"water sports swimming"

A new £13.5million sports and swimming complex in Blackburn town centre has been constructed to replace the ageing Waves Water Fun Centre. The joint project between Blackburn with Darwen Council and Blackburn College will provide for students and residents swimming pools but also a larger fitness suite, a dance/ aerobics studio, sauna and steam room and two sports halls. The scheme, partly-based on Darwen Leisure Centre, will reduce the running costs of the existing Waves complex and reduce the subsidy.

Aquatics centre of Stratford, London, designed by architect Zaha Hadid Its original architectural wave made this place one of the most visible for tourists in London. The aquatics center will be used for swimming, diving and synchronized swimming and for the Water-polo competitions. The center can host more than 17500 people. It will replace the swimming pools of Crystal Palace National Sport Centre located in the south-east of London, and will become swimming-center of London. The Aquatic center ceiling is composed of 138 petals of Barrisol acoustic Lighting, using the Barrisol Star rail system. Architect : Zaha Hadid

The £26m Dover District Leisure Centre features the first swimming pool in Kent to be purpose-built to Sport England specifications for a county standard competition swimming pool. Other facilities at the centre include a learner pool with a moveable floor, sports hall, interactive climbing arena, fitness studios, gym, squash courts, outdoor five-a-side 3G pitches, sauna and steam room, café, and 250 parking spaces.SolutionDortek doors are specially designed for wet applications and meet the Sport England design guidance requirements. Dortek access solutions are built to withstand severe temperature variations and damp conditions, they are also bacteria and corrosion-resistant. Their timber free construction means they will not rot, rust or warp even after years of exposure to water and cleaning agents.

The hydraulic system providing water to the two swimming pools, changing rooms, and a lounge area is operated by DAB pressure boosting sets and recirculating systems. The installed pumps ensure efficiency, energy conservation, and require minimal maintenance, offering maximum reliability to meet the demands of this contemporary facility.Utilizing Evoplus B and D electronic circulating pumps for the heating system, a consistent pressure is maintained within the system even as the flow rate fluctuates, preventing disruptions in the event of transient operational variations. Delivering an energy efficient system and CO2 reduction.

The Parap Swimming Pool in Darwin, Australia needed water tight, corrosion resistant doors that would not rot, rust, warp, swell or corrode. These doors were to be used in external areas exposed to chlorine water, rainwater and high temperatures from sun exposure. The doors needed to withstand conditions but also adopt the architecture aesthetic finish. Dortek were able to supply their GRP doors and frames to the project as it was a necessity for the doors to be water and corrosion resistant. Some of the doors were to be located externally and able to withstand sun exposure and hot temperatures.

Stone: LUNDHS Blue® - silk and polished surfaces.As visually arresting as it is practical, Lundhs Blue, used in and around this outdoor pool, has extremely low absorption properties, meaning it is not affected by the outdoor elements or swimming pool chemicals. Inside the pool, high gloss polished tiles have been used whilst a silk finish has been used o the surround to create a less slippery surface.

 Across Europe there has been a surge in the swimming pool sector. With many more people staying at home and foreign travel restricted both domestic and commercial pool manufacturers have seen a rise in new builds and renovation of existing pools. Trends indicate that 2021 will see a further rise in local markets as more people cocoon and less people travel abroad. Commercial pool operators are also seeing a rise in popularity and are taking the opportunity of enforced closures to update and renew existing infrastructure. In the UK it is expected that now Brexit has been finalised, investors in UK hotels, Spas and High-end residences will drive the wet leisure market further. In a new feature on their website, leading acoustic panel manufacturer Troldtekt summarises the knowledge, trends and examples which will help influence the design of swimming centres today and in the future.  The feature includes 16 trends compiled by the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities. These cover everything from economics and digital features to new uses and products which influence the architecture of pools and their construction. Pools can be used for different purposes and by quite different groups of people. This places demand on designers and developers to provide perfect layout and solutions to create the best atmosphere.  One interesting aspect is how modern swimming centres need to satisfy many expectations from different types of user. For example one pool needs to accommodate the needs of elite swimmers with those people wanting to exercise, young families and wellness enthusiasts. Each group is looking for a different type of experience and unless planned, there is a risk of friction between them. Architects such as GPP Arkitekter and Bay Arch have succeeded in this balancing act as shown in the newly built Frederikssund Swimming Centre.  One of the most important aspects and one universally agreed across all types of user is the control of noise. For example, absorption of the loud sounds from splashing, shouting and playing is essential. This is why Troldtekt’s acoustic wood wool panels are often specified because of their durability, appearance and are natural breathable meaning they will absorb and release moisture making them perfect for wet area installations. Manufactured from certified wood, a 100% natural material, and cement extracted from Danish mineral resources, they achieve high levels of technical and acoustical performance and can be disposed of harmlessly, breaking down in the soil.  Founded on the Cradle-to-Cradle design concept, the natural and inherently sustainable panels are available in a variety of different surfaces and colours and contribute to a building’s BREEAM, DGNB and LEED ratings. In addition to their high sound absorption and tactile surface, they offer high durability and low cost lifecycle performance. Available in various sizes and in four grades from extreme to coarse, the panels can be left untreated or painted in virtually any RAL colour. The theme is available at https://www.troldtekt.com/news/themes/swimming-centres/ or https://bit.ly/2LJJiGU while samples, case studies and technical guidance is available from tel 01978 664255 or Troldtekt.co.uk. 

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With over 2,000 m2 of floor space and seating for up to 1,655 people, the £12million Essex Sport Arena is another innovative facility where DYNAMIK Sport has installed their world class sports flooring. Home to the netball super league with 3 netball courts, 8 badminton courts, 3 basketball courts, 5 volleyball courts and 2 futsal courts, all available for hire to sports groups. The arena boasts DYNAMIK’s A4 area elastic sprung floor which we hope will play some part in supporting elite sport and the future successes of the teams.

Architect: Faulkner Browns ArchitectsInstaller: Topfix InteriorsProduct: ‘Shiluvit’ by Oranit1000m2 of PEFC Certified Shiluvit panels from Oranit were installed to the ceilings of the swimming pool and gym areas at the new sports facility St John’s School in Leatherhead.Faulkner Brown Architects specified Yellow Pine panels with a white stain for the space, choosing 7-502 modules with 22mm wide by 45mm deep blades with 40mm gaps for impressive acoustic control.Oranit is a specialist ceiling solutions suitable for most installation areas. As standard it is impregnated for Euroclass B,s2-d0 for resistance to fire, achieving top results against surface spread of flames, smoke production, and flaming droplets or structural integrity in case of fire.Additionally for this installation the panels were lacquered for humidity resistance, this treatment provides additional protection to the wood against water damage and can also be used for panels being installed outside.

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

DYNAMIK work with architects at specification stage right through to completion. Henlow Academy, in Bedfordshire was led by PCMS Design to build a new four-court sports hall. Main contractor, Borras Construction, chose DYNAMIK to install the specialist low profile sprung sports floor finished in a solid sport linoleum. The client wanted a Sports Hall for multi-sport use including netball, badminton, basketball, hockey and five-a-side football and to hire the facility for public use. Solid sport linoleum, available in a range of colours, was chosen for this purpose as it is easy to clean and maintain.

Honiton Swimming Pool had not been updated since the 1980s. Kendall Kingscott were asked to design the much-needed refurbishment and provide a resolution to damp conditions.Our Baseline toilet cubicle range in SGL and changing room lockers and benching were chosen as it fulfilled the functional requirements of the swimming pool changing rooms whilst also matching the aesthetic the client was looking for.Read the whole case study on our website.

Acoustics are a particular issue in swimming pools due to the large areas of tiling, and because water itself is also highly reflective of sound. Hawkins\Brown architects needed a material that would provide high performance sound absorption whilst being compatible with the specialist environmental conditions of a pool. As this is within a school, speech intelligibility is of particular importance for learning – and the BASWA discretely provides this crucial function. BASWA was chosen for its high acoustic performance and system quality including the marble surface coating, which may be used in high humidity environments as standard.

DYNAMIK Sport are proud to have supplied and installed the world class competition sports flooring at the EIS. DYNAMIK has expertise in providing world class training venues for top athletes and creating facilities that are designed to enhance top sporting performance inclusive of wheelchair sport. The Elite Training Centre, home of Team GB Wheelchair Basketball, houses DYNAMIK’s sprung engineered oak flooring. This is an ideal surface for wheelchair users to aid the glide of wheelchairs as the low rolling resistance of sprung systems finished with a solid ‘non-spongy’ playing surface, allows chairs to easily glide across the floor.

Providing great foundations for their aspiring sports stars, Mark Rutherford School chose a new DYNAMIK sports floor. With an emphasis on encouraging sport, Robina Garner, School Business Manager, expressed delight at the end result: “The new Sports Hall floor will support the practical sporting excellence that we deliver at the school. We look forward to reaping the rewards of our students using this exciting new provision.” Not only will the students benefit, but the positive impact of the new Sports Hall floor reaches far into the roots of the community, enabling healthy competition, team work and social opportunities.

Kingspan Klargester bespoke Commercial Treatment Plant installed in the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains.

The “Schäl Sick” – for many years, this derogatory term was used by Cologners on the left side of the Rhine about the other side of the Rhine. The right side – or rather the “wrong” side of the Rhine – was home to Deutz, Leverkusen or even Düsseldorf. And Porz, which is now part of Cologne. On Humboldtstrasse, between the Cologne-Porz municipal secondary school and the sports club Gymnasial-Sportverein Porz e.V., is the school sports facility. In 2021/2022, a running circuit enclosing a natural grass field and a sprinting track with up to seven lanes were renovated with Polytan’s Rekortan M, allowing the facility to be used by the athletics club, the municipal sports association and school sports department at the same time. In the summer of 2023, the second part of the extensive project began. This includes a large synthetic turf football field, a soccer court, a multipurpose field for basketball and badminton, and a fitness and climbing area, as well as a sand pitch for beach volleyball and an electronic goal shooting wall.Various surfaces from Polytan were used in the design of the sports complex. The large playing field is surfaced with our LigaTurf Cross synthetic turf system, which combines straight and textured filaments. The benefits of both textile fibre types are combined in one ideal surface, with a look and feel that is barely distinguishable from real football turf and is used successfully in professional sport worldwide. Thanks to its textured filaments, LigaGrass Cross ensures low and easy maintenance, while providing greater infill stability and increased turf volume. The football pitch on Humboldtstrasse can be divided into two mini-pitches, allowing it to be used by two groups at once.The miniature playing field is laid out as a soccer court and features a digital goal shooting wall. Both areas are surfaced with LigaGrass Pro with CoolPlus function. This textured synthetic turf is the perfect solution for municipal sports, as well as school and club sports. It began its winning streak with the DFB campaign “1,000 Miniature Playing Fields for Germany”, which became one of the most popular and enduring projects after the World Cup in Germany, with the aim of enthusing young people for football. Alongside synthetic turf, Polytan’s soccer court complete system also includes goals, barriers and ball nets.The multipurpose field was realised using PolyPlay SE, our durable all-round surface, which at Humboldstrasse is used for basketball and badminton in particular. Thanks to its smooth surface and favourable ball-bouncing properties, this single-layered surface is ideal for ball sports in schools, as well as for a variety of outdoor activities. Its water-permeable surface allows the playing field to dry very quickly, so it can be used year-round in all weathers. Another benefit is its slip resistance, high wear resistance and low maintenance. The black lines on the playing field are for basketball; the light green lines, for badminton.The fitness and climbing area is surfaced with our fall protection surface PolyPlay FS GT in a special brown tone. This classic among fall protection surfaces is primarily used in various thicknesses as a shock-absorbing layer on playgrounds. The bulk-coated, water-permeable surface is extremely low-maintenance and, thanks to its cushioning effect, protects against injuries in the event of falls. Optimal resistance to weathering and decay guarantees a long lifespan and low maintenance costs.Today, the “schäl Sick” no longer has negative connotations; on the contrary, its residents are proud to live on Cologne’s “other side”. In the renovation of the sports complex in Cologne-Porz, the project clients are definitely on the right side in opting for surfaces from Polytan’s extensive product portfolio.

Resin bound Addabound porous surfacing for sports complex swimming pool surround.Addagrip approved contractor Total Protection (GB) Ltd has installed 294m2 of Addabound Resin Bound surfacing around the swimming pool at the David Lloyd Gym in East Acton, London.The client was looking for a decorative Resin Bound paving for the outdoor swimming pool at the gym which has just undergone a £9m refurbishment to provide an indoor and outdoor pool, modern spa and racquet courts. The requirement was for a low maintenance system that would be smooth and comfortable underfoot, providing a decorative aggregate finish that could be power washed as part of the cleaning regime of the pool area.Interserve Construction appointed Total Protection (GB) Ltd to prepare the surface and install 294m2 of BBA approved Addabound Resin Bound surfacing in a recycled marble Dune blend.The challenge was the preparation required to the existing surfaces surrounding and adjacent to the outdoor pool to ensure a suitable substrate for the Resin Bound system. Undulations and differing depths were regulated with compatible screed material and an aluminium edge detail was installed to provide an edge for the 12mm depth of Addabound.The new surface was installed in a single application in May 2018 to prevent any day joints and ensure the smooth, seamless finish was achieved in time for the grand opening.

The timber construction had several challenges of a swimming pool environment. The Laudescher LINEA 2.4.3 (aw-0.90, Absorption Class-A, NRC–0.90) manufactured for its properties to not swell, absorb or mutate while bringing in the usual high quality acoustic properties that absorbs the reflective sounds that will promote greater communication in the pool environment which is vital for teaching and ultimately the safety of the students, teachers, and coaches.

Winchester Council has opened a new multi-functional sport and leisure centre to cater to activity needs of the local population. Designed as a highly sustainable building, Winchester Sport and Leisure Park is one the UK’s greenest leisure centres, achieving a BREEAM rating of excellent. The new sport and leisure park by LA Architects provides state-of-the-art facilities for the community, including a 50m eight-lane swimming pool, a 20x10m teaching pool, a large fitness suite, two exercise studios, a spin studio, an eight-court multi-use sports hall, four squash courts, a café, and a climbing area. The large sports hall and squash courts have been fitted with Junckers solid wood sports flooring systems, offering a safe, high-performing, and long-lasting floor which fully complies with EN 14904 class A4. Junckers’ approved flooring contractor Courtcraft Ltd installed Junckers 22x129mm solid Maple flooring in the sports hall over the New Era UnoBAT undercarriage system; as well as SylvaSquash Beech Champion in the four squash courts. Junckers flooring is a product with a long-standing history of caring for the environment, an important consideration for the architect in the specification process. Said Mike Lawless of LA Architects: ‘When designing to change the face of sports and leisure facilities in the UK and create a place of quality everything matters. Every detail, material, and every specification matters. It is enormously important to consider quality in every part of the building; to seek out manufacturers who can work with us to deliv- er the quality and creativity that the UK sports and leisure industry must strive for.” Junckers’ floors hold independently verified sustainability accreditations to verify its environmental credentials, including EPDs, FSC®, PEFCTM, the Danish Indoor Climate Label, and an A+ BREEAM rating. Junckers’ sports floors are made in solid hardwood, one of the most durable surfaces available and virtually unbeatable in terms of life cycle costs. The floor has a very long lifespan and can be sanded and re-finished eight to ten times during its life. With 12-year intervals between sandings, a typical lifespan of 60 years will comfortably be exceeded. And, at the end of its long life, a Junckers floor can often be re-used or re-purposed or it will degrade naturally without adding to landfill sites. All Junckers sports floors meet the design guidance provided by Sport England and SportScotland. 

LAMILUX designed, supplied and installed eight LAMILUX Glass Roof PR60 mono-pitch rooflights at Oundle School Sports Centre. Seven of the rooflights, were positioned over the 50 metre swimming pool, adding an abundance of natural light, with special sun protective glazing to eliminate overheating. A special coating was applied to the aluminium profiles to protect them from corrosion within the chlorine environment. The eighth rooflight, an 18m x 6m trapeze shape, illuminates the atrium at the flagship of the school’s sports masterplan.

DYNAMIK installed the purpose built sprung flooring at Belle Vue Sports Village which is home to Basketball England, the National Governing Body for Basketball in England. As their Official Sports Flooring Partner, DYNAMIK has contributed to grass roots sport in terms of gifting sports equipment as well as being headline sponsors of the National Schools Basketball Championships. Coaches and teams were delighted to have played on a sports floor where professional athletes train and winners are made. DYNAMIK excel in providing the best solutions and provide free of charge quotations and school surveys.

The market town of Peiting has a little under 12,000 residents. Villa Rustica, a stately Roman estate, shows that settlers were attracted to the current town’s geographical situation on the banks of the Lech as long as 2,000 years ago. Today, tourists and locals alike can find almost unlimited opportunities for physical activity, such as cross country, cycling or hiking tours. In the 40 different areas of the town, there are numerous sports facilities, including an ice rink, bowling alleys, a riding arena, tennis courts, football pitches and fitness trails.At the centrally located Birkenried Sports Centre, we have now replaced the previous tartan track – after an incredible 41 years of intensive use by athletes of the athletics club, TSV Peiting. Rekortan AS GT was installed on the running circuit. In the special colour Chili Red, our water-based spray-coated surface is visually eye-catching too. In one of the sectors, lines have been painted for a small, multifunctional playing field. In the opposite sector, are facilities for long jump and high jump. Our water-permeable Rekortan AS GT fulfils all the requirements for competitive running tracks and multi-purpose facilities, and is a viable alternative to conventional pour-coated running track surfaces, not least because it is quick and easy to install. Another advantage: the innovative multisport surface is yet another environmentally product from the Polytan Green Technology portfolio.A unique highlight of the running circuit track is the installation of Polytan SMART, our high-precision system for professional performance diagnostics. It is primarily used for classic running disciplines in athletics, as well as long jump and high jump. The Polytan SMART system consists of integrated, maintenance-free, magnetic timing gates that are permanently and securely installed in the ground. It is accompanied by a sensor weighing only 15 grams and the tried-and-tested diagnostics software from our partner Humotion. Amateur athletes simply use their smartphone, worn in a running belt on their person, combined with the free Smart Run app. The measurements – such as distance, time, number of steps and step frequency – are evaluated and analysed directly in the app. In Peiting, a total of 38 timing gates have been installed in the track: 18 in the two tracks of the hundred-metre sprinting track, 12 in the running circuit, and 8 in the long jump area. Thanks to digital measurement sensors, the renovated running track in Peiting is one of the most cutting-edge in Bavaria – alongside similar tracks at Augsburg University and TU Munich. There, athletes of the TSV Peiting athletics club can train under professional conditions. The club hopes that the highly modern track will attract young people to athletics and generate enthusiasm for the sport.Directly adjacent to the running circuit is a multifunctional, all-weather pitch, equipped with our durable all-round surface, PolyPlay SE. Its smooth surface and good ball bounce make the single-layer synthetic surface ideal for ball sports and a variety of outdoor activities. Its water-permeability helps the surface dry quickly, while also making it fully slip-resistant. As a result, our synthetic surface can be used year round as an all-weather pitch. Thanks to the colour scheme in bold Chili Red, the multifunctional sports pitch matches the neighbouring running circuit – an eye-catching sight against the scenic backdrop of the nearby Alps.

The renovation of a vinyl sports floor represented a saving of around 50% against the cost of a new floor and was completed in just five days. Working through deep cleaning, wet sanding, removing the sanded slurry from the floor and then neutralising with clean water, the surface was ready for the first coat of Bona Pure Colour to the centre section. Two coats of each colour were applied, followed by sports lines and a final transparent coat to seal the surface. The Bona Floor Care Program renovates and totally transforms the floor with new colours and graphics.

Project DetailProject: The Spirit – Dubai Sports CityLocation: Dubai, UAEProduct: TS.9204 and TS.9205 Architectural door closersProject DescriptionThe Spirit, located on the edge of Dubai Sports City, offers a choice of executive and sanctuary suites and one-bedroom apartments. With facilities including a rooftop jogging track and swimming pool, it is a sought-after location for those seeking a chic, urban address.The Spirit installed 150 TS.9204 closers in the bedroom areas in the main apartments and 22 TS.9205 door closers in the entrance area. They chose these ranges because they:Deliver a neat, consistent aesthetic while catering for the differing usage and power requirements within the complexAre quick and easy to installComplement the sleek design scheme with silver and satin nickel finishes

Graves Health and Sports in Sheffield is a state of the art centre providing users with swimming, studio, gym, tennis, gymnastics and trampolining facilities. Prospec Marathon Conform Changing cubicles in Solid Grade Laminate and Cabrillant 700 Shower Cubicles, featuring Toughened and Laminated glass offer a more contemporary feel to the public change area. Prospec Marathon Laminate Wet lockers, with coin return locks and bespoke glass end panels, add an additional element complementing the quality feel of this first class centre. A range of accessible lockers are installed throughout the facility to ensure all users have complete access.

The University of Bath has gained the reputation of being a highly ambitious and successful university when it comes to sport. Alongside students the England Netball team use the sport facilities by making it one of their Intensive Netball Training Centres. They chose a DYNAMIK area elastic sprung floor system finished in Canadian Maple. Named as UK Top University of the Year 2018, the University of Bath has excelled by supporting athletes to Olympic level.

LigaGrass Pro CoolPlus and Rekortan M at the Havkenscheider Park sports facility, BochumACTION ON THE WESTERN FRONT“Deep in the West” sings a drone of a thousand voices at home games of the VFL Bochum. “Bochum, I belong to you” is not only the official anthem of the Ruhr Stadium, but also the unofficial anthem for the entire city. Herbert Grönemeyer’s profession of love for Bochum is more than just a song – it is a statement for the entire region, for the “old” Ruhr area, which is not only famous for transporting coal and casting steel, but also its love of sport. VFL Bochum and its position in the first Bundesliga are only the figurehead for all the city has to offer: today, its sporting activities range from sports-orientated preschools and school sports to the “Integration through Sport” programme.Unlike its name, the “Laer’sche Fußballclub 1906 e.V.” is forging new paths. For 10 years, it has had a strong women’s and girls’ division with teams ranging from U9s to seniors – and in general, the youth division in Laer is of high calibre. However, the district club in the heart of Bochum has long been dedicated to more than just football, attracting gymnasts and athletes as well. More recently, trending sports such as lacrosse and disc golf have also been added.Strong interest in lacrosse not least prompted officials in the city council and the club to renovate the stadium on Havkenschneider Strasse from the ground up, not only to adapt it to the needs of the Bochum “Isotopes” lacrosse players, but to convert it into a complete district sports facility. In only eight months, three football fields were built: one large one and two mini-pitches.In total, 10,200 square metres of synthetic turf were installed there – specifically, our LigaGrass Pro CoolPlus with sand infill. The classic among our synthetic turf systems, the LigaGrass Pro filament and its triangular cross-section ensure even greater fibre stability and give the turf more volume and structure. As a crimped Polytan artificial turf system, LigaGrass Pro CoolPlus is also characterised by a BiColour design. The two-tone fibres help achieve a natural grass appearance with their lush green colour. The integrated CoolPlus function permanently reduces overheating of the turf in direct sunlight and is extremely effective, especially in the case of the textured turf systems, thanks to the large surface area for reflecting heat radiation.Our LigaGrass Pro CoolPlus is not only suitable for football training and playing facilities, but also for miniature playing fields and multisport facilities, e.g. for lacrosse. This team sport, which is played with a special stick and a hard rubber ball, originates from the east coast of America, where it is practised by indigenous people – the Haudenosaunee – and has a deep religious and identity-forming significance. Lacrosse is the oldest team sport on the American continent, and is by no means seen as only for white people, but as an inclusive, fun activity for women and men alike. Curiously, men and women today play lacrosse by completely different rules: in the women’s game, stick and body contact is limited – similar to field hockey – which is why little protective equipment is needed. In men’s lacrosse, on the other hand, helmets, rib and shoulder protection, and gloves are worn – similar to ice hockey. World championships for men and women now take place every four years, and the first European lacrosse championships took place in 2004. In 2028, Lacrosse is provisionally set to become an Olympic sport again, although the decision is yet to be finalised.In Bochum, the lacrosse field is located on Havkenscheider Strasse and stands out for its special ball catching nets – purely because it is the only one of its kind in the city. For athletes, the new sports facility also offers a 400-metre synthetic running track and four 100-metre sprinting tracks. It features with our Rekortan M in classic brick red, the fully fledged professional among our sports surfaces. It is representative of high-performance running tracks, not only in training and school sports facilities, but for international competitions as well. The poured in-situ surface is set apart by its excellent acceleration and high tread elasticity. What’s more, it is incredibly fast and offers impressively high shock absorption, as well as excellent advantages in terms of sports medicine.The city of Bochum spent 1.8 million euros on the renovation. The result is impressive: 1,300 metres of edging stones have been laid, and 2,000 metres of drainage pipes installed. 350 square metres of water-permeable eco-plaster and 5,000 tons of gravel used in the course of the renovation work. All in all, the conversion of the old stadium into the Havkenscheider Park sports facility supports Herbert Grönemeyer’s résumé: “Deep in the west / Where the sun gets dusty / It is better / Much better than you think.”

Project: Indoor swimming pool Les Argoulets, Toulouse, France

A Degafloor Approved Installer - The National Flooring Company Ltd were approached by a A 4-star hotel, in the South of England, who had decided to update their flooring system around the swimming pool. The existing floor tiles, which had started to debond posed a trip hazard and therefore needed to be replaced. The client also advised they were experiencing problems with standing water.Following the removal of the existing floor tiles, the installation of a new screed was required to build back the levels and ensure there were adequate falls in the floor for water to run back into the pool. Throughout the installation, the gym remained open, and it had been advised that the pool closure needed to be kept to an absolute minimum. The National Flooring Company installed the Degafloor Deep Fill Mortar Repair system, a fast-curing underlayment, which ensured the refurbishment programme could continue with no downtime due to curing.The existing drain was removed and replaced, along with the light box and leveller covers, which all received new stainless-steel units. A new trim was fixed around the perimeter of the pool and the Degafloor resin system, which has an excellent bond to metal surfaces, was abutted up to all the stainless-steel items. The Degafloor QTA system used within the project, is a quartz trowelled system that can be laid to falls. The system is broadcast with aggregate to provide an extremely slip resistant finish, even under wet conditions, making it ideally suited to a swimming pool surround. Coved skirting was installed around the perimeter of the room creating a completely impervious finish, with no weak spots and therefore reducing future maintenance costs. The full refurbishment was completed over 12 days, ensuring that the closure was kept to a bare minimum.The clients main requirements were they required an anti-slip floor that would eliminate the current situation they had with standing water. They specifically requested that the closure was kept to a minimum as they are a "member's club" as well as facilitating the hotel, which remained open throughout the installation. The client was extremely satisfied with the end result and felt they now have a floor finish that is much better suited to their environment.

Moy Construction Co Ltd were awarded a contract to refurb the swimming pool and changing areas at Perseid School in Surrey. The school offers an educational provision for children with difficulties and/or physical/sensory difficulties, and therefore, safety was paramount. As part of the refurbishment a hardwearing, slip-resistant flooring system that offered longevity was essential. The floor has been previously tiled, but due to water ingress, kept failing and required frequent repair. Rising maintenance costs and risk of slips prompted the school to look for alternative solutions, with resin being an obvious choice. An MMA resin floor provides a seamless, hardwearing and impermeable finish that will offer years of service. Moy Construction Co Ltd removed the existing floor tiles and installed a new screed prior to the installation of the resin system.From the offset, achieving a floor finish with a suitable slip rating was non-negotiable. The Degafloor QTA system is a quartz trowelled system which can be laid to falls. The system, which is broadcast with a quartz aggregate, provides excellent slip resistance, even in wet conditions, ensuring high levels of safety are maintained at all times.The project, which included the swimming pool surround and adjoining changing rooms, totalled 145 sqm and 135 lm of coving. The installation was completed over 5 days and to the satisfaction of Moy Construction Co Ltd, who were happy to have the project completed to a high standard, on time and within budget.

The DYNAMIK sprung system finished with a solid sport linoleum allows the space to not only provide high performance sporting opportunities for alumni, but could be utilised for non-sporting events such as meetings, community groups and social occasions, due to its high indentation resistance and durability. DYNAMIK Sports have built a strong reputation for providing class leading internal sprung sports floor systems and are Sport England & BS EN 14904 compliant. DYNAMIK are the official sports flooring suppliers to Basketball England & England Netball.

From floor to ceiling this 'Sport For All' school chose the DYNAMIK treatment with an area elastic sprung sports floor finished in Tarkett Sports Vinyl and DYNAMIK Sports Wall panels to provide the best acoustics. The Solid & Acoustic (Perforated) sports wall panels in Classic Oak CPL wood-effect finish complement the Grey floor surface.

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

Skyliner Sports Centre, Bury St Edmonds