"sports sheet flooring"

The town of Filderstadt wanted to develop, upgrade and further develop the campus of two neighbouring schools in the district of Bernhausen. For the project, it hired Stuttgart-based, international architectural firm, Behnisch Architekten. The stunning piece of architecture features our special coloured synthetic surfaces – which we are immensely proud of!The guiding principle of the architectural design by Behnisch Architekten: a lively school campus in a pleasant environment for students. The result is a building with levels of different shapes and sizes, which appears playful yet balanced, and stands out perfectly from its relatively heterogenous surroundings with its free-flowing, organic design. The harmonious, vertically staggered horizontal lines and terraces around the circumference of the building make a striking impression.A facade consisting of a wood and aluminium construction with opaque wood elements reflects the idea of an open learning landscape. The central foyer, containing functional spaces and a cafeteria for common use, leads to all other areas on the levels above. On the upper levels, the building branches out architecturally and functionally. The daylight-flooded atrium, which spans all four levels, forms the vertical core of the building. From there, students can easily navigate the school and find their classrooms almost intuitively.Each level also has a small vestibule with niches and seating areas for sitting or relaxing. The third floor features a large terrace, which is easily the highlight for the Bernhausen students: it can be used to hold lessons outdoors – at least in the summer months.As well as thoughtfully planning the spatial structure, Behnisch Architekten specially designed the school to be experienced through the senses. To give the individual learning areas a distinctive character of their own, individual colour schemes were used on the walls, in which the colours not only indicate the respective year group, but create a lively, stimulating environment in intense orange, yellow, green and earth tones.Our durable all-rounder, PolyPlay SE, which is designed for ball sports and leisure activities on playing fields and school sports facilities, was used for the coating of the terraces around the circumference. The single-layered surface offers many advantages in Bernhausen: for example, it has a smooth surface, dries quickly thanks to its permeability, and is nevertheless slip-resistant at all times. Another advantage is its high wear-resistance and low maintenance – along with its colour scheme, which chimes perfectly with the design concept by Behnisch Architekten. It is installed in the colours light grey and pearl white, as well as three fresh shades of yellow.Our PolyPlay FS fall protection surface is used on the school’s playground. The shock-absorbing surface offers a clean and safe solution for various uses – usually playgrounds and parks. The bulk-coated, water-permeable covering is particularly easy to care for and, thanks to its cushioning effect, protects against injuries in the event of falls. In Bernhausen, the surface is installed in three colours and different thicknesses between 42 and 122 mm – coordinated with the respective fall height of the playground equipment.

FORBO’S MODUL’UP VINYL CREATES WELCOMING MATCH-DAY SPACE A unique hospitality space located in Cardiff’s iconic Principality Stadium, the Riverside Terrace is notable for its move away from the traditional match-day hospitality experience. To create a premium experience, Design and Build Specialists Benchmark Designs called upon Forbo’s adhesive-free sheet vinyl floor covering – Modul’up.  Situated on the banks of the River Taff, the Principality Stadium plays host to a range of events and is renowned as the home of Wales’ Rugby Union team. Working with PSE Wales and Levy UK, Benchmark Designs looked to create a distinctive interior space, capable of offering a premium match-day experience for general admission visitors. Combining a variety of furniture and surfaces with a diverse street food menu, the Riverside Terrace was designed with the city high street in mind, as Hannah Glazier, Interior Designer at Benchmark Designs, explains: “The brief we received for the Riverside Terrace was to take this space and transform it from a traditional food service and interior style, to something with a more up-market feel that had a broad appeal to customers.  “Cardiff’s high street has such a wide range of street food eateries and PSE Wales were keen to incorporate this heritage into the Riverside Terrace, with a different vendor selected to cater each match, along with live music. With such a dynamic environment, we needed products that would complement the usage of the space, providing a practical and refined finish. For this, texture was a really important design element and we wanted to make sure the surfaces we specified would complement and contrast with each other.” With this brief in mind, Hannah looked for flooring solutions that would deliver on the desired aesthetic and feel, stating: “The space itself had a very industrial design, with exposed fixings and a metal-studded bar front adding different textural dynamics. With texture and visual quality in mind, we needed a floor covering that came in neutral shades to match the other finishes, but that could also create a warm and welcoming environment. It was for this reason that we specified Forbo’s Modul’up, in its Concrete and Oak colourways combining the texture and tone of concrete with the warmth of timber.  “The realistic timber appearance of the Oak colourway was ideal for the zoned seating area, while we used the Concrete for the circulation areas, as it nicely matched the design scheme for the walls and bar tops. It was important that we used these complementary colours throughout the entire interior, from wall to floors, lighting to surface tops, helping to create a cohesive and well-rounded space, which feels welcoming yet distinctive.” However, it wasn’t just the aesthetic requirements that were key, but the functionality of the flooring too. Hannah explained: “With a capacity of over 74,000, the Principality Stadium is an extremely busy environment. As such, it was essential that the floor coverings used were able to keep up with the high footfall expected at the venue. This was another reason behind our specification of Modul’up. It has excellent indentation resistance, which was perfect for this space, being able withstand intense usage on match-days. It’s also able to be installed adhesive-free, which made it extremely easy to fit, saving valuable time during the installation phase of the refurbishment.”  She concluded: “Our intention was to create a fun and informal space that was suitable for all demographics to use. We feel we achieved this, with our use of versatile and flexible furniture, wall and floor materials contributing to a relaxed and casual hospitality experience.” Having opened in October 2022, the Riverside Terrace has been put to good use over the 2022 Autumn Nations Series, as well as the 2023 Six Nations, with a PSE spokesperson saying of the new space: “Forbo’s flooring has truly transformed the space, with its exceptional quality, versatile design and hard-wearing nature contributing to a modern and trendy atmosphere. The choice of flooring seamlessly merged functionality with style, making it an ideal option for entry-level hospitality settings. Overall, we’re delighted with the finished project and have enjoyed entertaining our customers in the new space.”  Benchmark Designs’ work on the Riverside Terrace saw the project achieve ‘Commended’ in the 2022/23 iteration of the Forbo Escapes competition. Find out more about Forbo’s Modul’up collection, here: https://www.forbo.com/flooring/en-uk/commercial-products/modul-up-adhesive-free-sheet-vinyl/cum7pa

Surespan designed and manufactured four access products for the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California The Project:HKS Architects were behind the architectural design of the stadium by creating an unrivalled sports and entertainment destination. The 5-billion-dollar stadium has created a diverse event space that offers an unparalleled experience from enjoying cocktails and food to immersive sporting events.The stadium offers a ground-breaking video experience that became the first venue to air live football on its roof. Furthermore, the centre-hung Samsung screen is the world’s first halo video board that is roughly 70,000 square-foot, dual-sided and is considered the most LEDs ever used in a sports and entertainment venue.The SoFi Stadium will be hosting several global events from the Super Bowl LVI 2022, 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics opening and closing ceremonies.The Product:Surespan designed and manufactured four access products.  Two electrically operated, double leaf, flush floor hinged access covers to suit an overall frame size of 4267 x 1768mm.  Two electrically operated, double-leaf ceiling access panels to suit an overall frame size of 4267 x 1768mm. The lids have been designed to open downwards.

Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea Football Club is located in Fulham and is one London’s top sports venues. Alfresco Floors were commissioned by Chelsea Football Club to supply and install over 430sqm of EBEMA Rockstone concrete paving on Buzon pedestals to a newly refurbished pitch-side terrace. The terrace areas located directly behind the pitch-perimeter advertising boards was built up to 200mm to create a raised terrace specially designed for wheelchair users.

Project: Derry Sports ComplexYear: 2014Architect: Samuel Stevenson & Sons Assembly:·        Roof - APL StrongBak™ (perforated) acoustic roof with APL 65ZS aluminium standing seam system·        Wall – APL Slimwall™ Flat Panel System Size:·        Approx 15,000 m² of StrongBak™, APL 65ZS standing seam & Silmwall™ panels Special Features:·        StrongBak™ supplied in special white colour so no suspended ceilings required·        StrongBak™ supplied in aluminium over swimming pool area·        Building generally 10m high Building Location:·        Derry, Northern Ireland

For The Refinery, a new build student accommodation complex in Leeds, Jasper Sanders + Partners looked to create a fresh and contemporary interior design scheme that underpinned the site’s historic significance. With a variety of activity zones, Forbo Flooring Systems’ Tessera Cloudscape carpet tiles and Sarlon acoustic sheet vinyl were specified, helping to create a fully integrated and striking space that meets the demands of modern student living. The Refinery was a winning project in the Fly Forbo 2020/21 competition.Built on a former industrial site near Leeds City Centre, The Refinery is a 397-room student accommodation complex providing high quality apartments, shared living spaces and a whole host of amenities. Developed by Gregory Property Group and operated by Fresh Student Living, the interior of The Refinery was designed by Jasper Sanders + Partners (JS+P), who worked alongside AHR Architects and GMI Construction to deliver this market leading student accommodation project for specialist investor Curlew Capital.

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here to view onlinePRESS RELEASE:Taraflex® wins repeat specification at Loughborough University Badminton CentreAlmost 600m2 of Gerflors’ World class Taraflex® vinyl sports flooring has been installed at Loughborough University. The badminton performance centre decided to bring forward the like for like replacement of Taraflex to ensure they stayed at the top of their game when it came to facilities.Originally constructed in 2003, Loughborough University’s Badminton Centre was built with Olympic specification in mind and upgraded in 2011 with Gerflor’s Taraflex® as part of the specification.

High performance resin for mortuary flooring areasAs with many high-care environments, mortuaries and post-mortem rooms require high performance flooring to cope with extremely demanding conditions. Any floor finish must be slip-resistant, hygienic, totally impermeable and incredibly durable.Traditional mortuary flooring specificationTraditionally, mortuaries and post-mortems rooms have utilised vinyl sheet or terrazzo floor tiles. However, both have inherent problems such as failed joints, cracks and poor slip resistance making them less than ideal. The failure of these traditional finishes can allow water and other contaminants to penetrate into the substrate below, which creates significant hygiene challenges.In addition to hygiene challenges, failed floors can create health and safety issues such as trip hazards and any repairs will be time consuming and disruptive.High performance mortuary specificationDegafloor have developed an alternative, high performance flooring specification, ideal for post-mortem and mortuary flooring. The Full Broadcast and QTA systems are ultra durable, seamless and highly slip-resistant finishes that can be easily cleaned.Both offer a profiled surface finish that provides outstanding slip-resistance and durability. Despite the surface texture, Degafloor flooring systems are easy to clean and and the seamless nature of these floors results in outstanding durability, avoiding contamination issues.Degafloor high performance flooring systems can bond to a variety of substrates, and cure both chemically and physically within 2 hours of installation. This ensures that every solution we deliver can be installed extremely quickly and cost effectively, resulting in minimal disruption.Our mortuary flooring projects include; Peterborough City Hospital, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Barnsley General Hospital, Luton and Dunstable Hospital and Basingstoke & North Hampshire hospital.

Polytan UK in cooperation with Hunts Contractors Ltd, Playdeck UK Ltd and Premier Line Markings Ltd have successfully completed the new 2020 Track Refurbishment of the Manchester Regional Arena Outdoor Athletics Track at The Etihad Campus. The original track built in 2001 using Polytan M system now sports a very impressive new Dark Blue Polytan Rekortan M sandwich system.The athletics and events track are built to meet and hold High Level Competitions, including Diamond League Events, World Athletics Certification Level 1 and UKA. To meet the highest quality certification under very testing circumstances is testament of the quality to all involved in both workmanship and materials and commitment to achieve.

Polytan LigaTurf Cross at the Campo Municipal de Fútbol, SpainDURABLE AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION AT AN ANDALUSIAN LANDMARKOjén is known as a pueblo blanco – one of the “white villages” near Málaga that are typical in Andalusia. The village is located between the nearby Costa del Sol and the Sierra de las Nieves mountains, just a few kilometres from Marbella. The year-round temperate climate is not only enjoyed by approximately 4,000 locals, but tourists are also increasingly discovering this location. Lush greenery sparkles thanks to the rain which is abundant by southern Spanish standards. Unlike other coastal towns, Ojén has not committed any building sins in favour of mass tourism, thereby maintaining the typical Andalusian architectural style of previous centuries.The athletes training at the Campo Municipal de Fútbol, known as “El Arenal”, also have a magnificent view over the mountain village down to the Mediterranean Sea. The sports field is located on the opposite side of the valley, cut deep into the rocky landscape by the Almadán stream. It is part of a sports centre that also includes basketball facilities, tennis courts and a swimming pool.The football pitch has a covered stand and floodlights. In spring 2023, we installed our Polytan LigaTurf Cross there as part of modernisation works. This infilled synthetic turf combines straight and textured filaments, their respective benefits combining to create the ideal turf system. The straight filaments provide a look and feel that is almost reflective of a real football field, while the textured filaments guarantee low and easy maintenance, greater infill stability and generally increased turf volume.What’s special about the Campo Municipal de Fútbol is that Polytan installed the first synthetic turf there back in 2005. This time, only the turf itself had to be renewed, since the elastic base layer can still be used.

When the Coleg y Cymoedd (translated meaning is the College of the valleys) in Wales needed to totally refurbish the flooring element of their campus in Ystrad Mynach (near the town of Caerphilly), they turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor to supply over 1000m2 of flooring for numerous areas and spaces throughout the campus. It was a project that provided Gerflor with the perfect platform to showcase a raft of high-quality flooring solutions ideal for the concerned demanding education environment.Tony Thorne, Gerflor Sales and Specification Manager - South Wales commented, “This project started at the specification stage with the Architects Austin-Smith: Lord. Over several meetings, we looked at a number of products to be used in various areas of the building scheme. The installation at the Ystrad Mynach campus is an outstanding example of how a mix of Gerflor innovations can achieve world class results. Mixing gym tiles with sheet vinyl, safety flooring and LVT, yielded incredible results for this college refurbishment project.”Kate Thomas, Director Austin-Smith: Lord commented, “The refurbishment project, part-funded by the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme, formed part of the college’s plans to continually invest in new facilities and equipment that will allow learners across its catchment area to have access to the latest training opportunities and career paths.”Mark Bond, Estimator and H&S Manager at Floor Furnishings commented, “The client is extremely impressed with the end results. We regularly work with Gerflor products and recommend Gerflor where suitable, in line with our client’s requirements and expectations. Gerflor’s staff are particularly skilled in being able to work in collaboration and alongside both the end user clients, as well as contractors in achieving an excellent final result that is pleasing to the client and meets the complicated design brief.”

Hush Acoustics were tasked with providing a solution to reduce an impact noise issue on the upper floor of a luxury five-bedroom detached home in Knutsford, Cheshire.Home to a professional football player, the issue stemmed from the noise on the flooring of his snooker room. Impact noise from footsteps when using the room was generating nuisance noise within the living area directly below, which was making it difficult for others in the family to enjoy this space.Working with Short Construction, building contractors based in Wilmslow, Hush supplied 167x sheets of our Hush Panel 33 to solve the issue. This is a versatile, high performing acoustic flooring which is widely used in timber construction, making it ideal for the timber separating floors in this property.With a combination of our eco-friendly acoustic felt and our rubber barrier mat, the Hush Panel 33 performs to all UK Building Regulation requirements as well as the Robust Detail performance targets for timber frame developments. Its unique composition makes it easy to install and quick to use.The product works by creating a high mass barrier and isolating the floor finish from the structure. As the nuisance noise issue in this situation was due to impact noise, it was key to introduce a high performing acoustic floor product to break the connection of the floor finish from the structure. This, in turn, improved the impact performance of noise transmission through the floor structure, giving the client the desired effect and enabling him to use the snooker room as intended.

The large sports hall in the new £22.5million Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre offers considerable functionality thanks to a Dorma Hüppe Variflex moveable wall installed by partitioning experts, Style. Featuring semi-automatic operation with an impressive 59dB acoustic barrier between divided areas, the wall allows the hall to be quickly separated into two dance and fitness studios or opened-up to accommodate activities requiring the entire area.Ensuring a long-term return on investment, the Variflex panels are manufactured separately from the frame, allowing individual ones to be easily changed if they become damaged. This represents a highly cost-effective solution, compared to having the entire moveable wall replaced, and is an essential feature for a busy facility like this where a wide variety of sports are being enjoyed.A partnership between North-West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) and Everyone Active, the new leisure centre boasts a competition-sized swimming pool, learner pool, gym, spin and dance studios, squash courts, a climbing wall, café and spa facilities as well as the eight-court sports hall. Working with architect, GT3 and contractor, Metnor Construction, Style advised installing the Dorma Variflex moveable wall, effectively increasing the useability of the sports hall, allowing the space to be rapidly adapted to meet the varied demands of exercise classes and different sporting groups.Finished in a contemporary pearly grey laminate, the Variflex benefits from semi-automatic operation which means, once the wall has been moved into position, the acoustic seals are applied to the perfect pressure every time without the need for manual intervention.“For dance and fitness studios, it’s critical to have a high quality moveable wall with a top-end acoustic rating,” said Steve Williams, sales director for Style Midlands.“Without this, you suffer competing music and instruction from the classes taking place either side which becomes a real interference and spoils the quality of teaching.“With the 59dB acoustic wall, you are very close to a sound-proofed solution. If music is playing on one side as the wall closes, it’s incredible to witness the noise disappearing as the semi-automatic acoustic seals move into position.

If a small town with fewer than 2,000 inhabitants decides to build a multi-purpose hall, special care needs be taken over money. The Swabian town of Altdorf has shown that this can be done. The municipality, located in the Esslingen district, chose an unusual way, one that was also unknown territory for the architect. The people of Altdorf opted for an industrial hall that was expanded into a multi-purpose hall. The challenge for the architect Werner Krepela was to equip this functional hall so that it complies with all current safety regulations and, in doing so, fulfils its new function as a sports and multi-purpose hall.At the centre of the 50 x 28 m hall is a football pitch measuring almost 1,000 m². An unfilled LigaGrass Synergy with mineral support grain was laid as turf. The 978 square metre pitch, the largest indoor football pitch ever built by Polytan, is surrounded by a system of boards and a piping netting system at the sides and above the pitch. The boards and nets can be easily removed to enable the hall to also be used for other public purposes.

Access flooring once again was selected for this major £12 million building in Cheltenham. Bathgate Flooring manufactured and installed over 5600m2 of Panels to ensure that this Grade A office space offered the maximum flexibility. Products Used BGM 600 Steel Encapsulated Panels Constructing this Office Development is well recorded with a time lapse video of the entire project available through the Gloucestershire Live news story. Access Flooring is used in buildings like this to ensure that there is easy access to the services if needed. Simply lift up the floor panels and all the cabling is visible beneath.

With the reputation of the illustrious Tottenham football club preceding it, the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is an emblematic building that has already secured its place as a sports stadium to be remembered.It has also become one of the more renowned and iconic spaces to have benefitted from Alumasc WMS expertise, receiving the full ‘rain to drain’ treatment.Comprising five core brands and more besides, Alumasc WMS was brought into the project to provide cohesive, integrated water management throughout the project. This eventually included the installation of Gatic Slotdrain systems, Gatic Access Covers and AssistLift Covers, Harmer SML below ground Cast Iron drainage and Wade floor gulliesto ensure effective water management all round.Completed in 2019, the 62,303-capacity stadium is one of the largest in the Premier League and the largest club stadium in London. The state-of-the-art sports and leisure centre can stage major events including football games, NFL American football games and rugby, as well as concerts and other non-sporting events.Populous Architectural Design were the architects on the project, however, it was Buro Happold Engineering that specified Gatic Drainage and Access Covers, Harmer below ground cast iron drainage and Wade floor gullies from Alumasc WMS for the task.

The crown line for the Herringbone E931 has been set out very well, however the floor has not been protected and the equipment has been left on the new floor.The actual floor will easily get damaged and the client will probably end up with a damaged floor and probably expensive repairs because of the lack of care.What should happen is that the floor should be covered at all times, and the site kept clean, with adhesive and other equipment kept off the new floor, that has been fitted

Atlantic Academy’s new building at Bucks Cross in North Devon finally opened its doors in September 2018. As part of the overall curriculum Atlantic Academy aim for all students to excel, both in lessons and through extra-curricular activities which includes a huge focus on sport and fitness.

Connor Sports Maple was specified for the 1800sq m phase one training facility in the training centre for the Army Reserve.

When Edinburgh Gin wanted to open its latest pop-up store in Edinburgh city centre, they tasked Exhibeo VM to design a store which reinforced the company’s branding, whilst creating a lasting visual impact. Using a colourful, textured look to elevate the customer experience and entice shoppers into the store, Exhibeo VM specified Forbo Flooring Systems’ adhesive-free Modul’up range in the Coral Terrazzo colourway, to bring the vision to life. After being based at the nearby Frederick Street, Edinburgh Gin decided it was time to go all out and form a brand new, flagship-style destination shop, which prompted a move to the nearby Hanover Street. Arantxa Garcia, Creative Consultant Designer at Exhibeo VM, said: “We wanted to create a pop-up store similar to the existing premises on Frederick street, but almost step it up a bit, moving more towards the feeling of a flagship store. It would be a place where people could go for an experience. We added a mini tasting area too – a space where customers could come in, sit down and enjoy some of the amazing gins on offer. We also wanted to display the products in a zoned fashion to make purchasing easier for customers. “In line with Edinburgh Gin’s brand guidelines, it was important that the shop was colourful and that the colours used helped to evoke thoughts of the botanicals used in the gin distilling process.” With the bottles of Edinburgh Gin lining the walls, Exhibeo VM opted for a candy pink theme to run throughout the shop, with brightly lit wall-mounted shelving and extravagant designs in the glass windows.  The glossy pink theme is aided by Forbo’s adhesive free Modul’up flooring solution in the contemporary Coral Terrazzo colourway – a pattern and texture that is slightly reminiscent of the ingredients used to distil the gin. Arantxa commented on the design choice, saying: “We really liked the finish of the Modul’up sheet - it has this amazing Terrazzo pattern which goes nicely with the candy aesthetic that runs throughout the shop itself. The flooring definitely pulled the design together; it gave us the continuity we wanted. We had specified coloured LEDs to be placed behind all the shelving, to really enhance the colours of the gins and the flooring brought that whole colour palette together.” Forbo’s Modul’up range wasn’t only chosen because of the contemporary colourways it is available in, but also because of how easy the installation is. Typically, flooring is the first port of call for most projects, but Forbo’s Modul’up was installed last on this project, thanks to its quick and easy installation. Arantxa explained: “We actually did the installation in reverse; usually flooring is the first thing installed in a project, but in this case, it was the last thing we put in. It took a team of four installers - recommended by Forbo – just five hours to install in the morning of the grand opening, as it is installed using Forbo’s unique double-sided tape – another big reason behind the choice of floor covering.” Forbo’s Modul’up range can also be easily removed and is immediately ready for recycling via Forbo’s Back to the Floor scheme. The ease of removal also allows the flooring to be reused if needed, reducing waste further. And with no adhesive used, the substrate remains clean meaning the flooring can be replaced without time consuming and expensive subfloor preparation. The Edinburgh Gin shop on Hanover Street was awarded ‘Commended’ in the Forbo Escapes 2021/22 competition.  For more information about Forbo’s Modul’up range, visit www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/fastfit or to learn more about the Forbo Escapes competition, visit www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/forboescapes

Stopgap subfloor preparation products from F. Ball and Styccobond F44 acrylic adhesive have been used to create a laboratory-standard flooring finish at a new facility for international laboratories operator Tentamus Group, at Pride Park in Derbyshire.Flooring contractors used Stopgap Fill and Prime and Stopgap 1200 Pro levelling compound to prepare 1500m² of metal raised access panels over two floors before installing vinyl sheet safety flooring throughout. Once the primer had cured, Stopgap 1200 Pro levelling compound was applied to create a perfectly smooth base for the installation of floorcoverings. Contractors then used Styccobond F44 acrylic adhesive to install Polyflor Polysafe Standard PUR heavy-duty vinyl safety flooring. Finally, Quantum PVC capping and coving was installed at the junctions between the floorcoverings and walls to produce a neat finish and allow for easy cleaning. 

Home to England’s 27 national teams, St. George’s Park provides a world-class training environment for any team or athlete striving for excellence. St. George’s Park is the English Football Association’s national football centre. Polytan installed an 8,400 sqm indoor football pitch (LigaTurf RS Pro II 40 mm EPDM) at the facility for England team training and exclusive hire in 2018. Set in a single, secure location across 330 acres of Staffordshire countryside, the £105 million complex boasts a range of outstanding training pitches, state-of-the-art sport science and performance facilities, a four star Hilton hotel as well as an outdoor team building complex.

Hush Acoustics provided an acoustic solution for the Aviation Academy in Norwich as part of its project to transform the building through the creation of an innovative learning environment. Based within a World War 2 aircraft hangar, home to a museum, cafe and now classrooms, catering for pupils and youth organisations as well as holding events and conferences, this academy accommodates a wide variety of uses and needs. Hanson Barron and Smith Architects worked on the design of the custom facility, with the aim to create a mezzanine floor within the atrium on which classrooms would be created.The atrium itself holds conferences that can accommodate over 300 people, so in order to ensure the acoustics within the building were fit for purpose, a site visit was conducted to assess how the required acoustic standards could be achieved.On visiting the site, an acoustic concern within the building was the footfall noise being created from the mezzanine floor.The solution proposed after calculating the requirements of the areas was 1500m2 of Hush Panel 17, which would be fitted over the structural plywood deck.Hush Panel 17 is a thin overlay board which minimises floor build-up without compromising performance. By reducing impact sound transmission through the separating floors, it achieves excellent results, with the upper layer of moisture resistant MDF providing a consistently smooth surface for application of floor finishes.Working with Robert Goss from Hanson Barron and Smith and RG Carter who were the main contractors on site, over 2000 sheets of Hush Panel 17 were supplied and fitted to the area.

Specified by Dundee-based fabrication company Lam-Art, 700m2 of durable Polyrey compact solid grade laminate in a variety of complementary colourways now covers the cubicle and locker areas at Montrose. Grey M001 Maryland Clair can be found adorning the ends of the locker units, with its contemporary grey mineral finish creating a striking contrast with the dark blue C018 Chardon and light blue B048 Bleu Oslo laminates that now cover the cubicle and locker doors. Two grey shades, G028 Gris Flanelle and G003 Gris Perle, were chosen for the cubicle compartments and provide a toned-down look.

The Nantgarw student Campus is part of Coleg y Cymoedd (College of the Valleys) in Wales. When the campus required a fast refurbishment of their Library, they turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor to supply Gradus Carpets for the much-used library. This successful renovation, then resulted in the specification of a vast selection of other Gerflor products for other areas of the campus.The project provided Gerflor with the perfect platform to showcase a raft of other high-quality flooring solutions ideal for the demands of the modern-day education environment. The project would amount to an immense 5300m2 of Gerflor products being specified.Commenting on the project Tony Thorne, Specification Manager, Gerflor, South Wales said, “The end user was so pleased with the final result they chose to work with Gerflor and Carpet Services for other areas of the refurbishment programme across the entire campus.”The installation would be the responsibility of Carpet Services Flooring, Cardiff. Ray Gallivan, Contract Manager at Carpet Services said, “The Gerflor flooring products that were specified for this iconic project are really meeting the high standards required for the end user. We would continue to use Gerflor on a weekly basis. The final result at the college is extremely impressive.”The design and specification of the Nantgarw Sports Centre of Excellence would fall to Cardiff-based architects Austin-Smith: Lord. Jonanthan Jones, Associate at Austin- Smith: Lord commented, “The Gerflor flooring products specified are absolutely meeting the high specifications set for the education project and client’s brief. We would definitely specify Gerflor again.”

For the beautiful penthouse atop one of the buildings in South Bank Place, located next to the London Eye, the designers wanted a feature floor with a bespoke colour finish. We worked with the designers at Goddard Littlefair and decided on the timeless design of the Versailles parquet pattern. The designers wanted a show-stopping colour for this floor. We created the Belvedere colour finish; using a mixture of fumed, European Oak and pigmented hard wax oils to create a dark colour tone with red and golden highlights.To ensure a uniform and quick installation on site; we creating metre square panels with the Solid Oak Versailles pattern positioned by hand onto Birch plywood backing. Having discussed the fit-out process in detail with the fit-out team from SJ Eastern Joinery, we grooved all four sides of the panel and supplied the tongues loose. This gave the fitters flexibility to lay the boards as they saw fit on site. Once we had assembled the panels, the bespoke colour finish was applied; after completing multiple coats the panels were stored to fully cure and harden.Once the team from SJ Eastern had fitted the flooring on site, they protected it with a soft breathable cover and topped that with hardboard and taped the edges. This allowed the other trades to snag without damaging the floor. Once snagging was complete, the floor protection was removed. As anyone who has been on a building site knows, dust and debris are everywhere and sure enough the flooring needed a final clean and buff with oil to increase the lustre and make it perfect for the wow factor needed in such a stunning project.The expert team lead by Bardhyl Miskiqi of BRB Flooring came in and cleaned the floor thoroughly, removing plaster dust and other debris by vacuum and cleaning the floor down using a solution of Blanchon Natural Soap and hot water. Once the floor was suitably clean, they applied Blanchon Hard Wax Oil Satin on to the floor and buffed a coat into the floor using a buffing machine equipped with a white buffing pad. This fed the Oak another coat of oil which bolsters the protection against every day use and increased the lustre of the wood highlighting all the colours from that bespoke colour that had been applied at the factory.Once the oil was properly buffed in, the penthouse door was closed and the floor left to dry and cure. Once curing had completed the furniture was placed in the room and made ready for viewing by the client and new owner and a lifetime of happy memories.Please call 01666 504015 for more information.

Hatfield Place, a luxury country house wedding venue, chose Junckers solid wood flooring fitted with Leveldek underfloor heating system for its newly developed building. The new foyer, ceremony hall and wedding breakfast room overlook the original walled garden, with views of the beautiful parkland to the rear. The redeveloped building is bright and airy with large feature windows and high ceilings. In the foyer, a spacious room with seating for up to 300 guests, Junckers 22mm Oak Variation flooring provides a warm and lively backdrop, adding character with its subtle colour variations and natural grain patterns. In contrast, the ceremony hall and wedding breakfast room were fitted with Junckers’ Oak Harmony plank flooring, a wide board floorboard which gives a more uniform impression required for the formal spaces. Both floor types were pre-finished in Junckers’ popular Ultramatt lacquer, a strong and durable finish with no surface sheen. Delivered pre-finished, the floors are ready to walk on as soon as they have been installed and will withstand years of dancing and dining with the correct maintenance. The floors in all three rooms were installed over Leveldek, Junckers’ fully integrated underfloor heating and levelling system. Working in partnership with Jupiter Heating Systems, the Leveldek system was developed to simplify the specification process to offer a versatile levelling system, underfloor heating and solid hardwood floor from a single point of supply. Underfloor heating is the most efficient way of heating a large, open area. Specifying Leveldek offered Hatfield Place an all-in-one solution whereas traditionally, installation of the heating system, levelling system and the floor itself would have to be separately sourced. The system is efficient and cost effective to run, ideal for use in a large space. For energy efficiency and fast acting warm-up time, the heating pipes are installed directly beneath the floorboards and the panels are insulated and reinforced for outstanding heat output. The system can be used on an uneven substrate as varying heights can be achieved with the stacking cradles. For more than 30 years, Junckers’ wooden floors have been recognised as the only type of solid hardwood flooring on the market stable enough to be guaranteed for use over underfloor heating. Junckers offers a full guarantee for the system, which is recommended for residential and commercial buildings as well as sports and dance. The flooring contractor was PICA Floorings. 

Our synthetic turf pitches are high-quality, state of the art, durable, and always an economically attractive alternative to natural grass pitches. And – if we do say so ourselves – we think they look beautiful. But sometimes even we must confess that they cannot compete against a far more beautiful backdrop. For example, in Antibes, where our LigaTurf Cross turf was installed. Meanwhile, an athletics running track Rekortan M stands out in brick red at the neighbouring Stade du Fort Carré. However, both of them are no match for the view, which involuntarily draws the eye towards the city of Nice, across the expanse of the “Baie des Anges”. The extraordinary “Bay of Angels”, the epitome of the French Riviera, has always captured the imagination.Its charm not only attracts countless tourists today, but also fascinated Pablo Picasso. He worked in Antibes for 60 years, a piece of history that is now commemorated at the Musée Picasso Antibes. An oft-overlooked fact amongst the rich cultural and historic past of the ancient city, is that together with the seaside resort Juan-les-Pins – one of the most popular holiday destinations on the Côte d’Azur – it is one of the most “athletic” communes in France. More than 18,400 athletes are registered in Antibes Juan-les-Pins – more than 22% of the population! 162 clubs and associations offer a wide range of sports to an enthusiastic public – with over 200,000 m2 of sports facilities.One of them is the Stade du Fort Carré, built as a football stadium and inaugurated in 1912, one of the largest stadiums in France in its day. It hosted one of the quarter finals of the FIFA World Cup 1938. Today, it is predominantly used for athletics. The circular running track was renovated in 2018 and fitted with Polytan Rekortan M, our professional sports surface that stands out for its speed and high shock absorption. It also offers excellent acceleration and step-elasticity.At its head, the eight-lane running track in the Stade du Fort Carré – where some of the historic stands are still standing – borders on a synthetic turf football pitch, installed in 2021. The chosen surface was our LigaTurf Cross, which combines two filament types into the perfect football pitch and resembles real football turf in terms of both look and feel. The pitch is used by players from the Football Club Antibes, which has 13 teams – ranging from juniors to seniors – and currently plays in the sixth division, the Division d’Honneur. Perhaps even better, the players get to enjoy the breath-taking view of the Bay of Angels. And, of course, our synthetic turf – another little gem on the Côte d’Azur.

Optimum sound control and humidity resistance were design imperatives for the new Strathclyde Sports Centre. HERADESIGN® and THERMATEX® Aquatec were specified for the project. HERADESIGN® Macro was installed on the walls around the swimming pool. THERMATEX® Aquatec formed the ceiling system in the adjoining changing, showering and circulation areas. Gareth McKnight, Kennedy Fitzgerald & Associates said, “The challenge was finding a system that met the anti-corrosive criteria and performed acoustically. An acoustician measured the reverberation times and HERADESIGN® performed well. With a white interior colour scheme HERADESIGN® brought texture, added depth and interest to the overall interior design.”

Forbo Flooring Systems’ Marmoleum was the product of choice for a creative breakout space at investment management firm, Triple Point. With its growing headcount, Triple Point appointed AW Spaces to create an environment that could accommodate the company’s hybrid working strategy, whilst developing a light and warm aesthetic.  Founded in 2004, Triple Point employ 215 people and manage over £2.7 billion of private, institutional and public capital across five distinct investment strategies: Social Housing, Energy, Digital Infrastructure, Private Credit, and Venture. Each of these strategies helps to solve a problem society faces, and each one creates opportunities for investors.  With the company’s increased headcount and the new hybrid working strategy, AW Spaces suggested increasing the size of the breakout area available to employees. The aim was to make this area feel different from the working environment, by incorporating warmer colours with a dynamic flooring design.   Another important aspect for this project was the environmental impact. Lisa McLeod, Design Director at AW Spaces spoke on this, saying: “Sustainability was a big part of Triple Point’s brief. As such, when it came to choosing a floor covering for the space, the sustainability aspect led us to look at products such as Forbo’s Marmoleum. After discussing the sustainable flooring with Triple Point, where I also sent them a concept image of a design, we decided it was the perfect solution.  “Not only did Marmoleum fit the sustainability requirements, but it’s also available in a variety of contemporary designs that match in tone with each other, which allowed us to create a very dynamic space. Additionally, it’s a really nice material to work with, which aided the installation process.”   Forbo’s Marmoleum was specified in Terracotta, Titanium and Vintage Blue from the Marmoleum Walton range, and in Neptune Blue from Marmoleum Piano. Lisa commented on these choices, saying: “We chose these colours as they work beautifully together and coordinated with the joinery so it looked as though those elements rise from the ground. We also really liked the warmth of the Terracotta colourway and the brightness of Neptune Blue, which provided some contrast from eachother without looking disjointed from the joinery they connected to. The choice of colours really helped us to convey the feeling that this space was for relaxation rather than work, with all the colours flowing into one-another nicely.”  This refurbishment wasn’t like a typical installation as there were multiple different colourways which had to be combined in different shapes. As opposed to a typical refurbishment where tiles or sheet flooring is laid; this flooring had to be cut into shape in situ. The finished flooring mixes curved edges with sharp points, with all four colourways meeting towards the middle of the floor then flowing out at different angles around the room.  Lisa continued “The pattern was quite complex, so Forbo recommended an installer called Medifloor to us who could take on this challenge. We had worked with them on a couple of occasions before, so we knew they had the credentials, and they did a fantastic job with pinpoint accuracy!  “We’re absolutely delighted with the finished result and I’d say the breakout space remains my favourite part of the entire project.”  With a unique installation, a specialist approach had to be taken by installers, Medifloor. Jim Gordon, the Director of Medifloor, spoke on this, saying: “AW Spaces gave us this amazing design for Triple Point, which was extremely challenging to create with all the different curvatures. So, to achieve it we actually used computer aided templates which allowed us to cut the perfect curve – something that’s really hard to acheive in flooring.   “Forbo’s Marmoleum Walton was perfect for this, as it’s the only sheet flooring that lends itself to the natural materials used in this project and looks amazing when finished.”  With this method, a creative and dynamic flooring solution was created. With the installation starting in July 2022, Triple Point’s office refurbishment was finished in mid-September 2022 and has been well received by the staff who use it.  Luke Francois, Guest and Employee Experience Manager at Triple Point, concluded: “We asked AW Spaces to create a bright and inviting space, with a focus on using sustainable products and services, and Forbo’s Marmoleum ticked all the boxes for this. We’re happy with the end product delivered by AW, Medifloor and Forbo.” For more information about Forbo’s range of office products, visit: www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/offices  

The challenge of installing one of the largest expanses of flooring in a single project – and one of the most complex – faced the hub where east meets west at Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar. The airport is described as ‘the gateway to Qatar’ and the hub for its world-class airline Qatar Airways with the capacity to serve 8,700 passengers per hour and 30 million every year. Specifiers wanted a flooring high in aesthetic and environmental credentials to meet all requirements at this important airport zone and meeting all relevant environmental and health and safety regulations.  SystemThe system chosen was epoxy terrazzo flooring supplied by Sherwin-Williams - 140,000 sq metres of pigmented epoxy resin - involving the shipping of pre-mixed marble aggregates from Italy to complete the design for the main floor areas consisting of three colours, primarily dark grey with pure black or white epoxy terrazzo.The epoxy terrazzo was poured in situ as the 16,000 workers from various countries navigated their way around the 5,500-acre site and ground and polished the flooring to a high finish, bringing with it major environmental benefits. Thin set epoxy conforms to the EU’s solvents and Volatile Organic Compounds Emissions Directive.The installation process itself also meant there was very little waste – the terrazzo prepared for installation was measured accurately to allow as much or as little to be used in application.The epoxy terrazzo is high in aesthetic and environmental features and meets the demands of architects and specifiers for longer-lasting products with ever-greater green credentials.Terrazzo flooring is a composite – a mix of resin with aggregates which give the product such variety in its design. Intended to be a durable, hard-wearing and highly decorative flooring solution, the resinWith simple re-polishing or re-sealing using water-based products a typical terrazzo flooring can last up to 40 years. However, vinyl floor sheets would require replacing typically every 12 years or less.The Sherwin-Williams Difference By putting our customers first, we know that the innovation, imagination, research and development we put into each and every product will be worth it. You are at the centre of our thinking wherever we operate around the world across five continents whether it is advice, specification or on-site inspection. You are the reason we exist. This is the Sherwin-Williams difference.

Minimising disruption for patients, staff and visitors was a priority for the University Hospital of North Tees team, responsible for the refurbishment of a vast area of new flooring in the hospital’s main public corridors. As such, Forbo Flooring Systems supplied its adhesive-free Modul’up Compact sheet vinyl – a resilient flooring solution that was easy to install and could be walked on immediately after installation. Built in the 1960s, the hospital in Stockton has seen much maintenance over the years and visually, had become dated. Therefore, the aim of the refurbishment was to bring the hospital interior into this century to create a more pleasant and comfortable environment for everyone. As well as speed of installation, the hospital team’s specification priorities were cleanliness and hygiene, especially as these main corridor routes lead on to clinical areas. But also, the spaces experience high footfall and are tested to the limit with heavy medical equipment and trolleys being moved around; the flooring had to perform well in terms of durability. “We were looking for something different and when our Forbo Area Manager, Jon Rogers, put forward the Modul’up solution, we identified a few advantages that appealed immediately,” explains the Project Manager for the University Hospital of North Tees, Michael Jones. “Firstly, speed of installation. It’s a vast area of flooring to cover. In fact, we’ve not done an area this size before, all at once. As you can imagine, we were apprehensive with it being such a dynamic environment. It’s hard to co-ordinate one installation let alone having to snag or worse re-lay. We liked the fact that Modul’up is tried and tested to meet all the current standards, but is also much easier to install and is easy to clean. “Secondly, from a subfloor maintenance angle we saw great benefits. The building was constructed in the 1960s, so in certain areas from time to time there are repairs to be done to the subfloor beneath. “With Modul’up you can cut the weld, roll back, fix the floor and re-lay with no patching required. If you have subfloor issues with normal vinyl floor you would have to lift it with the adhesive. This often causes damage to the vinyl and if patching is required then potentially you don’t get a match.” Phase One of the project involved the installation of 1,573m2 of Forbo’s Modul’up Compact in Natural Oak in the general circulation areas and corridors. Creating a fresh, contemporary and airy feel, the wood-effect flooring has been selected to complement the corridor walls, which feature a split wall colour scheme with the lower half painted in a strong, modern graphite grey and the top half in a lighter, almost white, grey.  Also commenting on the specification, Drew McColgan, managing director of Rimick Flooring, the installer, said: “We have worked with the hospital for 15 plus years. The building is old and we often have issues with the subfloor; installing a loose lay product makes it easier for us to access the subfloors for repair without having to patch the vinyl back. It was also quicker for us to install in an environment where time is of the essence. The client is delighted with the appearance of the vinyl too.” The hospital team, Rimick Flooring and Forbo worked together to ensure a smooth install as Drew explains: “Forbo came to visit the site a number of times to meet with us and the client. They attended meetings with screed representatives too and provided expert support throughout with samples aplenty; including a decent sized part roll so the fitting team could familiarise themselves with the product. Jon Rogers, and the customer support team (particularly Jason Livingstone) were there to help us every step of the way.” Drew talks through the installation process and hints at the longer-term benefits: “During the night shifts, the team lifted the existing linoleum, screeded the existing surfaces using a non-ammonium smoothing compound and fit (with set-in skirting detail) from there. Modul’up helped us to save approximately an hour a night, “Going forward, there’s no need to patch areas should there be a problem with the subfloor, and it negates the need to use an adhesive, which is good as it’s odour free and means the floor can be used immediately.”  Providing primary protection at the main entrances, Forbo’s Nuway and Coral entrance flooring systems have been installed too – helping to prevent dirt and moisture from being traipsed indoors. Forbo’s new Coral interior was also installed to complete the hospital entrance flooring system. Looking ahead, Michael Jones, University Hospital of North Tees Project Manager concludes: “So far, we’re impressed with Modul’up. There are other buildings on site which now may also be considered to be refreshed with this loose lay product.”

Forbo Flooring Systems' unique and comprehensive product portfolio has brought to life a striking new refurbishment project at Leaseplan UK, Berkshire, where a wide range of Forbo's textile and resilient products have been specified as part of an exciting modular flooring solution. Flooring contractor: Crisp Designed Ltd

SubFloor flooring was used to help renovate, raise and ventilate a 700 m² floor into a Nursery near Gothenburg, Sweden.The Subfloor ventilation system was ideal for this nursery, as it allowed for multiple floor height adjustments and for ventilation installations under the floor. Associated floor ventilation material such as ducts, air distribution strips, fans, etc. was also provided. The negative pressure the ventilation generates under the floor creates a fresh and healthy indoor environment.This simple and elegant solution raised and levelled the floor to allow for installations and insulation. The joist and screw system allows for quick and easy assembly so that the floor can reach the desired height.Products:Steel Joist 45x30x3800 mmSubFloor Screw 100 mmInsulation Bearer 45 mmHeight Variation: 46 - 100 mmJoist separation: c/c 600 mmSystem Weight - c/c 600 mm: 2.06 kg/m²Materials:Steel, Z100 GalvFibre-reinforced polypropylenePoint Load Limit (50 x 50 mm): Between screws over joist - 7.08 kNOver screws over joist - 8.78 kN

Marketing Rooms and Apartments for the Wood Wharf Development in Canary Wharf. However they wanted a more select floor which we were able to do by supplying 20% to 25% more than required to create a stunning near virtual Prime Black American Walnut floor at a fraction of the cost.A lot of other trades were also completing work at the site including the fit out of show apartments for the Wood Wharf Development. This meant that the floor had to be covered to protect the surface.The product was our E515 which is a 15mm thick oiled walnut.

Summer 2019 saw The Solid Wood Flooring Company work with Base Interior and other key suppliers to complete a refurbishment inspired by Scandi design in the affluent district of Kensington, London. Fitzhardinge House offers a crisp, clean and modern aesthetic, achieved by using our Light Brushed Fumed Raw Timber UV Cured Finish Flooring Suitable for underfloor heating, this 15mm thick flooring opened up the space to create a spacious area that would stand the test of time. This project demonstrated what can be achieved when trades and suppliers combine, creating a space that looks as impressive as it functions.