent. The adaptions therefore enable us to remove the canopy easily without causing damage to the buildings and groundworks.After a selection of design changes, the final design chosen was a 23.8m Coniston with a 4m projection that extended to a 4.5m projection, a 11m x 4.5m Coniston and a 2.5m x 4m Coniston.Some of the canopies needed to be installed away from the building to allow for the air conditioning units and other obstacles. This is not problem for the Coniston as we can use rear posts to transform it into a free standing canopy which is exactly what we did here.They also chose to have side panels installed onto the canopies for additional protection from driving rain and wind during the colder months.The Installation The installation was scheduled to take place over two phases with the larger canopy being installed first and the smaller two canopies being installed a couple of weeks later. This was so that either the right-hand or left-hand sided ramps could be accessible at all times to all patients, staff and visitors. This was a not a problem as we often install larger jobs over a number of phases to allow the similar circumstances and to fit in with other building works.The varying design of the canopies made it hard to capture the end design in photos however, the technical diagrams below shows both phase 1 and phase 2 canopies.

In collaboration with Wynne Construction, BOYCO assisted in renewing Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi’s facilities including their classrooms, drama studio, IT suites, and science labs. We provided several bespoke fittings, tailored to fulfil the needs of this Secondary school community.Project ScopeSituated near Afon Teifi, Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi, (Cardigan School), fosters the motto of ‘every pupil will succeed’. Affirming this statement, the school worked closely with local authorities to initiate the refurbishment of current facilities, and a new build part of the school. The BOYCO Way BackgroundThe goal of the project was to increase the capacity of the school, due to it catering for pupils from Secondary to Sixth Form level. The newly developed learning environments were designed with enough space for staff to teach and support the development of pupils.We worked closely with both our supply chain partners, and Wynne Construction to ensure the running of the project went as smoothly as possible.To support overall sustainability and social value efforts, and to align with our values, we sourced fitters as well as materials local to the project site. This ensured a streamlined installation process for our customer and showcased our commitment to supporting local businesses and the communities that surround our project sites.Fitting to the school’s aesthetic, our in-house designers, in collaboration with architects, worked meticulously to craft products that looked visually appealing and balanced comfort with functionality, adapting to different subject needs and classroom environments.This ranged from the Drama Studio requiring a Teacher Wall to provide an interactive focal point for classroom activities, to Science Lab Worktops robust enough to withstand daily usage by students. Quality Bespoke ProductsIT SuiteCatering for over 650 students, Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi requested that we placed a high emphasis on space saving, and making classroom space usable to the full extent.For the IT Suites, we implemented 'Sawtooth Benching’. This layout angles towards the front of the classroom, providing an ergonomic and optimal view for students, reducing strain. This creates a more comfortable environment for students working on screens.Incorporating this forward slant allows students to effortlessly turn to each other, creating a collaborative environment that positively enriches their learning experience.Considering practicality in daily school life, the benching was designed to facilitate cable management, with dividers positioned in the middle of the table to keep the workspaces tidy and organised. This adds safety for those that use the IT Suites. Science LabWhen designing the Science Laboratories, special considerations were made regarding the worktop surfaces. Due to potential exposure to various chemicals, liquids, and heat, the material needed to be suitable for heavy-duty use and therefore a long-lasting solution was selected. Solid Grade Laminate (SGL) worktops were utilised due to their heavy-duty scratch and wear resistance, impact resistance, and ease of cleaning.A solid material with smooth machinability, it has hydrophobic properties preventing dampness, something traditional tabletops cannot provide. Perfect for bespoke fittings, it was tailored to the specific needs of the customer, whilst also providing an optimal surface finish. For Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi, this created an aesthetically pleasing environment whilst positively contributing to student safety.Following the theme of utilising space, the depths of the worktops were adjusted by BOYCO to align with side walls enabling greater aisle space between the Lab Benching. Enhancing manoeuvrability within the Lab reduces the risk of accidental collisions or spills, and facilitates ease of equipment sharing, contributing to a cooperative learning space. Staff RoomIn conjunction with ensuring an amazing space for students, this project also placed staff spaces at the forefront of works. The staff break out room was renovated to emulate a relaxing, resting space. As per the School's requirement to utilise all space, our in-house designers crafted a Tea Point fixture for Teachers and Visitors to access refreshments.An Econotop Worktop was favoured with its laminate coating, achieving an easy clean surface perfect for food and drink preparation. Customisable by colour, Oak Laminate doors were added alongside the worktop, enhancing the finished structure, and fitting with Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi’s bespoke requests. Project SuccessTeam BOYCO successfully completed a full design, manufacture, supply and install service for this project. Our teams visited the site often throughout the project, ensuring that each element of the works exceeded expectations of all those involved and aligned with our ‘Built to Last’ ethos.We are proud to have worked with Wynne Construction on this refurbishment. We look forward to continuing our ongoing relationship and can’t wait to get started on our next project.

The ChallengeThis prestigious three storey new build property in the village of Bilton was designed following close liaison with the local planning authority, in order to be sympathetic to other nearby homes.The SolutionCareful selection of the brick type was critical to this process, as the property needed a soft aesthetic to its front elevation, addressing the local authority’s concerns about the impact of the finished project while still meeting the client’s personal requirements.With this in mind the client selected Forterra’s Autumn Glow facing brick. This not only met all the criteria set by the local planning authority, but its enhanced durability designation allowed the brick to be used to create a seamless brick façade.Tom Holland, Managing Director of Holland Build, said, “We put forward several brick types to the planning authority as part of this two storey project, and a unanimous decision was reached that the Autumn Glow best fitted the design of the property, and was most in keeping with the local area.“I was already familiar with the Autumn Glow, having used it extensively on the construction of a luxury apartment building on a previous job, and never had any issue with them. They’re a good, solid facing brick, and extremely durable, and I’d recommend using them as a reliable stock brick.”The BenefitsGareth Rouse, Architectural Technologist for Forterra, said, “The Autumn Glow is a stock facing brick more tailored to the self-build market, due to its relatively soft aesthetic and higher-grade durability. It also contains recycled content and is the most sustainable stock brick available on the UK market.“It suited this project particularly well, complementing the timber frames used in the windows and doors and also proving ideal for the construction of the arch above the main entrance.”Although the main brickwork was intentionally kept simple, the client required a grand entrance that would draw visitors to the front door. Owing to the easily moulded nature of this particular clay type, special shaped bullnose bricks were utilised on the jambs of the main entrance, which then continued as tapered voussouirs into the semi-circular arch above. Simple, but effective herringbone panels were also introduced to draw the eye, breaking the appearance of mass stretcher bond brickwork.Forterra nominated the finished project for the 2018 Brick Awards, in the Individual Housing Development category.

Described by Dezer Developments and the Porsche Design Group as ‘engineered luxury’, the $560 million Porsche Design Tower is a 57 storey ultra-luxury structure occupying 2.2 acres (8,900 m2) of beachfront land on Collins Avenue in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. The tower – the first of its kind anywhere – comes equipped with a speedy 600 ft (183 m) per minute elevator for the residence owner’s cars – allowing owners to park their vehicles right next to their apartments, no matter what floor, in their own sky garage