"special purpose lighting"

Case studiesAn artistic interpretation of multicultural interactionWith 3.5 million inhabitants, the region surrounding the Twin Cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis is among the 20 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. The Mississippi separates the capital of Minnesota, Saint Paul, from Cedar-Riverside, which is also known as West Bank. Day by day, tens of thousands of people commute between these three communities to get to work, university or school. The state implemented a comprehensive municipal rail project to bring the 100-year-old infrastructure consisting of buses and congested roads into line with these requirements. A key element of this mammoth project is the so-called Central Corridor Light Rail Transit (CCLRT) with the transport hub West Bank Station. The AECOM firm of architects designed a two-story station at this location. To ensure protection from the sun, the building was provided with large-scale cladding in the form of Omega 1510 and 1550 metal fabrics from GKD – GEBR. KUFFERATH AG. Through etching and the addition of stainless steel birds, the shimmering façade was transformed into an expressive work of art that reflects the eventful immigration history of the region. Scandinavian immigrants sought a new life in the settlement on the upper stretch of the Mississippi in Minnesota, USA, in the middle of the 19th century. These initial settlements grew to become the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, which are today an important economic and cultural center in the Midwestern United States. As the manufacturing industry went from strength to strength, the region attracted increasing numbers of migrants from all over the world from the beginning of the 20th century onward. Today, the region is viewed as a melting pot of nations, where over 100 different languages are spoken. However, the rapid population growth also took the transport infrastructure of the densely populated area to its limits as early as the 1970s. As a result, planning work on the largest local transport project in the history of Minnesota began in 1981, which also comprised the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit with the METRO Green Line. Today, this connects the centers of the Twin Cities with several of the most populous areas in the conurbation, also crossing the Mississippi.A real eye-catcher: multifunctional solar protectionThe architectural firm AECOM, which was charged with the task of realization, concentrated not only on functionality and aesthetics, but also on public art when designing the stations. For the particularly well-frequented West Bank Station, they chose a solar protection façade made of GKD metallic fabric. The textile skin in front of the extensively glazed station reflects sunlight, thus preventing the two-story building from heating up excessively in summer. At the same time, its transparency grants unhindered views of the outside surroundings and also, through the interior lighting, from the outside in. This visibility conveys a feeling of subjective safety to passengers. Meanwhile, the high light transmission of the woven structure ensures a pleasant atmosphere and lots of natural light. Despite its intricate feel, the robust stainless steel fabric will withstand the adverse weather conditions that often prevail here with wind, rain, snow or frost for many years. The fabric even provides effective protection from the vandalism so often seen at public transport stops. What’s more, the material guarantees the cost-effectiveness required for transport buildings thanks to its durability and freedom from maintenance. The shimmering membrane couples this complex and broad range of functions with an extraordinary visual appearance: as a delicate veil, it follows the stepped architecture of West Bank Station and lends a sense of visual peace to its detailed façade. Spotlights fitted outside create targeted light effects that change according to the position of the viewer and thus give the transparent fabric an unexpectedly opaque appearance.Signs of life: a public work of artThis effect is given an additional dimension thanks to a creative interpretation by Nancy Blum, an artist, critic and art lecturer who is very well-known in the USA. The architects’ concept for three of the city stations for CCLRT included her integrated artworks. The woven stainless steel fabric skin at West Bank Station inspired Nancy Blum to create an artwork visualizing the eventful history of Cedar-Riverside as a transit point for people from many different nations. That’s why the metal fabric panels in front of the stairways were to be decorated with ethnic patterns, with designs reminiscent of the three main regions of origin of the immigrants – Scandinavia, Asia and Eastern Africa. GKD realized this artistic idea by means of etchings on the Omega 1510 fabric. The smooth upper surface and relatively dense structure of this fabric make it particularly well-suited for this procedure, in which the fabric surface is modified slightly. On the basis of the patterns designed by Nancy Blum, GKD produced a screen that covered all surfaces that were not to be altered. The fabric specialist then used a blasting agent to modify the metallic surface precisely according to the artist’s specification. The durable patterns created using this method were instantly resistant to UV and severe weather conditions without the need for any special treatment. Daylight transmittance also remains just as high. Depending on the incidence of light and the viewing angle, the patterns can appear either transparent or opaque. However, they derive their special effect through their seamless integration into the building. Nancy Blum added a third dimension to these etched patterns by having silhouette-style pictures of migratory birds typical of the regions mounted on both treated and untreated woven panels. These large stainless steel motifs link the coming and going of the various migrant groups with that of the migratory birds, which follow them on their journey along the Mississippi. Combined with the ethnic patterns, this creates an almost poetic image of dynamic interaction in a region steeped in such a rich tradition.

Made to exacting standards, Penny Hydraulics Goods Lifts are the product of a complete end to end service – including design, manufacture, and installation – all done at our own purpose-built premises, here in the UK. We also offer comprehensive product training and maintenance carried out by a member of the Penny Hydraulics team.

SMET NHL 3.5 binder was specially selected for the restoration works in Dechomet Cemetry, Moneyslane.  Rainey Restoration Ltd used our superior-quality pure Natural Hydraulic Lime binder SMET NHL 3.5 to produce a superior-quality lime mortar. The selective hydraulic strength development of NHL binders makes them particularly suitable for producing lime mortars for masonry work, rendering, and plastering on historical buildings and monuments.NHL binders, available directly from SMET and online or in-store via our distribution partner Haldane Fisher, are particularly suited for ecological new builds, conservation, restoration, and preservation works. The products’ special composition allows mortars to breathe and permits constant hygrometric exchange between the substrate and the environment. This Restoration is another showcase of sympathetic historic building restoration, using superior-quality NHL products available from SMET.

SIKA SUPPLIES PROVEN TOP TO BOTTOM SOLUTION FOR HISTORIC BUILDING REFURBISHMENT Sika showcased the scope of its construction sector specialisms during the refurbishment and conversion of an historic, Grade II-listed building – with its industry-leading products selected for both roof and basement works.

Six unique benches made with several Artscape processes have been installed outside Accrington town hall. The bespoke designs recount Accrington’s rich and proud history, paying a special tribute to the Accrington Pals, Accrington Stanley FC and the area’s role in the Industrial Revolution.

White Spire School is a special school for all ages in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Mr Wilson, the Assistant Head Teacher called in with an enquiry for a large canopy. He was looking to create a large covered area in their playground that they could use as an outside gym all year round.

This 473 bedroom purpose built student accommodation development, is located on a prominent gateway to the city. The scheme provides high quality facilities with a mix of cluster apartments, providing panoramic views of the city and Nottingham Castle.Interpon D2525 Steel Bronze 2 selected as the primary finish across windows, solid and perforated panels, and doors.

Ashlands Manor is a luxurious care home located in Sale, Manchester, offering residential and specialist dementia care. This purpose-built, 57 bedroom ‘new generation’ facility has been expertly designed to meet all current Care Quality Commission (CQC) requirements. It also provides the highest standards of safety, comfort and care.

Adcrest Ltd. is an electrical contracting company that was working on a new refurbishment project for Stables Market in Camden, London. Stables Market was in need of a number of new awnings to provide weather protection to the entrances of their shops. They had existing awnings in place that had been there for a number of years and were no longer fit for purpose and therefore needed replacing.

THE PROJECT‘The Wardian is a residence like no other. Amid the skyscrapers and waterways of Canary Wharf, an immersive sanctuary is revealed. Two iconic towers offer the rare stillness of nature in the heart of the bustling metropolis’ (Ballymore)Beauty, functionality, substance and style not only sums up The Wardian as a whole but the attention to detail on all components including the beautiful postroom, carefully considered and designed by Glenn Howells architects. We were delighted to create the solution – following much careful consideration regarding the styling and concept images, this marble clad room became home to MODA 300 mailboxes, all polyester powder coated by SLB inhouse in Anodite Pale Gold with laser cut cladding, digital combination locks and special font numbers, engraved and infilled to match the ‘way findings’ on the project.Beautiful statement lighting and a bespoke central mail sorting area housing a discreet waste paper receptacle, provided the ultimate postroom.‘We pride ourselves on our attention to detail, thus enabling us to be asked to work on such high profile and aesthetically rigorous projects. The Wardian, alongside other hugely impressive developments we have had the pleasure of working on, enables us to be part of the journey and ensure they have a suitably impressive solution for their project. We totally respect these iconic developments and are sensitive to the needs and importance of the smallest of details, often resulting in the biggest and best outcomes.’Alison Orrells, CEO @ SLB

Solid wood floor specialist Junckers worked closely with world-renowned architects BIG (Bjarne Ingles Group), to create a custom finished oak floor for the M/S Maritime Museum in Helsingør, Denmark. The textured floor acts a link within the interior scheme of the award winning building, bringing together elements of concrete, glass and steel, housed in an amazing 150 metre long, old concrete dock. The architects’ brief was for a solid hardwood floor that can withstand the heavy footfall of a national museum, with a rustic quality to soften the raw and patinated concrete and large glass panels featured throughout the building. Junckers created a textured finish solid oak floor, which gives contrasting warmth to the overall impression of the museum. By using a specially developed hard brushing technique, the outer sapwood layer of the timber is removed, leaving a tactile, textured surface to expose the beautiful grain patterns naturally inherent in oak. The floor is finished in Junckers Ultra Matt Lacquer resulting in a matt, very hard-wearing floor. The lively two-strip oak floors really come into their own in the large, open spaces of the museums galleries. When natural light from the floor to ceiling glass wall hits the surface of the floor at an angle, it creates a spectacular effect. Following the immense success of the project, Junckers has added the incredible textured finish to many of its floors, both two-strip and wide board planks.

Polytan will be in on the action when the world’s top athletes pit their strengths against each other at international level this summer. The turf used for the hockey matches in Rio comes from Polytan, as was the case in London and Beijing too. Blue and green versions of the new Poligras Platinum CoolPlus synthetic turf system are being installed. The very same hockey pitch has also been available to the British hockey squads at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre since last October. The pitch comes in an eye-catching colour combination: a blue playing field with a light green border. A higher stitch density and special texturing technology mean that even more accurate moves are possible when playing on Poligras Platinum CoolPlus. Sally Munday, Chief Executive of England Hockey: “We have enjoyed a fantastic relationship with Polytan for a number of years. The quality of their product is outstanding, the installation work went without a hitch and the feedback from the players has been excellent.” Kevin Burton, Head of National Centres, Sport England: “In order to ensure our Great British hockey players had the best possible chance of success in future sports competitions, Sport England took the decision to replace the hockey surface at Bisham Abbey with the exact same surface that will be installed for the international sports competition in summer 2016. We are delighted with the surface as well as Polytan’s first-class service.”

When Jazzercise Studio Owner Sarah Sydney-Sheppard moved her business into its own purpose-built facility in the Southernhay area of Exeter she turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor to provide 200m2 of their world-renowned Taraflex® Multi-Use vinyl sports flooring for both the main studio and reception areas.

Deer Park Care Home offers 24-hour residential, nursing, dementia and respite care within elegant and spacious surroundings. The home is purpose-built, incorporating many thoughtful and practical features that ensure the comfort and safety of the residents at all times, supporting, not only their differing care requirements but their social, emotional and physical well-being too.

Challenge The Hexagon is a well established multi purpose venue, in the heart of Reading that was built in 1977. As well as drama productions, it hosts a range of events such as Dance, Comedy, Classical Music, Rock and Pop concerts. The venue can hold up to 1600 people, with much of the capacity arranged in levels of banked arena-style seating with stepped access.

A new purpose-made stainless steel worktop by GEC Anderson was included within the clinical area of this busy London medical centre. Responsibility for medical centres to carry out minor clinical procedures is increasing. To deal with the need for a safe and professional clinical area, refurbishment works included the provision of a new sink and worktop.Carefully specified by Edwards Rogers Associates, the 1800x625mm worktop includes 450mm high, integral, upstands at back and sides for total hygiene and cleanliness. Two sinks were seamlessly integrated within the continuous worktop. One circular and one rectangular in shape, denoting their differing purposes. The circular bowl is for hand washing and the rectangular bowl for the washing of instruments and equipment. The front edge profile is curved, complying with the precise detailing prescribed by HTM 63 (Healthcare Technical Memorandum).The unit was produced in EN 1.4301 grade brushed satin stainless steel. Stainless steel is well know for its robustness and the brushed finish provides not only a highly resilient and practical surface but also an attractive aesthetic.

An ambitious £37.5 million Littleport complex comprising special educational needs (SEN) and primary schools, an Academy and a leisure centre. Rockfon ceilings, baffles and wall panels are installed throughout. Rockfon products were chosen because they offer excellent sound control, Class A1 fire safety and durability.

AATi supplied type SN293/WL/280B Cast Aluminium Anti-slip Stair Nosing for this new AFA Bridge, the nosings includes a special bevelled back edge detail towards the rear of the nosing. AATi worked in conjunction with WEC Group to ensure the project was delivered on time and to a high quality!

Cyclepods designed this specific project for two sets of Island Spacepods, complete with a specially designed, elongated glass canopy for shelter, at Doncaster Civic Centre. The client wanted a form of bike storage that would stand out and make a statement in a bid to encourage cyclists to the Civic Centre and accommodate existing cyclists.

St Mary’s Hospital is the major acute hospital for north west London as well as a maternity centre with consultant and midwife-led services. The hospital provides care across a wide range of specialities and runs one of four major trauma centres in London in addition to its 24/7 A&E department.

A series of special inset, textured finish, stainless steel sinktops were included in a recent upgrade to classrooms and art rooms within Exeter’s Bidwell Brook School.Chosen for their practicality and durability but also for their neat and clean appearance, the inset sinks feature lipped edges all round to prevent spillage.

A bronze façade featuring integrated Rundum Meir garage doors for two new townhouses in central Manchester has been uniquely designed to reflect the architecture of the nearby John Rylands Library, one of the city’s most famous neo-Gothic buildings. The duo of four storey, high specification private dwellings designed by Snook Architects for regeneration specialist Watch This Space have given new purpose to an unused site nestling between two post-industrial buildings close to Deansgate. Their full height bronze façade delivers a striking external appearance that takes a distinctive visual cue from the library, located opposite. The aluminium façade of both townhouses features laser cut and acid-etched lacy blind tracery patterns that match those in the windows of the library, a late Victorian neo-Gothic building which opened in 1900 and is now part of the University of Manchester. The lacy pattern extends over the full height of the façade which includes large folding/sliding shutters. These balance privacy with natural light requirements for residents during the day whilst being eye-catching at night as internal light shines through the laser cut pattern. This design extends into the twin side sliding sectional garage doors manufactured and installed by Rundum Meir, which effectively deliver a sliding façade at street level. Working closely with architect Neil Dawson, Rundum Meir’s designers were able to replicate the design with total consistency and manufacture in Germany using acid etching across the six aluminium sections. Neil Dawson of Snook Architects said: “Watch This Space approached us to look at how they could transform this city centre site and we immediately saw the potential to take design inspiration from the nearby John Rylands Library. The resulting façade is unique, and through the movement of the shutters and garage doors during daily life it is constantly moving and changing. “The laser cut pattern means that the building really comes to life at night as the internal light makes the intricate façade design a stunning feature. To be able to match this styling in the garage doors was crucially important and the result reflects the bespoke craftsmanship provided by Rundum Meir.” The twin Rundum Meir sliding garage doors each provide a clear opening of 3.8 m for easy vehicle access from the street. Hand made using extruded aluminium, the fully automated bespoke garage doors have an automated pedestrian door as well as the side sliding door that demonstrate the design flexibility offered by Rundum Meir, who create every garage door to meet project requirements.

This exciting project involved a collaboration between iKoustic Soundproofing, the Zabludowicz Collection and Internationally acclaimed, London artist Haroon Mirza which fuses Science and Art to construct what is called an Anechoic Chamber. This silent space is designed for experimental and experiential research purposes on the idea of ‘A Partnership Society’ taking influence from Riane Eisler’s stance on societal progression.

The Box, at Penrith in Cumbria, is an ultra-modern, purpose-built headquarters and manufacturing hub for AST Signs, one of the UK’s leading branding companies. The construction of this project has provided AST Signs with an innovative space that is now used to centralise operations and aid business efficiency.This striking 21,000ft² building sits in the heart of the British countryside and features significant sustainability measures.

The Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre (DNRC) at Stanford Hall, Nottinghamshire opened in 2018. Its purpose is to serve the future needs of serving members of the Armed Forces.The DNRC was built entirely from charitable donations, with more than £300M raised. It will also treat NHS patients.Credit: All DNRC photos were taken by Andreas von Einsiedel.

Identified by Experian as one of the leading business hubs in Britain, Northampton has seen a flurry of investment in recent years. Perhaps its most bold – and significant – investment is the development of the University of Northampton’s £330m purpose-built Waterside campus, which has seen the relocation and integration of its two main sites into one state-of-the-art centre of learning.

The former Boothen Neighbourhood Centre in Stoke has been given a new lease of life thanks to the MESC Table Tennis Club (MESC TTC) who have taken the facility on as their new base - attracting players from outside the local area. The club, which has been in existence for over 60 years now boasts 90m2 of world class beating Taraflex® Table Tennis Sports floor from international flooring specialist Gerflor in ‘Red’ for their main sports room and it looks first class.MESC TTC is a Table Tennis England “Premier Club and it has members of all ages ranging from 8-80+ years of age. They also coach juniors and have teams in the National Cadet and Junior League. The intention is that the new venue will move the club forward and eventually become a centre of excellence in the area. The building is now in use seven days a week and offers a place for both experienced and developing table tennis players of all ages to hone their skills.Malcolm Dawson, Chairman, MESC TTC commented, “The project came about because we were moving to our new premises, which we took over from the Local Authority as part of a Community Asset Transfer. We had been developing the venue from a very small hall, with offices and storerooms into a fit for purpose table tennis specific venue. This involved security fencing outside, security cameras, installing a new ceiling plus LED lighting, removing internal walls, and finally upgrading the sports floor to an Olympic pedigree solution.”Malcolm Dawson added, “We chose Gerflor’s Taraflex Table Tennis Sports Floor after much research, and as this flooring is approved by the ITTF (which is the Table Tennis’s international governing body), we knew it would be perfectly fit for purpose and our user’s needs.”The installation of the Gerflor Taraflex® Table Tennis Sports floor would need to be undertaken by a company who would meet the high levels of professionalism that the laying of the new floor would demand. Manchester-based XL Gym Interiors Ltd would be the appointed flooring contractor. The staff at XL Gym Interiors have worked in the health and fitness industry for over 20 years, and witnessed trends come and go. Their job is to make sports facilities current, interesting, and an enjoyable space to train and compete in.

The £1.5 million fenestration for this new housing development on behalf of Crest Nicholson Regeneration was delivered in conjunction with specialist commercial fabricator Dempsey Dyer. It features: 5,000 frames Deceuninck 5000 series Tilt and Turn 7015 Anthracite on White 0.9 U Value - triple glazing casements with special thermal reinforcement

The University of Bristol has upgraded its emergency lighting with a further 10 LuxIntelligent emergency lighting panels from Advanced. The new equipment was installed alongside 21 existing LuxIntelligent panels linked to around 4,500 light fittings, to ensure ongoing compliance with the BS 5266-1 code of practice for the emergency lighting of premises.The LuxIntelligent panels were fitted across a range of university buildings, including seven halls of residences, using existing cabling. The ease with which LuxIntelligent can be used to replace outdated emergency lighting on existing sites allowed significant time and cost savings to be achieved.In total, 31 LuxIntelligent emergency lighting panels from Advanced now protect numerous buildings across the University of Bristol, linked to a wide variety of LED luminaires from the LuxIntelligent range, to protect buildings with very different lighting requirements. They include downlighters, spotlights, exit signs and bulkhead lighting that complement equipment already installed in the historic Victoria Rooms and the Wills Hall halls of residence, as well as operating theatres and abattoirs in the veterinary college campus.

In 2014 a new development consisting of 7 luxury beachfront apartments with uninterrupted sea views was built. The Beach Retreat is positioned on the marina esplanade along the beautiful east Kent coastline. The roof design is of particular interest as Ramsgate seafront and Marina Esplanade is a designated Conservation Area and area of special architectural and historic interest.

In the world of education, the physical environment plays a crucial role in shaping the learning experiences of students. To ensure that every child has equal access to education, the Department for Education (DfE) in the United Kingdom has laid down comprehensive guidelines for the design and construction of school buildings. Two key documents, BB103 and BB104, stand at the forefront of this initiative, setting standards to promote inclusivity and accessibility within educational settings.BB103 | Designing Accessible School BuildingsFor mainstream schools, BB103 mandates the inclusion of accessible facilities to accommodate pupils, students, staff, and visitors with disabilities. Crucially, this includes the provision of a specialist hygiene room equipped with either a fixed or mobile hoist, alongside ample space for assistants to facilitate the changing process.In primary schools, the hygiene room must span a minimum of 9m² and feature essentials such as a changing bed and accessible WC.Secondary schools, on the other hand, are required to allocate a minimum of 12m² for their hygiene rooms, which should additionally incorporate an accessible shower, sluice toilet, and changing trolley. These specifications are designed to ensure that hygiene rooms meet the unique needs of students across different age groups and educational settings.According to recent statistics from the DfE, approximately 14.1% of children in the UK have special educational needs, highlighting the critical importance of ensuring that school environments are inclusive and supportive.BB104 | Catering to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)BB104 further refines the standards for hygiene rooms in special schools and alternative provisions (APs). For non-ambulant special schools or units, the guideline stipulates the provision of one hygiene room for every 12 non-ambulant pupil places. These rooms must be equipped with a fixed hoist, a changing bed, a wash hand basin, an accessible WC, and an accessible shower, underscoring the comprehensive support required for students with profound disabilities.In ambulant special schools and APs, one hygiene room per setting is mandated, featuring either a fixed or mobile hoist, a changing bed, a wash hand basin, and an accessible WC.Additionally, all hygiene rooms are required to have facilities for waste disposal, such as a sluice or equivalent, to maintain hygiene standards and ensure the efficient management of waste.Conclusion | Building for a Brighter FutureAs educators and stakeholders in the education sector, it is our collective responsibility to champion inclusivity and accessibility in every aspect of school design and construction. By understanding and implementing the guidelines outlined in BB103 and BB104, we pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future where every child has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.How can we help? Our skilled team have many years’ experience of planning and installing equipment within public environments such as schools and universities. Please do get in touch if you need help or advice with your project or further support on the Government requirements for equipment that needs to be installed to support SEND students.

Sterillo Hand Dryer and Sterillo UNO have understandably been flying out of our warehouse in recent months. Our washroom sterilisation equipment was primarily being used in just the one room, but thanks to Sterillo UNO – a complete air sanitisation unit without a hand dryer, we have seen customers finding other purposes and locations for them to be used.

Bradford Maternity Hospital had a £1.8m makeover to help alleviate issues from protecting the building from bad weather, heat loss, draughts, noise and leaks.With the assistance of architect and lead consultant, Property Tectonics, whilst working in combination with ROCKWOOL and Rockpanel, together we were able to transform and improve the facilities for patients as well as making the building fit for purpose.

This Laudescher LINEA Bespoke 2.4.3 acoustic slatted panels with the purpose of managing the reflective nature of the walls within the main entrance area. The extremely specific design of the ceiling panels here where each slat cut from a glulam block so as to achieve a curve that is not stressed. The same product is used inside and outside so as to achieve a seamless finish through the glass.

Fortnum & Mason is one of the most luxurious department stores in the world, providing a treasure trove of hampers, teas and coffees, wines and spirits, homeware and gifts. Boon Edam was selected as the main supplier for the bespoke entrance after being recommended to Martin Brudnizki Design Studio by Fortnum & Mason due to its speciality in revolving doors.

Artform Urban supplied a range of solar powered lighting elements to The Royal Horticultural Society’s garden, Wisley in Surrey. The requirement for the job was for external lighting in prominent parts of the gardens to assist with wayfinding when dark.The Point Sun and Sunstone are 100% cable free, self-charging ambient light sources.The end result is that visitors and staff can now walk around safely in the dark thanks to eco-friendly lighting.