"water meters"

Temples and dream beaches with turquoise-blue water make Thailand a sought-after destination for tourists from all over the world. The capital Bangkok, with a population of some nine million, is a city of contrasts with irresistible magic. In contrast to many other Asian megacities, however, the city has few contemporary architectural highlights. The German architect Ole Scheeren created Bangkok’s new landmark in the form of the 314-meter high MahaNakhon. A gently spiraling, perforated belt of glass balconies and terraces forming a staggered arrangement gives the reflective louvered façade its unmistakable, pixelated face. The MahaNakhon is complemented by the seven-story shopping temple Cube and a fully automated parking garage. For the cladding of the parking garage, the architect chose PC-Sambesi metal mesh from GKD – GEBR. KUFFERATH AG. Alongside the extraordinary aesthetics, its proven low-maintenance solar protection and reliable fall guard protection properties were crucial factors behind this decision.In Bangkok, facets of village and megacity, Buddhism and business are thrown together in a seemingly random way to form a fascinating mix of cosmopolitan flair and centuries-old traditions. The formerly quiet residence city was transformed into a pulsating metropolis that is home to millions of people in just six centuries. Since the 1980s, fully air-conditioned office towers, malls and apartment blocks have been shooting up like mushrooms. Today, the hectic Asian way of life dominates Buddhist tranquility. This contrasting nature is reflected everywhere in the face of the city. Alongside the Grand Palace, more than 400 temples bear witness to the rich culture of the capital, which stand side-by-side with Chinese pagodas, colonial-style buildings, dreary tin huts and gigantic glass malls. Scattered prestige buildings such as the 20-story Robot Building, the Nation Tower, the colors and form of which recall cubism, or the naive-looking Elephant Building complete the city’s chaotic skyline.Tower of superlativesWhen commissioning the MahaNakhon, the building owner, PACE Development Corporation Ltd., desired a building that sets an outstanding architectural highlight while also being integrated in the city as a public place and a worthy addition to Bangkok’s contradictory mix of tradition and modernity. Ole Scheeren took up the exuberant dynamics of the metropolis in his design and created a new urban center across an area of 135,000 square meters. This is also reflected by its name MahaNakhon, which means Big City. The three-part complex consisting of the tower itself, the Cube and a parking tower graces the city’s financial district. Across 77 floors, the tower offers space for 209 luxury apartments with between 125 and 830 square meters, 155 hotel rooms and numerous shops and restaurants. A particular highlight is the 3,500 square meter Skybar, which grants previously unknown views of Bangkok from a height of 300 meters. However, the MahaNakhon’s character as a new icon of the city is due to the staggered glass balconies and terraces, which give the giant the feel of an incomplete building with a vertical twist. From a distance, the fragmented pixel belt resembles a helix – an association that was consciously chosen by the architect as a synonym for genesis and development. At the same time he uses the image of the seemingly randomly arranged pixels to visualize the intricacy and chaotic dynamics of the urban structure. The apparently missing pixels also give the viewer the feeling that they are peering into the interior of the building.The future of parkingThe winding pixelated belt of the tower, which starts at the peak of the tower, ends at the spacious indoor and outdoor terraces in the sales and gastronomic area on the lowest seven floors of the MahaNakhon. Together with the exterior of the neighboring Cube mall, they form an outdoor atrium as a public event location. A parking tower rises behind the Cube, offering space for almost 900 cars over 10,400 square meters with an automated parking and retrieval system. In order to adapt the appearance of this structure to the luxurious overall ambience, the architect chose shimmering PC-Sambesi stainless steel mesh from GKD – GEBR. KUFFERATH AG for the cladding. A total of 464 framed mesh panels, each 2.9 meters high and up to 1.8 meters wide, subtly take up the visual appearance of the louvered façade of the MahaNakhon. As a discreet companion to the reflective surface of the tower, they also reflect the surroundings and the frequently changing sky that is a feature of the country. Some 2,100 square meters of rigid mesh lend the parking garage an elegant look. In addition to the high-quality appearance of the metallic skin, the architect was also convinced by the ease with which the cladding can be maintained. The attractive shell fulfills two functional roles: it serves as reliable fall guard protection on all floors, while also playing a key role in supporting the environmentally friendly overall concept of the MahaNakhon complex. In the tropical climate of Bangkok, the light- and air-permeable membrane proves its worth as an effective solar protection solution, which also enables natural climate control of the parking tower. Because daylight can enter the building freely, less electric lighting is required. In monsoon seasons the mesh also protects the parked vehicles from driving rain. The stainless steel, which is almost 100 percent recyclable at the end of its service life, also improves the ecological footprint of the building complex. The MahaNakhon was opened in August 2016 in the heart of Bangkok following an eight-year planning and construction phase. Today, the country’s tallest building is constantly in dialog with the city and its people. As such, Bangkok’s new landmark links opportunities for identification and participation with the role of an ambassador for a city on the rise.

Part of the regeneration of Chatham Docks, Chatham Waters comprises of two blocks of 193 PRS apartments linked by a single-storey podium level.Y2206F Steel Bronze 1 and Steel Bronze 2 Y2217F applied to solid and perforated cladding panels, whilst YW387I Ordos Sable adorns both balconies and window frames and screens.

Severn Trent Water Asset Creation was tasked with constructing a new sewage pumping station to replace an existing asset that had reached the end of its working life.

A new distribution centre at Littlebrook Business Park features market leading Gatic CastSlot Littlebrook (Orbital 47) is home to several industrial companies which rely on the near constant movement of goods.“Our work involved the installation of Gatic Slotdrain in a distribution centre at Littlebrook,” said Zach Graham, Alumasc Area Sales Manager for London and the South East. “The distribution centre is in an ideal location due to the surrounding environment with easy access to the M25. Further to this, as the loading area was fairly small, it is put under a lot of pressure every day, with constantly turning vehicles. This meant that any surface water management product installed had to be guaranteed to withstand extremely heavy and frequent loads.”In an area where unremitting, slow turning traffic is a major consideration, Gatic CastSlot, from the Gatic Slotdrain range, was an obvious choice in providing a reliable water management system for this project. Gatic specialises in integrated, high capacity surface water management and Engineered Access Covers, its surface water drainage systems have been used to capture, control and return run-off into the natural water cycle, even in high pressure situations.Gatic Slotdrain’s reputation as a front runner for surface drainage systems in infrastructure hubs such as ports, airports and industrial units, made it first choice for this project, and ideal overall for sites such as Littlebrook.

Hart Door Systems has worked with a number of UK water companies to improve site security and efficiency. In particular the need to secure remote and often unstaffed but vitally important sites. Water sites have particular needs which require reliable and secure doors and the engineering expertise that Hart offer.The challenge This Yorkshire Water had 3 existing un-secure horizontal doors. These manual operation doors had fallen into disrepair and presented a security risk. Automatic doors were required to provide efficiency and security. The solution The Hart solution was to install its roller shutters, fitted in a customised way to suit the environment and to ensure security, ease of installation and minimum disruption. One of the things Hart has significant experience in is fitting doors that add security features but without the need for additional structural works. Disruption was further minimised by working in collaboration with the main construction contractor, scheduling the work to fit in with not only the day to day operations, but other work happening concurrently.Because of Hart’s experience on sites such, existing vital operations were worked around – which continued during the removal of the old doors and installation of the new. The success Several more SR rated doors are planned at the same site, so that the company can replicate the success and the improved security that has been provided.Hart has gained invaluable experience working with various water companies installing high specification SR rated security shutters. These doors meet an established set of standards to prevent unauthorised access and have been tested and shown to minimise the threat of certain intruder attacks.For those sites that need constant access by people and / or traffic, the Speedor brand of doors can provide additional high speed operation. Speedor and SR doors can be used in combination to give complete flexibility and the best of both worlds.

This South East Water contact tank has a constant output of 18.1 million litres per day, it contains water which is treated with Sodium Tripolyphosphate and sodium hypochlorite before entering the distribution network. The structure is of a ‘certain’ age and has a number of active leaks that have progressively worsened over time. As the tank is in constant use, it cannot be taken off-line and so a solution was required which could be undertaken against heavy flow of water with the tank still in use. 

Identified as one of 13 national Infrastructure sectors by the UK Government, the water industry has invested heavily in recent years upgrading perimeter security systems with the aid of LPCB (Loss Prevention Certification Board) and LPS1175 rated security fencing. The installation of 450 metres of fencing and various gates, including specially fabricated panels and bespoke fabrication work, was completed at an undisclosed water treatment works in the north of England as part of these upgrades. The project involved LPS1175 Issue 8: B3 (SR2) Combi™ SL2 Palisade security fencing, chosen by the Main contractors NMCN for its ease of installation, requiring no specialist tooling and the fact the system was designed to rake easily, solving issues raised with other security fencing solutions previously used.

Park Central and Quay Central are part of the £5 billion redevelopment Liverpool Waters project to transform 150 acres of historic docklands, the single biggest regeneration project in the history of Liverpool. The Central Docks neighbourhood will be a world class business and leisure district with over 2,000,000 square feet of mixed use floor space, including 710,000 square feet of office space and over 1,000 new waterfront apartments in buildings up to 44 storeys high. PROJECT INFOPark Central is the second phase of the Central Docks residential development. It offers 129 one and two-bedroomed apartments over 14 storeys.Quay Central comprises two blocks offering 96 one-bedroomed and 141 two-bedroomed apartments alongside 5,000 square feet of commercial space and undercroft parking for 50 cars.Elevation design is driven by the historic context of the site, being situated near the Waterloo Warehouse within the wider Waterloo Docks. The site is bound by two contrasting edge conditions. To the south are buildings with a strong industrial character and to the north is a soft landscaped park. The development presents two different external characters depending on the elevation: the south, facing Waterloo Warehouse, features regular punctuated openings with formal recesses while the north pushes out with the use of piers and louvres, expressive depth and verticality towards the green public space.The brick selected for the projects is Woodside Mixture from Forterra’s Butterley range. Made at the company’s Accrington factory, it is a wirecut red clay brick with a printed texture that complements the site’s historic context

Canada Water is located in Rotherhithe and is the busiest two-platform National Rail station, with 23.7 million entries and exits to the NR platforms in 2015/16. The AATi cast metal anti-slip stair nosings are still in service performing remarkably 16 years later.

James Donagain's pioneering efforts, backed by Horne Engineering's innovative In-Line Thermal Disinfection Unit (ILTDU), are revolutionizing water safety in healthcare. Trials at Kings College Hospital and other NHS trusts have comprehensively demonstrated the ILTDU's efficacy in reducing Pseudomonas Aeruginosa (PA) counts at the inherently vulnerable water system periphery, allowing substantial cost savings to be realised and patient safety dramatically improved. Thermal disinfection not only significantly outperforms traditional chemical treatments but also promotes environmental sustainability. 

Designed using sustainably sourced timbers, the floating pavilion gives diners at Hawksmoor a place to eat and drink outdoors, while creating a distinctive new social space that connects people closely to the water. Furnitubes were commissioned by Glenn Howells Architects to provide landscaping features to the floating pavilions.Nine bespoke timber loungers made from our triple-processed steel with sustainable cumara timbers that were designed and placed horizontally to match the pavilion decking, making for a striking contrast. The pavilion seating is completed by several bespoke high beam benches with underseat lighting. Other features included steel housing to the life buoys and planters with coordinating timber cladding.The pavilion not only creates a welcoming and luxurious space, but also a popular photo backdrop particularly during the summer months.

A systematic approach of arresting and reducing the flow of water within a cavity wall prior to any change in status of that wall helps balance demands on damp protection measures. In the case of a circular window passing through a curved cavity wall, protecting against damp ingress is easily achieved using a preformed Type K cavitray. The preformed Cavitray is curved to match the wall. Conventional flat material or roll material cannot uniformly match the radius of a wall.

The historic Grade II listed former dock offices will be home of the Project Hub for the Canada Water Masterplan to oversee the regeneration of Canada Water into a new town centre for the local area. The Hub will contain a flexible exhibition and event space, as well as office space for project staff.Artform Urban have supplied a range of seating to the Project Hub to create a welcoming courtyard space for staff and visitors to enjoy during the ongoing project works and beyond.The Dea-Diva-Lua-Ela-Stella seating range is manufactured entirely from thick laser-cut sheet steel that has been powder coated with a high-quality Faux Corten effect paint. The distinctive and unique pattern is derived from the surrounding landscape that sits at home in the leafy space. The seats are part of a range of products designed by French architect Marc Aurel that include litter bins and tree grilles all featuring the recognisable and attractive perforated leaf designs.The Canada Water Masterplan is expected to deliver up to 3,000 new homes, two million sq ft of workspace and one million sq ft of retail, leisure, entertainment and community space including proposed health and social infrastructure, and educational uses for all ages.The vision for Canada Water is to be a place where the community will shape and share in the development's success.

As the largest commercial television network in the UK, ITV employ some of the best and brightest in the industry. Creating a collaborative and innovative working environment and keeping staff at the top of their game is a priority for the broadcaster.

Top journalist for the past 15 years, writing for the likes of Red, Elle Decoration and The Sunday Times Style Magazine, Pip McCormac’s flat refurbishment called for an ‘Instagrammable’ open-plan kitchen, with appliances to match.

Leading Engineering and Construction company VolkerFitzpatrick awarded SAS’s Special Projects division the contract to design, manufacture and install the feature ceiling at Network Rail’s new Meridian Water Station in Enfield. Working closely with concept architect Karakusevic Carson Architects, project delivery architect Acanthus, SAS undertook the contract for the anodised Regency Gold triangular coffered soffit. The bespoke geometric system is a unique feature of the station and lends itself to SAS Special Project’s ability to take on complex and challenging design intent and work seamlessly as part of VolkerFitzpatrick’s delivery team on this signature project.

There are two options to compensate for the heat loss in hot water distribution pipes: using a temperature maintenance cable or a re-circulation pipe. Which option is more sensible from an energy point of view, when using a condensing boiler for hot water generation? A study by the Technical University in Dresden addresses the question of which option is more energy-efficient.The results presented show that a single pipe hot water system that compensates for heat losses with a self-regulating temperature maintenance cable is a better solution.

Abode was the tap designer of choice to inject eco-luxe convenience to a unique water tower restoration project in Castle Acre, Norfolk with Pronteau: a high-specification range of steaming hot water taps. Paul Illingworth, Design Manager at Abode says, “We were delighted to be a part of this project alongside property owner Dennis Pedersen and Tonkin Liu Architects, as they meticulously came together to reimagine a derelict industrial water tank into a contemporary, family home. Dennis purchased the water tower at auction for £20,000 in 2015, and then project-managed all the building work himself to save money and realize Tonkin Liu’s architectural vision with the help of a local builder. Following the addition of a new CLT timber tower and careful infilling, the original water tank is now an open-plan kitchen living space complete with Pronteau Propure 4 IN 1 steaming hot water tap in ultra-fashionable Urban Copper finish. As the property needs to cater to a family of four, the additional breakfast room on the second floor, is also designed with a Pronteau Propure 4 IN 1, to ensure the height of convenience, design continuity and eco luxury in the modern home and living space.”  The 160 sqm Water Tower project, is testament to the increasing demand and complexity in personalised building projects across the UK. As the trend for flexible kitchen living is a key focus for today’s multi-generational homes, homeowners want to make sustainable choices wherever possible. Pronteau by Abode is the ideal way to combine high function design with a superior style, heightened level of safety and sustainable consideration in reducing the consumption of plastic bottled mineral water.  “We believe that safety goes hand in hand in interior design and construction, which is why we continually invest in new product development to ensure our designs are fit for purpose. As a practical example, our exclusive Filter Recycle Scheme enables end users to return redundant filters directly to us for recycling.”

There is nothing quite like an ambitious project executed to the highest standard.This complete rebuild and extension of a late Victorian terraced house in Brockley, south east London, presented challenges at every turn. The existing house suffered from the addition of poor-quality extensions and structural problems, but was redesigned by Conibere Philips architects with the specification of Alumasc Rainwater Flushjoint downpipes and hoppers. This ensured elegant and efficient water management, as well as security against water ingress into the new masterpiece of a home.“It’s extremely unusual for a mid-terrace to be demolished and rebuilt in this way, but it was decided as the most economic and sensible course of action to take in this case. This also allowed us to adapt the property on rebuilding to look much more contemporary and elegant,” explained Robin Philips, Partner Director at Conibere Philips. Elegance was also firmly the desired direction when considering water management.“We chose to specify Rainwater Flushjoint downpipes and hoppers from Alumasc to maximise on their sleek and minimal design that would further contribute to the contemporary look of the building,” Robin confirms.“The joints in the RWP sections are very elegant. The whole effect is much less cluttered than most other RWP products. A simple, modern elevation would have been ruined with more traditional RWP products.”

Low environmental impact... CHALLENGE All over the world architects and building owners are trying to create buildings with a low environmental impact. For this private house, the architect wanted to combine an aesthetical finish of a metal roof in combination with PV and hot water panels. The biggest issue for the architect was the fixing of these panels without having leak problems in the future. SOLUTION The roof was waterproofed using a RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing membrane that is mechanically fastened onto the supporting roof structure. Two kinds of PVC profiles were heat welded onto the waterproofing membrane: on the one hand RENOLIT ALKORDESIGN profiles (for aesthetical value only), on the other hand there are RENOLIT ALKORSOLAR profiles, which function as the base to attach the hot water and the PV panels. The gable was also finished with the RENOLIT ALKORDESIGN system.

Cauldwell International Children’s School is an £18 million purpose-built complex and the first of its kind in the UK, a national charity based in Staffordshire dedicated to improving the lives of disabled children.A modern but cost-effective solution was required by the client for their new washroom facilities. Due to this being a charitable organisation, there were budget constraints. Products offered by our competitors were too costly. Water saving was also an important factor to consider.Discussions took place with our product, design and specifications teams to fully understand the project. With the clients’ requirements in mind, we presented various options for review. We provided a sample of our stainless steel infra-red basin curved taps. The touch-free modern design was favourable and the sample was approved.Testimonial“We were thrilled with the approach the TYDE professionals took. They considered all of our pain points. Cost restraints made it more difficult but TYDE offer such a broad range of products, they were able to offer us a solution and we didn’t have to compromise on quality. We love the design and the integrated water-saving technology is a big bonus!”

Products from Kingspan Insulation’s Kooltherm and Therma ranges have helped to transform a derelict water tower in North Yorkshire into a striking family home, as featured on Channel 4‘s Restoration Man. By using insulation that delivers outstanding thermal performance from minimal thicknesses, the owners have been able to create a home that is not only sensitive to the building’s industrial past, but that functions as a cosy yet spacious family home.

CastSlot and Paveslot, the leading channel drainage systems from Gatic Civil Drainage, have been installed at Rushden Lakes, the new high end shopping centre in Northamptonshire. Specified by consulting engineers, BE Design, and working with contractors Winvic, CastSlot with a tread safe top was carefully selected for its robust composition – essential for a busy shopping centre. CastSlot’s tread safe top is important in areas with high volumes of pedestrians, removing the risk of heels getting caught in the grating. PaveSlot was installed in the project’s central boulevard – home to a bespoke water feature.Gatic is a globally recognised brand, specified for many prestigious projects around the world. Its leading range of surface water drainage is strong, durable and reliable, with load ratings from A15 to F900 to suit a wide range of applications. CastSlot’s high capacity channels provide effective surface water management, protecting areas from excessive rainfall. PaveSlot is ideal for paved areas, with a discreet profile that sits neatly in the ground for a subtle and unobtrusive finish.

Boardwalk Short break experts Center Parcs contacted Gripsure when replacing its iconic wooden boardwalk with a new structure. Center Parcs Longleat Forest in Wiltshire needed to replace the boardwalk, which formed a main thoroughfare for the village and had been well used by visitors for the past 20 years. Gripsure Heritage was the perfect choice to revamp the walkway. Its innovative non-slip decking guarantees the safety of guests and staff, whatever the weather. A representative for Center Parcs Ltd, said: “The Heritage board within the Gripsure range very much matched what we were looking for by giving good coverage in terms of non-slip but also retaining the feel of using a natural product. We are very pleased with the results. We had trialled some of the boards in another area of the village so were confident about how it would perform but the decking has really helped to give an excellent finish to the whole look of the boardwalk.” The structure was designed and installed by B and B Innovations, who chose the thicker 50mm decking, due to the span and use of the boardwalk. The firm created an innovative boardwalk with no bolts passing through any of the structural timbers. Unusually the decking was also fixed underneath to minimise water ingressions and maximise the life of the boardwalk. The team at Center Parcs were so impressed with the quality, safety and finish of the product that they have since used Gripsure non-slip decking on bridges, boardwalks, steps and deck areas. Subtropical Swimming Paradise Gripsure supplied 1,200 linear meters of solid green Gripsure Aquadeck® for part of the development of the Subtropical Swimming Paradise at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest. The water park is considered the crown jewel of the family friendly short break destination. The refurbishment of the pool marks the 30th anniversary in the UK for Center Parcs, which had its first British site in Sherwood Forest. The Subtropical Swimming Paradise is heated to 29.5c all year round. It is adorned with tropical plants and features water rides, flumes, a wave pool and family cabanas. New additions to the water park at Sherwood Forest include Tropical Cyclone, an exciting four-person raft ride, as well as family-friendly water play areas Venture Bay and Venture Harbour. Vibrant green Gripsure Aquadeck® was used for an outdoor poolside lounge area. The non-slip decking features two anti-slip rubber inserts that are soft underfoot and therefore suited for barefoot use. Unlike other rubber crumb products Gripsure Aquadeck® benefits from drainage channels designed to allow water to drain through the timber board. This ensures safe use in both wet and dry conditions for guests of all ages, making it the perfect non-slip solution for any poolside application.

We were approached by engineering and construction company Planet Construction to help with a project at Windsor Castle.Our experts met the professionals at Planet Construction on-site to gain a deeper understanding of what was required. The toilets located in the St George's area needed upgrading. The facilities needed to be robust yet stylish and in keeping with the fixtures and fittings. It became clear that the cisterns required weren't a standard size so further investigations were needed to ensure the correct products were installed.After discussions, our specifications team suggested the Dudley Electroflo range encompassing infra-red WC flushing and basin taps. This range was specifically developed to save water and maintain hygiene. A trial took place to ensure the bespoke cisterns wouldn't present any problems before the full installation was carried out. The Electroflo products are also easy to service, saving both time and money on-site which was another important factor.Testimonial“We wanted to use a supplier who had a good reputation for providing quality products with great service. The facilities needed to be upgraded and hygiene was an important factor so the touch-free infra-red technology was ideal and the modern design was very complimentary. Installation was simple with no issues at all.”

The Kunsthalle Mannheim museum of modern and contemporary art was opened at the end of 2017 by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. As Germany’s largest new museum building, it is a prime example of both civic commitment and architectural skill. The private patrons initiative – with SAP founder Hans-Werner Hector alone donating EUR 50 million – was what made the bold design at Friedrichsplatz possible. Based on the concept developed by the architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners, a city within the city was created here, which reinterprets classic museum architecture while honoring Mannheim’s historical city layout. The composition of room-forming cubes is visually connected by a sophisticated façade made of bronze-coloured stainless steel fabric from GKD – GEBR. KUFFERATH AG (GKD). The translucent shell creates a subtle dialog between the inside and outside world. At the same time, the masterfully varying transparency of the fabric translates the scale of the building, creating a balanced sense of near and far.Following a construction period of around two and half years, the museum ensemble comprising the Billing Building from 1907, the connecting Athene Wing, and the new Kunsthalle museum building – named the Hector Building after the main benefactor – presents itself as an inviting whole. The Kunsthalle museum building replaces the rather dilapidated Mitzlaff Building, an extension constructed in 1983. The new building, developed by gmp as the winner of a two-stage architecture competition, respects the art nouveau architecture of the old building through its consciously reduced language. The architects created a monolithic, seamless concrete structure for the prominent location which fits in harmoniously with the development at Friedrichplatz and blends with the historic building. Their concept of transforming the museum into a city within the city comprises 13 cubes of different heights and widths that are offset from one another. As a tribute to Mannheim’s chessboard city layout, sometimes also referred to as the city of squares, a network of open and closed rooms was created with alternating perspectives depending on the location of the viewer. Seven of these cubes are grouped around the heart of the new Kunsthalle Mannheim, the 22-meter-high open atrium that boasts an area of 700 square meters. The cubes are connected to one another via galleries, terraces, and bridges. These guide visitors around the space and then back to their starting point in the atrium. The museum’s visitor experience thereby reflects the dynamics and architecture of a city. A total of three exhibition levels offer new presentation opportunities, including the full-height city window on the first floor, which offers an impressive view of the water tower. The atrium, which is covered by a glass roof and therefore flooded with light, grants fascinating views in all directions. Even without an admission ticket, visitors can enter the building, immerse themselves in its atmosphere, and take a few minutes out to enjoy a coffee. The feeling of wide open space and cosmopolitanism stimulate a sense of curiosity among visitors to explore the other rooms. At the same time, the window-like façade creates a sense of togetherness between the city and the museum, ensuring that everyone feels at ease.Woven work of artThis feeling is underlined by the stainless steel fabric façade cladding. It unites the real urban environment with its artistic counterpart and allows the city and museum visitors to come together and participate in one another’s lives. To this end, the architects went with a significantly higher degree of transparency for the fabric in front of the large-format glazed surfaces than for that cladding the fiber cement panels in front of the cubes. This varying degree of transparency preserves the effect of the architectural concept, regardless of the viewing distance. Despite the colossal dimensions of the building’s structure and façade, the woven skin loses nothing of its textile effect even from a distance. This was made possible by the fabric design developed by GKD especially for this project, which acts like a work of art in its own right. The company wove stainless steel wires and tubes of two different diameters – 3 mm and 25 mm – into four-wire warp wire groups made of untreated stainless steel. The key here was to use weaving techniques to completely balance out the varying stress ratios in the fabric due to the differences in wire thickness, so that the façade would withstand the strict static requirements caused by wind and snow. However, the exceptional fabric design also had to face another challenge: to replicate the precisely stipulated colour tone of the woven skin chosen, itself selected following a lengthy decision-making process. Despite the various metal mesh components employed, including cables, wires, tubes, and tube side closures, its homogeneity needed to be guaranteed across the entire surface. GKD’s many years of experience with coating technologies and their effects on buildings proved invaluable here. For example, the wires were coated in a continuous process, while the tubes were painted together with the closures in a spraying process and all then interwoven with the untreated warp wire groups.A total of 72 panels, each measuring around 20 meters in length and 3.26 meters in width, were used to create the sophisticated skin which lends the Kunsthalle its versatile face. With the discreet brilliance of the warm bronze tone, the finished fabric reflects the colour of the sandstone used in neighboring buildings. The large, stainless steel fabric façade measures over 4,600 square meters and changes its appearance throughout the day, in all weather conditions, from near or far. During daylight hours, it reflects the sunlight and its surroundings with the water tower and urban life. In the evening, it employs an intelligent lighting concept from below which transforms the Kunsthalle into the illuminated focal point of Mannheim’s most elegant square. The transparent façade grants unobstructed views of the city and the water tower from inside the museum. At the same time, it offers passers-by inviting insights into what goes on inside the museum. The metal fabric façade thereby establishes a connection between the city and the museum, which effortlessly succeeds in striking a perfect balance between reduced design language and desired emotionality.

Amazon has invested heavily in its UK operations in recent years and more recently with the accelerated growth of online shopping, significantly increasing its number of warehouses across the UK. One such distribution centre is in Kingsnorth, Kent. This 34,000 square metre warehouse opened in 2018 and has benefitted from the installation of a Gatic Slotdrain CastSlot system.With its high-capacity surface water intake and high-performance loading capabilities, the CastSlot system from the Gatic Slotdrain range is specifically designed to bear load ratings of up to F900, which amounts to 90 tonnes – making it the ideal product for major distribution centres such as this. In an area where unremitting, slow turning HGV traffic is a major consideration, Gatic’s CastSlot drainage system provides reliable water management.“Gatic CastSlot was specified by global professional services firm RPS, to provide high-capacity drainage that had a discreet finish, within the service yard and car park for the distribution centre,” said Zach Graham, Gatic Area Sales Manager for London and the South East. “They valued the design put forward to them and accepted to take away unnecessary costs to client and project without reducing performance of the system.”“In addition, RPS have used the Gatic range before and will look to use the system on a design whenever possible.”

Gatic Civil Drainage was recently specified for Waitrose’s new store in Oxford for its CastSlot system from its market-leading Slotdrain range. Gatic’s CastSlot is designed to create a continuous interception of surface water, as well as provide a discreet and durable surface opening. Manufactured in three metre lengths of galvanised steel, it benefits from fewer joints and improved flow performance. A high flow inlet and channel capacity meant CastSlot provided a tidy, unobtrusive and functional solution. The cast iron finish gives the system a highly durable and ductile iron top.

Abode, award-winning designer and distributor of market leading kitchen taps, sinks, bathroom taps & showering solutions bring eco-luxe convenience to a unique water tower restoration project in Castle Acre, Norfolk with Pronteau: a high-specification range of steaming hot water taps with exclusive safety features.

The first part of a vital £23m project to alleviate the risk of flooding in Hull has been completed with product, design support and on-site assistance from Brett Landscaping.Brett Landscaping has worked with contractor Morrisons Water Services, Yorkshire Water and Hull City Council to retrofit Rosmead Street, a residential street vulnerable to surface water flooding, supplying 4,000 square metres of concrete block permeable paving.The Rosmead Street scheme is the first part of a £23m investment in surface water management schemes planned across Hull and East Riding due to be completed over the next five years, coordinated by the Living With Water partnership. Hull has always been a city susceptible to flooding, due to its location on low lying land alongside the Humber estuary and River Hull. Surface water from the surrounding area and city itself has to flow through a series of drainage and sewer networks to discharge into the estuary. This system was challenged in 2007 when over 9,000 properties were flooded. Since then the partners have joined together to work on increasing the cities resilience through awareness and engagement, alongside investment in the infrastructure. The Living With Water partnership was set up by Hull City Council, East Riding Of Yorkshire, Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water and University of Hull with two key objectives to educate the community and look at ways to mitigate the problems with surface water drainage in the area, based on the concerns and requirements of residents.At Rosmead Street the Living With Water team committed to a SuDS retrofit scheme that would help to mitigate any future serious rainfall incidents by removing the original MacAdam roadway and using permeable paving to attenuate the water flow and ease pressure on the sewer systems.

Well known as one of North Norfolk’s gems, not just because of its historic setting - it’s believed to be Holt’s oldest building - Byfords is the place to go for delicious home-cooked food, from breakfast, lunch and dinner to everything in between.Busy all year round with loyal locals and visitors to the popular upmarket town of Holt, Byfords is so much more than just a restaurant. On entering, guests are shown through the store, jam-packed with savoury pastries, hot food and cakes to take-away, before arriving at the striking but homely vaulted dining-cafe. Those lucky enough to be staying the night or two are shown to a sumptuous B&B suite upstairs.January 2020 saw Byfords renovate the ‘conservatory’ area of the restaurant, adding an impressive open marble-topped serving bar, behind which are positioned coffee machines and everything needed to make the ever-popular hot drinks throughout the day. One element of this key area that also needed upgrading was the water boiler. Used almost non-stop to fill teapots and cafetieres, Byfords looked to upgrade their current boiler to ensure it could meet the restaurant’s needs.General manager Richard Knights explains: “All of our kitchen & Bar products need to be able to meet a high level of demand, along with being reliable, as we don’t want to be replacing appliances every year.” Richard selected an Instanta product after researching boilers and being impressed with the capacity options and dedication to quality manufacture.A SureFlow Counter Top Filtered (CTS11F) boiler was installed, providing the cafe with up to 162 cups of boiling water per hour, with its built-in multi-functional filtration. This filtration can be adjustable for any catering facility in hard water areas to not only ensure the product isn’t affected by limescale build-up but also to keep hot drinks tasting fresh.“The team makes numerous hot drinks throughout the day,” continues Richard, “so it was vital we have a boiler that is up to the task. The tap is at the right height for filling tall teapots and cafetieres and we never have to worry about waiting for the water to be at the right temperature. As it is in a front-of-house location, it’s also great that it looks good! The smart stainless steel styling complements our other products and looks professional.”The positive feedback from Byfords team means Richard wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Instanta to the other restaurants in the Norfolk Passport brand. “When we come across a product that works so well we always share our insights and I’ll certainly be letting the other teams know that they might be missing out on something!”

The challengeCeiling systems by Zentia have provided form and function for an award-winning Grade A office building at the heart of one of the largest regeneration projects in the UK.Zentia’s Cradle to Cradle™ certified mineral tiles were specified by regular Zentia users Falconer Chester Hall Architects for the Kingsgate building at Birkenhead in Wirral Waters which was built at a cost of £11.4 million.The solutionThe decision to choose Zentia Prestige hA+ Tegular24 tiles with Prelude 24mm XL2 grid was made simple due to the 30 year system warranty and both having Cradle to Cradle certificates helping achieve Kingsgate’s BREEAM Excellent rating.Manufactured with up to 41% recycled content, the Prestige family is available in three core densities that allow specifiers to engineer sound absorption and attenuation for optimum acoustic performance – standard Prestige giving medium density, Prestige hA+ giving low density (both of these variables were used at Kingsgate) and Prestige dB giving high density, up to 41 dB.Stephen Fieldsend of Falconer Chester Hall said the Zentia systems were specified to reduce acoustics in the open plan office areas which serve as the core business for The Contact Company in its role as a contact centre. Flexible open-plan office spaces allow greater flexibility for the call centre which takes up three of the four storeys, with offices and meeting rooms on the top floor. While its design concept references Liverpool’s past and the trading vessels that once negotiated the waters on its doorstep, the building remains forward focused on sustainability.

Owner of interior design company Studio Fortnum, Rebecca Wakefield is no stranger to being briefed on all manner of interior design and architecture. Specialising in understated, modern, relaxed living spaces, Rebecca’s portfolio is a stunning array of calming wall colours, comfortable areas to relax and thoughtfully considered artwork.

Interior stylist and Instagrammer reduces single-use plastic waste while retaining style in her beautiful home

Developer IM Properties is used to delivering projects for a range of clients, but 2019 also saw it complete a stunning new headquarters for its own parent company, IM Group. Known as The Gate, the new building - which houses IM Properties and International Motors, has been designed with wellbeing and sustainability in mind.

The HydroTap Arc All-in-One keeps Alison Potter's modern family home plastic bottle free