"timber"

The charming Kong Arthur Hotel in Copenhagen’s Nansensgade Quarter has undergone a complete renovation with 64 new rooms and a new breakfast restaurant featuring Junckers’ Herringbone floors. The hotel has a relaxed atmosphere with elegant interiors, housed in a beautiful, late 19th Century building near Copenhagen’s historic lakes. The interior design compliments the period building with its many original features, in a style inspired by grand, turn of the century Danish apartments. Junckers’ Herringbone floors in solid oak complete the look, adding a warm, elegant backdrop.  Breakfast restaurantJunckers installed Oak Herringbone in the hotel’s light and airy new breakfast restaurant. The large rooms are flooded with natural light and have an industrial feel with fixtures, fittings and furniture in natural colours and materials. Junckers’ Oak Herringbone grounds the space perfectly with its warm tones and natural grain pattern of the timber. New hotel roomsThe 64 new hotel rooms were inspired by the classical style of a city centre Copenhagen apartment, all of them fitted with Junckers’ new Twin Herringbone flooring on solid oak. Pre-finished with a hard wearing ultra matt lacquer, Twin Herringbone is ready to walk on as soon as it is installed without the need for sanding or on-site finishing treatments. The quick and straightforward installation process saved the Hotel both time and money – installing a Twin Herringbone floor costs less than half of the installation cost of an unfinished parquet floor.

This large-scale project featuring 224 bolt-on balconies involved the replacement of composite decking boards on timber joists with BalcaSmart Aluminium decking.We've seen a huge increase in the number of refurbishment projects since the updated Approved Document B came into force along with guidance from the government urging owners of pre-existing buildings to remove combustible materials from balconies if found.This luxury tower was completed in 2014 but with 25 stories, it was a project that came with many challenges.System UsedBalcaSmart Aluminium decking system with aluminium decking boards in RAL 7039 (Quartz Grey).Selected for its low-height build-up, the BalcaSmart Aluminium decking system for balconies was selected, with joists attaching directly to the existing steel balcony frame.Balconies are stacked. To ensure the finish from below was as seamless as that from above, the substructure was powder-coated in RAL 7040 (Window Grey) to match the balcony steels.The ChallengesPre balcony fabrication, our estimating and design team worked with Fletcher Crane architects to create detailed designs, which our team used to create a bespoke specification.As the development was completed in 2014, apartments were occupied, with residents present during refurb works.Furthermore, due to the glass facades and balustrades to the exterior, the goods for the job (including cut-to-length aluminium decking boards) were taken in through the interior of the building and installed as such by London-based Acacia Gardens from Hounslow.Location: ShoreditchCompleted: 2021Architect: Fletcher CraneClient: Private leaseholders

Creating a Passivhaus home Balancing sustainability and style, Sort Trae is the culmination of a retired architect’s vision for a home and creative space that blends into a South Yorkshire hillside. HEM Architects helped the client to bring this dream to life, using Knauf Insulation’s glass mineral wool insulation to achieve the incredibly high Passivhaus standards for energy efficiency. Low carbon and high comfort The client envisioned a sustainable build using Passivhaus, a voluntary standard for designing and building properties with very low energy consumption, that offer high levels of comfort for their occupants. To achieve this, the levels of air tightness and thermal performance far exceed those mandated by building regulations. FrameTherm® Slab 32 was friction-fitted within the 140mm thick timber frame walls on the first floor, while DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 was used to fill the stone-clad masonry cavity walls on the ground floor.  “We try to specify fully filled masonry cavity walls where possible, sometimes up to 200mm wide, to maximise the use of mineral wool insulation. It pays dividends for the client”, explained Liam Seaman, Architectural Technologist for HEM Architects. Thermal performance is critical to the Passivhaus approach. The FrameTherm® Slab 32 provided a calculated U-value of 0.137 W/m2K in combination with the black timber frame wall and cladding. For the masonry cavity wall on the ground floor, a fractionally higher U-value of 0.138 W/m2K was achieved using thermally broken wall ties and DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32. This has contributed to Sort Trae’s exceptional thermal efficiency. Because glass mineral wool is flexible and fibrous, slabs knit together and adapt to minor imperfections in the substrate. This tight fit contributed to an overall air change of 0.54 ach (air change per hour), comfortably below the Passivhaus standard of 0.6 ach, meaning the property is air-tight while still providing good ventilation. Sustainable practices Liam explained his reasons for choosing Knauf Insulation, “The alternative products are often oil-based and the application of these is outweighed by the environmental impact of their production and lifecycle.” Both FrameTherm® Slab 32 and DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 are manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation’s unique bio-based binder that contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. The binder is made from natural raw materials that are rapidly renewable and is 70% less energy-intensive to manufacture than traditional binders. Knauf Insulation’s glass mineral wool insulation contains up to 80% recycled content, mostly glass bottles and jars. It is also compressed so more product can fit per pack or pallet, and less packaging is used. This means there’s more product per truck, resulting in fewer vehicles on the road, and less packaging per m2 of insulation. Achieving the Passivhaus standard In collaboration with HEM Architects and other suppliers, the client has created a stunning home and an inspiring set-up for her loom-weaving workshop. “It is general practice for us to specify Knauf Insulation as standard because we find the product information available to be really clear and useful”, Liam added. Knauf Insulation’s practical, detailed product information made it HEM Architects’ first choice to achieve the Passivhaus standard for thermal performance. 

Zoo Animal Enclosure Heating SolutionIn partnership with HEVAC Services Ltd of Kings Langley, Powrmatic was approached to develop a heating solution for the White Rhino’s House at Whipsnade Zoo, which saw the installation of an overhead gas-fired (LPG) continuous radiant heating system, as the previous electric heating system inside their indoor habitat was not efficient enough and heat was escaping through the timber structureProject BackgroundThe White Rhino house at Whipsnade Zoo is the home to a herd (also known as a “crash”) of seven southern white rhinos, Sizzle being the only male – the six females are; Mikumi, Bertha, Tuli, Jaseera, Fahari, and Nandi. Sizzle and Tuli are the parents of the latest baby rhino Nandi born in August 2021.The heating inside their indoor habitat at Whipsnade was not efficient enough. Localised electric heaters were spread around the large space to create coverage, but the heat was escaping through the timber structure. It was decided to upgrade the structure by foam insulation to the internals of the asbestos roof and to provide a new continuous gas-fired overhead radiant heating system providing blanket heat coverage to the complete floor area of the house.  Project SolutionHEVAC Services Ltd of Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, who undertake servicing of HVAC equipment at Whipsnade Zoo on behalf of Pareto FM for the end client ZSL (Zoological Society of London), approached Powrmatic to develop a heating solution for the rhino’s house. The brief was to provide an overhead gas-fired (LPG) radiant heating system to blanket cover the complete floor area of the rhino house, but also design it so that it could be zone controlled, should one of the herd have a need to be in an area of a higher or lower temperature.The LPG propane tanks for the heating system needed to be sunk into the earth at the edge of the rhino house to avoid having to remove any trees, thus maintaining the conservation ethos of ZSL. For a structure such as the rhino house, being the size of a large sports hall, a Powrmatic SRP-PCV+ continuous gas-fired radiant tube system comprising; 4 x 73kW burners was the proposed solution, arranged in 4 temperature zones, with the new MC400/C controller and just the one flue discharge to atmosphere.Project ResultThe installation of the new PCV+ continuous overhead radiant heating system was skilfully undertaken by HEVAC Services Ltd, with the contract programme being driven by the daily habits of the rhino herd! Whether they wanted to be in their house or out on the field. Thus, the logistics of undertaking the heating installation were unique compared to working in a standard commercial/industrial environment.The White Rhinos now have a refurbished home and a heating system that delivers radiant heat in exactly the same way that we (and the rhinos) receive energy in the form of heat from the sun. Radiant heating systems efficiently radiate infrared radiation, which is the transfer of energy in waveform from a hot surface to a relatively cooler surface without heating the medium between. Thus, the rhinos can bask under the radiant heat, whether indoors or outside under the sun.The ZSL Whipsnade Zoo White Rhino Enclosure now benefits from a highly energy-efficient Powrmatic SRP-PCV+ system, listed on the Carbon Trust Energy Technology List (ETL), endorsing the Seasonal Space Heating Energy Efficiency of; 92.1%, and thus delivering low; energy usage, fuel bills and carbon emissions minimising their impact on the environment.

Leading sustainable timber frame house manufacturer, Scandia-Hus, and brick innovator, Vandersanden, have reached another significant landmark in their decade long partnership with the completion of The Mulberry, a new show home at the company’s HQ in East Grinstead.The Mulberry is a 3-bedroom chalet bungalow that successfully blends the traditional with the contemporary in a bold new design created for the UK self-build market. The rear of The Mulberry features an attractive modern aesthetic with large-glazed spaces in the form of bi-fold doors and a bespoke shaped unit, both edged in grey aluminium frames.The front elevation is more traditional in appearance with a clay tile roof and cream cottage look windows. The entire timber-frame house is clad with the Hailsham Mixture brick from Vandersanden, providing a deep warmth, colour and texture to the design of The Mulberry.Inside the property, Vandersanden’s dark Midnight Blue brick slips have been used to create an attractive, internal feature wall to provide further design inspiration to visitors.The Hailsham Mixture is a multi-coloured facing brick from the extensive Vandersanden range, featuring a combination of brown, black and yellow tones over an orange base colour.These attractive hues are achieved through the use of specific sand types in the surface covering and, together with the sanded texture of this hand-formed brick, create a rich and characterful narrative that perfectly suits The Mulberry.In The Mulberry, the Vandersanden bricks are laid in a stretcher bond, an approach that requires minimal brick cutting to reduce waste and increase material and build efficiency. This pattern is created by stacking bricks with the stretcher side facing out and the vertical joins on each course central to the bricks in the courses above and below.“We are proud to unveil The Mulberry as our latest completed show home at our East Grinstead HQ,” comments Jeannette Cooper, Scandia-Hus’s Product Research & Site Co-ordination Manager:“The Hailsham Mixture brick is a critical element in realising our design vision on this project which is a fitting way to mark our ten-year partnership with Vandersanden. As a brand, Vandersanden provides a wide choice of high-quality innovative and sustainable bricks which is backed by exceptional support in the way that they present their bricks and provide inspiration to our customers. These are the reasons we value our partnership and explains why we have worked so closely with them on so many projects and Scandia-Hus show homes over the years.”She adds:“Ultimately, Scandia-Hus and Vandersanden share the same goals – the creation of enduringly beautiful homes for our customers that are built with superior quality materials and show an exceptional standard of finish.”Renowned for its Scandinavian style energy-saving homes, Scandia-Hus offers a complete, fully flexible bespoke design service to its customers. Designs, such as The Mulberry, can be tailored to suit different tastes, plot and spatial considerations as well as personal lifestyle needs.Many customers begin the process with a Scandia-Hus design and collaborate with the company’s in-house architectural designers to create the property of their dreams.For more information on the Hailsham Mixture, Midnight Blue and the wide range of high-quality bricks available from Vandersanden, visit the Vandersanden website.For more information about Scandia-Hus, please visit their website www.scandia-hus.co.uk, or come along to the Open Day on Saturday 19th March to view the new show home.

ChallengesSinclair Watt were provided with a detailed brief to provide accommodation for a new main entrance and reception area, product display hall, meeting room suite, additional office space and customer service telephone hall and ancillary accommodation. By necessity these were required to be large spaces to accommodate large numbers of employees and visitors.The building had to achieve seven basic goals – to allow VELUX to be a good neighbour, to be simple and beautiful, to make arrival a good experience, to be a model of balanced daylight, natural ventilation, good indoor comfort and healthy materials, to apply a well-defined, high-quality structural concept, to obtain good sustainable standards with a minimum use of energy, to be visible and logical, and to create value and express the VELUX values.The ceiling systems had to meet the Class 1, aesthetic, fire and acoustic performance required for the 37,673 ft² two-storey building which features an engineered timber and steel structural frame. The project was the first time Zentia’s Ultima+ Finesse mineral tiles had been installed in Scotland.SolutionsSinclair Watt met the brief by incorporating a regular and prominent engineered timber and steel structural frame that provided a design with a clear distinction between the supporting structure of the building and the facades and roof. This was both to create clarity and logic in the design and to make it possible to replace or update the not-so-permanent parts of the building.The internal design incorporates a central street and atrium that acts as a meeting place as well as a general circulation area and allows the best use of natural sunlight and natural ventilation throughout the building. The building provides good indoor comfort and utilises healthy materials.The three key areas – energy efficiency, healthy indoor environment and renewable energy – constitute the basis of the new building. A fabric-first approach for the building was adopted with high insulation levels and low air permeability rates to reduce overall heat loss from the building. This combined with a natural ventilation and daylighting strategy, and the use of LED lighting and air source heat pumps as the main heating source, resulted in a highly energy efficient and sustainable building.Some 1,1,00 m² of the Zentia Prestige hA+ Tegular15 tiles were used in the ground floor offices and storerooms, while 100m² of the Finesse tiles were used in the restaurant, kitchen and toilets. The Ultima+ range features class-leading light reflectance of 87% and Euroclass A2-s1, d0 fire classification, the Tegular15 variant with Class A sound absorption and Finesse a fully concealed, fully painted edge detail.Architect Iain Mitchell said: “We specified the Zentia systems as they have a good product range, good suspension systems, with good product information and good technical backup. They met all the aesthetic, fire and acoustic performances.“Zentia shadow and transition trims were used so the Zentia ceilings tie in well with adjacent plasterboard walls and ceilings. The client is very happy with the ceiling installation and building as a whole.”Colin Burns, commercial director of specialist sub-contractor PFP, said: “We had some meetings with Zentia to talk through the detailing of the Finesse element and put it to the guys on site but apart from that, and some coordinating with services, it was very straightforward. It looks good as it always does and gives a nice bright finish. It was interesting to be the first installer of Finesse in Scotland.”

TGP Help Mark New Era with Manhattan Plank Paving at Greg’s PlaceTGP Landscape Architects Ltd was assigned the task of designing the landscape at Greg’s Place, a vibrant outdoor community space which at the University of York, replacing the previous dilapidated Vanbrugh Piazza. Helping TGP to mark a new era for the University, Tobermore supplied the landscape architect with modern Manhattan plank paving and Granite Step Units which were used to create a unique, striking hard landscape.Greg’s Place was named in honour of Greg Dyke, a highly respected journalist, broadcaster, and chairman of The Football Association, who was additionally Chancellor at the University for 11 years.Andrew Gardener, Director at TGP, explained how the company won the opportunity to be involved in the refurbishment scheme: “The original site (Vanbrugh Piazza) was designed in the 1960’s and had gone unused for years, having never been updated. We took part in a competition being run by the University of York to come up with a design for a multi-functional space that students could use. We won the competition and presented a proposal to Greg Dyke and the Student Union, taking their opinions on board and the students ‘a year in the life’ concept that reflected the events taking place throughout the year for students – festivals, Christmas markets, graduations, etc.”TGP’s design concept had to meet a variety of requirements. Andrew noted: “The strong central axis of the site, which runs North / South from Vanbrugh College, was further enhanced by extending it out into the lake and placing a large timber and galvanised steel feature seating window on it. The space itself needed to be flexible enough for multi-purpose use and needed to work on a North / South and East / West axis.“Greg Dyke wanted a large screen installed for the communal screening of sports and movies on the College building to the West of the site. Timber, circular seating and a raised grass terrace were included to create multiple viewing directions within the site.”Andrew explained the selection of materials for the landscape at Greg’s Place:“For the hard landscaping, we knew that paving needed to be a versatile, cost effective, hard-wearing solution for the scheme.”ANDREW GARDENER, DIRECTOR AT TGP LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS LTDTobermore paving products were an obvious choice for TGP and Andrew was particularly impressed with Tobermore’s Premium Collection’s Manhattan plank paving system: “I liked the large format size; the mixed size units and the variety of colours available with the product are impressive and it is always good to see paving that is different to the standard often seen in public spaces.”Manhattan was ideal for creating a contemporary look at Greg’s Place as it is manufactured with a sparkling granite aggregate surface layer, reflecting the aesthetics of natural granite that is popular in European cities.TGP specified the product in Silver and Mid Grey, forming a subtle colour pattern. The landscape architect selected Tobermore’s Granite Step Unit as a stepping solution, which was a wonderful, modern accompaniment to Manhattan as Granite Step Units are manufactured with a similar granite aggregate surface finish.Andrew commented on the results of Greg’s Place:“We are delighted with the finished look of the scheme and the University is pleased that students, staff and visitors are making use of the area in a way they never did before.ANDREW GARDENER, DIRECTOR AT TGP LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS LTD“We are very happy with the products supplied by Tobermore as they have given a great contemporary feel to the space.“We plan to use Tobermore products again for forthcoming projects.”