FC&A October 2019 by Red Hut Media Ltd

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October 19

Issue 116

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High-rise fire protection

Bridging architecture and nature

Post-Brexit immigration

Why fire safety doesn’t have to hinder

Bjarke Ingels Group’s design for Norway’s

What the White Paper proposals for a

architects’ design freedom

latest museum features an unexpected twist

post-Brexit immigration scheme really mean

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Editorial Comment FC&A is a proud supporter of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists.

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Magazine October 2019

Editor Rebecca Kemp rebecca@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Print & Digital Advertising Sam Ball sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Jim Moore jim@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Print Design Manager Jack Witcomb jack@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Digital Design Manager David Perry david@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Production Assistant Philip Coyle philip@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Accounts/Credit Control Jackie Dearman jackie@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Sales Support & Administrator Klare Porter klare@crossplatformmedia.co.uk Publisher Sam Ball sam@crossplatformmedia.co.uk

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Front cover: Bjarke Ingels Group’s hybrid Twist Museum acts as a museum, bridge and an eyecatching sculpture. See page 14.

Welcome

to Future Constructor & Architect...

pen-plan offices are like Marmite. Some employees are remarkably fond of the spacious, collaborative environment whilst others have opposing viewpoints on their design. Of course, these workplace schemes are pleasing to the eye and encourage interaction amongst the workforce; however, there are also drawbacks to such open spaces that impede the productivity of staff. The primary hindrance for an open-plan office is noise. Although prevalent within most offices, noise pollution within these interior schemes is dramatically exacerbated without the correct acoustic treatment. For example, I write from an ample-sized, high-ceilinged office; complete with hard surfaces and no acoustic treatment. Amidst the tinny sound of Greatest Hits Radio and muffled voices from next door’s office, there are also secondary noises thwarting concentration – the kettle reaching boiling point; the synchronised opening of Walkers crisp packets at 11am; the incessant tapping of pens – the list goes on. With countless distractions within a workplace, it’s easy to see why there is a love-hate relationship when it comes to working in an open-plan office. One way to overcome these issues is to seek help from an acoustician. In this month’s issue, Ben Hancock of Oscar Acoustics imparts key findings from his research on noise pollution within the workplace. Turn to page 36 to discover the staggering statistics from 2000 UK employees on noise in the workplace. A 2019 issue wouldn’t be complete without a Brexit mention – particularly in October – so we have talked to Matthew Davies, Immigration Solicitor at Wright Hassall, about the Government White Paper proposals for a post-Brexit immigration scheme.Turn to page 26 to read his advice.

Rebecca

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Rebecca Kemp Editor, Future Constructor & Architect

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Contents

Portfolios

News 10 Industry Updates:

FC&A rounds up this month’s industry news, including awarded contracts, completed projects and much more.

24 Voice of the Industry:

Are you aware of the noise levels emitted from common construction tools? Insulation Express has investigated several methods of protecting your hearing.

26 Legal & Business:

As we edge closer to the Brexit deadline, there’s much ambiguity in the air. This month, FC&A has talked to Wright Hassall to demystify recent Governmental White Paper proposals for a post-Brexit immigration scheme.

Features 22 Build Focus:

High-Rise Buildings: This month’s focus centres on fire safety performance within high-rise buildings.

28 Technical Focus:

32 Off-site & Modular:

Numerous university building projects have benefitted from off-site construction for its time- and costsaving benefits. Discover the educational institutions that have made use of this method of fabrication.

34 Lighting & Electricals:

Andy Speake, National Technical Manager at Aico, stresses the importance of restoring awareness amongst homeowners regarding perilous carbon monoxide leaks within properties.

36 Ceilings & Acoustics:

In this article, Ben Hancock, MD at Oscar Acoustics, talks through key findings of recent research conducted on noise pollution within the office.

14 The Twist Museum,

Bjarke Ingels Group: Simple in form, The Twist by Bjarke Ingels Group is a truly eye-catching structure that exudes individuality. Described as a ‘hybrid’, the striking project not only acts as a museum but also a bridge and a sculpture.

18 Clichy-Batignolles Lot O8, TKV:

A cluster of three buildings in Paris have injected community spirit into the Clichy-Batignolles neighbourhood. With 342 housing units, a seventheatre cinema and community centre, the project acts as a centrepiece to its surroundings.

38 Cladding:

Staticus has completed Media City’s Towers One and Two in Manchester. FC&A talks to Staticus CEO, Paulius Gurkšnys, about the project.

HERTALAN EPDM solutions have assisted in a digital-focused construction process for the BUGA Wood Pavilion.

30 Workplace & Education: Design firm Lemay explains how it approaches workplace projects to improve user wellbeing.

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Find all of these features and more online, plus our comprehensive archive area, at fca-magazine.com or on the fc&a app. Search ‘fc&a’.

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Industry Updates

NEWS

FC&A rounds up the latest industry news

In Brief Architects enjoy lower car insurance premiums

Architects are being offered cheaper car insurance premiums than anyone else in the professional services sector, according to new research by Quotezone. co.uk.The median insurance quote for architects comes in at a competitive £745.The average premium for accountants is £779, according to Quotezone. co.uk’s analysis, while solicitors and dentists are neck and neck with a median premium of £787, GPs have an average quote of £805, and financial advisers bring up the rear with a median premium of £994. Explaining why a driver’s occupation can affect their insurance premium even when they’re taking out a personal car insurance policy, Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk, said:“Insurers use a wide range of variables when they’re calculating premiums, and your occupation is one of them.That’s because your occupation has the potential to say something about your risk appetite and your driving style, in much the same way as your age can do.”

Design for university student centre endorsed by council Belfast City Council Planning Committee has ratified approval of a planning application for the New Student Centre at Queen’s University.The new building will bring together the students’ union and student support teams, providing a ‘student home’ at the heart of the campus for the 24,000-student body. Hawkins\ Brown and local architect firm RPP have designed the new student centre as part of Queen’s University’s long-term vision to develop state-of-the-art facilities across the university estate.The building is fully embedded into the campus and Queen’s conservation area, establishing a focal point at the epicentre of life on campus by bringing together the students’ union and student support teams, along with new facilities to enhance the student experience.

Foster + Partners to design Shanghai Luye Lilan Hospital Luye Medical, Cleveland Clinic and Foster + Partners are coming together to create a new state-of-the-art general medical hospital in Shanghai’s New Hong Qiao International Medical Center (IMC) campus. The project will create the world’s first ‘Cleveland Clinic Connected’ project to provide top-class healthcare facilities.The design challenges the traditional hospital model to provide value-based, patient-centric healthcare, that will enhance patient experience and improve recovery times, while attracting and retaining the best medical professionals from across China and the rest of the world. Ben Scott, Partner at Foster + Partners, said: “China’s extraordinary growth story

presents immense potential to push the boundaries of innovation in healthcare. The Shanghai Luye Lilan Hospital offers an opportunity to create a new world-leading blueprint for healthcare in the future, integrating the latest technology and patient-centric care in a flexible facility that is immersed in nature.” There is a wealth of evidence to suggest that access and views to green spaces can improve recovery times and contribute to better clinical outcomes

for patients, while providing a more comfortable workplace for medical staff.The building is surrounded by a rich landscape and flooded with natural light. Its comparative low-height offers a more intimate and domestic scale, allowing patients to feel at ‘home’ and better connected with the surrounding greenery whilst maximising interconnectivity for staff to create a cross-disciplinary working environment. A central circulation hub with a full-height open atrium makes wayfinding intuitive and reduces travel times for patients and staff.The building form lends itself to modular planning – the functions and spaces assigned to them are interchangeable, allowing for flexibility to adapt to future changes in the building layout and the integration of new technology. The hospital will establish world-leading clinical specialities such as cardiology, urology, digestive disease and oncology.

Personnel Gleeds expands its rail team Gleeds has announced the appointment of Richard Stansfield as Director of Cost Management for its expanding rail business in the UK. Richard’s career in construction and infrastructure spans more than 30 years and has included a number of high-profile roles within infrastructure, working as a key member of teams at Faithful & Gould, Network Rail and Mott MacDonald. Prior to joining Gleeds, Richard spent three years as Infrastructure Director for independent consultancy firm Initiate Project Solutions, providing advisory services for the likes of BP, Network Rail and Atkins.

New director for SGP’s industrial team Stephen George + Partners (SGP), an AJ Top 100 architectural practice, has appointed Luke Abbott as Studio Director, based at the Leicester office. Luke will be working with Partner Marcus Madden-Smith in SGP’s industrial and logistics sector group. In addition to managing a team, Luke will be involved in client liaison, feasibility studies, concept design and plans of works. Luke joins SGP from Roger Coy Partnership where he was Director of Architecture, combining team leadership with multi-sector experience including education, healthcare and residential, as well as commercial.

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Appointment at leading firm supports growth plans Space Architects has a longstanding reputation for delivering creative projects across a wide range of sectors. And the company will now be offering clients the opportunity to benefit from environmental design, with the arrival of Nick Jaszynksi as a Director. Nick, who has more than 20 years’ experience working across the UK in both private practices and local authorities, will be bringing his skills in environmental and urban design to Space. Past projects highlight Space’s diversity and have included the design of Close House golf clubhouse and master planning Newcastle’s Stephenson Quarter.

Industry Updates

In Brief

©Foster + Partners

Architect practice and community come together

David Summerfield, Head of Studio at Foster + Partners, said:“We greatly enjoyed the experience of working with Cleveland Clinic on their new facility in Ohio, which is designed to pioneer significant innovation in health education and nurture professional and collaborative

relationships between separate disciplines, ultimately raising the quality of care.We look forward to continuing the partnership through their connection with Luye Medical on this exciting project in Shanghai, a city that embodies the progressive and ambitious spirit of China.”

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The building design will promote collaboration between the different departments by integrating social spaces that encourage chance encounters and knowledge-sharing between staff as well as providing dedicated areas for staff research and learning.

Trending on Twitter #BREXIT

“If you use or manufacture CE-marked #construction products, a ‘no deal’ #Brexit may affect you. Whether you are an importer, distributor or end user, find out more about the steps you can take to minimise disruption on construction sites.”– @lkshields “Using new technologies, Brexit Britain will build the cutting-edge homes of the future #Construction #Britain #Brexit” – @MinstrellJobs

“Regardless of your #Brexit stance, it is likely that #construction will be disrupted when the UK leaves the EU.” – @ArcadisUK “Britain’s #building industry was hit by the biggest fall in new work in more than a decade last month as #Brexit uncertainty gripped #construction firms before the deadline on 31st October reports @guardian” – @DelvaPatman

“The #skillsshortage is already crippling the #construction industry. The impact of a #NoDeal #Brexit on #recruitment would be catastrophic for the #builtenvironment.” – @GleedsGlobal “UK construction industry suffers worst month in a decade. House-builders blame Brexit uncertainty for a lack of new residential projects.” – @GleedsGlobal

On 14th September, a new development at Wyton on the Hill Primary School, designed by Saunders Boston Architects, was launched with a celebratory fete, attended by the architecture practice, students, teachers and the local community. The new addition to the existing building will provide 330 student places at the primary school and 45 places at the pre-school; catering for both families in the existing community and those due to move into planned houses at RAF Wyton.Saunders Boston Architects, working with Cambridgeshire County Council and RG Carter, designed the development to feature three distinct elements: the pre-school, the main teaching wing, with classrooms and ancillary spaces, and the learning resource area. Saunders Boston Architects provided full architectural design and consultancy services for the project.

Edinburgh Marina wins third consecutive planning appeal

Edinburgh Marina Holdings, the developer of the landmark Edinburgh Marina scheme, has once again won a planning appeal for the development, specifically the Hyatt Spa & Conference Hotel, Hyatt Regency Residences, in addition to the Victoria Apartments which form part of the wider waterfront development. This decision follows Edinburgh Marina’s recent unveiling of its revised proposals for the hotel at a public meeting held last month. Whilst waiting for the outcome of this appeal, the developers remodelled the hotel and serviced apartments including the ground floor layout of the hotel with an enhanced main entrance with separate entrances to the hotel, banqueting suite and brasserie. The developers have also now included the provision of a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) taxi rank, which will provide taxi drivers with free naturally sourced electricity.

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Industry Updates

Architect in Profile

FC&A talks to Burkhard Musselmann, Managing Principal at Stantec, about his educational journey toward becoming an Architect, and how the team at the practice approach projects. translated into a real product with an extremely high degree of accuracy. It really is as timeless and dramatic as a building can be. Knowing that it is possible to achieve such a result is exactly what drives me as an architect.

Burkhard Musselmann is Managing Principal at Stantec

www.stantec.com

Please tell us a bit about your career background I grew up in a small city in Germany and moved to Munich to do my first degree in architecture. I then did a Masters at The Bartlett School of Architecture UCL because London was the place to study at the time, and I believe it’s still a great place to study and practice. I did a second Masters in Construction Project Management in Belfast, and that’s been really helpful in my career as an architect because it’s enabled me to gain a well-rounded understanding of the construction industry, embed buildability into designs and communicate and collaborate with construction companies more effectively. I’ve been part of the team at Stantec for the past 11 years, first as Senior Associate, then as Managing Principal for the past five years.

Harbour + Partners (RSH+P). It has quickly become an important part of improved treatment outcomes for cancer patients and a model for patient-centred cancer care.

What has been your most notable project to date? We were delighted to design the £160m Cancer Centre at Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital in London, in collaboration with Rogers Stirk

What is your favourite building and why? Without a doubt, it is the Lloyd’s Building in London. It clearly demonstrates how an architectural vision has been

How do you approach your projects? As a global, multi-disciplinary practice, we’re lucky enough to be able to draw upon the expertise of colleagues around the world. We ensure we interrogate the brief, embedding stakeholder consultation at every stage of the design process to achieve a successful architectural vision which fully aligns with the client’s needs. Our project lead draws upon the experience of our global team to combine creativity with practical solutions to ensure that we translate the architectural vision into reality successfully.

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What do you think is the greatest challenge for architects today? When I began my career in architecture, the role of the architect was central to the successful delivery of the project throughout the project design and construction process. Now, much of that traditional remit is handed over to the construction contractor and project management consultants after the design phase. There is an advantage to this, as it creates an environment that allows architects to focus on their core design function. However, it sometimes hinders the architect’s ability to deliver the best possible product to the client. For multi-disciplinary practices like Stantec, there is an opportunity to demonstrate the advantages of a fully integrated team to the client covering all aspects of the project execution process ranging from designing a project to managing and delivering it. What can we expect to see from Stantec over the next year? In the UK, we’re specialists in healthcare, education, research and interior projects. With universities continuing to invest in their facilities and recent investment programmes announced for the NHS and schools, it looks like a busy time ahead.

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The Cancer Centre at Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital in London

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The Twist Museum, Jevnaker, Norway

All images: ©Laurian Ghinitoiu

The Twist bridges art and nature Traversing the winding Randselva River, The Twist museum designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) opens as an inhabitable bridge torqued at its centre, forming a new journey and art piece within the Kistefos Sculpture Park in Norway.

Botero, among others, cross The Twist to complete the art tour. As a second bridge and natural extension to the park, the new museum transforms the visitor experience while doubling Kistefos’ indoor exhibition space. “The Twist is a hybrid spanning several traditional categories: it’s a museum, it’s a bridge, it’s an inhabitable sculpture. As a bridge, it reconfigures the sculpture park turning the journey through the park into a continuous loop. As a museum, it connects two distinct spaces – an introverted vertical gallery and an extraverted horizontal gallery with panoramic views across the river.

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A third space is created through the blatant translation between these two galleries creating the namesake twist.The resultant form becomes another sculpture among the sculptures of the park. “The Twist represents a new challenge for the exhibiting artists and artworks to engage with, and I am particularly excited to see how the work of two artists – Hodgkin and Creed, a Visual Artist and a Performance Artist – has turned this spatial problem into a great potential,” says Bjarke Ingels, Founding Partner & Creative Director at BIG. A simple twist in the building’s volume allows the bridge to lift from the lower, forested riverbank in the south up to the hillside area in the north. As a continuous path in the landscape, both sides of the building serve as the main entrance. From the south entry, visitors cross a 16m aluminiumclad steel bridge to reach the double-height space with a clear view to the north end, similarly linked with a 9m pedestrian bridge. “The Twist has been an extremely complex building to construct, yet the result is simple and striking. From an array of straight elements, the museum was constructed in an industrial manner as both a piece of infrastructure and as a building reflecting its natural surroundings. As you approach The Twist, you start to notice the museum reflecting the trees, the hills and the water below, constantly glimmering and changing its appearance in dialogue with nature,” comments David Zahle, Partner at BIG.

ocated in Jevnaker outside of Oslo, Kistefos’ new 1000m2 contemporary art institution doubles as infrastructure to connect two forested riverbanks, completing the cultural route through northern Europe’s largest sculpture park. BIG’s proposal for an art bridge was selected in 2011 and has been developed in collaboration with Element Arkitekter, AKT II, Rambøll, Bladt Industries, Max Fordham and Davis Langdon.The Twist was inaugurated with Her Majesty Queen Sonja, His Royal Highness Crown Prince of Denmark Frederik, Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg, and Ministers Siv Jensen and Trine Skei Grande in attendance. “After many years of planning and development, we’re delighted to be opening this beautiful new space ‘The Twist’ at Kistefos, which will allow us to expand our work with leading contemporary artists and welcome more visitors than ever before. Our ambition is to make Kistefos a must-see cultural destination with a world-class temporary exhibition and sculpture park programme to complement the rich industrial heritage of the site,” commented Christen Sveaas, Founder at Kistefos. Built around a historical pulp mill,The Twist is conceived as a beam warped 90º near the middle to create a sculptural form as it spans the Randselva.Visitors roaming the park’s sitespecific works by international Artists such as Anish Kapoor, Olafur Eliasson, Lynda Benglis Yayoi Kusama, Jeppe Hein and Fernando

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The Twist Museum, Jevnaker, Norway

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The double-curve geometry of the museum comprises straight 40cm-wide aluminium panels arranged like a stack of books, shifted ever so slightly in a fanning motion. The same principle is used inside with white-painted 8cm-wide fir slats cladding the floor, wall and ceiling as one uniform backdrop for Kistefos’ short-term Norwegian and international exhibitions. From either direction, visitors experience the twisted gallery as though walking through a camera shutter. On the north end, a full-height glass wall offering panoramic views to the pulp mill and river tapers while curving upwards to form a 25cm-wide strip of skylight. Due to the curved form of the glass windows, the variety of daylight entering the museum creates three distinctive galleries: a wide, naturally lit gallery with panoramic views on the north side; a tall, dark gallery with artificial lighting on the south side; and, in between, a sculptural space with a twisted sliver rooflight. The ability to compartmentalise, divide or merge the gallery spaces create flexibility for Kistefos’ artistic programming. “The Twist constitutes a tectonic enigma. As the bridge connects the two riverbanks – a mountain slope and flat forest – it rotates 90º forming a warped, ruled surface. Two pure functional forms united by complex curvature. Wherever you look, you see arches and curves, Fibonacci spirals and saddle shapes, but when you look closer, you realise that everything is created from straight lines – straight sheets of aluminium, straight boards of wood. An expressive organic sculpture composed of rational repetitive elements,” explains Bjarke Ingels. A glass stairway leads down to the museum’s lower level on the north river embankment, where the building’s aluminium underside becomes the ceiling for the basement and restroom area. Another full-width glass wall brings visitors even closer to the river below, enhancing the overall immersive experience of being in the idyllic woodlands outside of Oslo. The Twist is BIG’s first project unveiled in Norway, and second museum completion this year following the opening of MÉCA in Bordeaux, France.

www.big.dk

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The Twist Museum, Jevnaker, Norway

Fact file: Name: The Twist Type: Competition Size: 1000m2/10,800ft2 BRIDGING The total required building volume is placed as a bridge spanning the Randselva River, connecting the two edges of the site.

TWISTING A simple twist in the building volume allows the bridge to lift from the relatively lower forested area towards the south up to the hillside area in the north.

STACKED VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL GALLERIES As a result of the building’s twist, vertical galleries in the south enjoy natural light from overhead while the large horizontal, open gallery to the north offers views of the historic pulp mill and river.

CONTEXTUAL GALLERIES The twisted geometry in the middle of the building merges the vertical and horizontal in a single motion, reflecting the landscape.

Location: Jevnaker, Norway Client: Kistefos Museum Collaborators: AKT II, ÅF Belysning, AS Byggeanalyse, BIG Ideas, Bladt Industries, Brekke & Strand, Davis Langdon, DIFK, ECT, Element Arkitekter, Erichsen & Horgen, Fokus Rådgivning, GCAM, Grindaker, Lüchinger & Meyer, Max Fordham, MIR, Rambøll BIG – BJARKE INGELS GROUP Partners in charge: Bjarke Ingels, David Zahle Project leader: Eva Seo-Andersen Project architect: Mikkel Marcker Stubgaard Team: Aime Desert,Alberto Menegazzo,Aleksandra Domian, Aleksandra Sobczyk,Alessandro Zanini, Alina Tamosiunaite,Andre Zanolla, Balaj Alin Ilulian, Brage Mæhle Hult, Brian Yang, Carlos Ramos Tenorio, Carlos Surrinach, Casey Tucker, Cat Huang, Channam Lei, Christian Dahl, Christian Eugenius Kuczynski, Claus Rytter Bruun de Neergaard, Dag Præstegaard, David Tao, Edda Steingrimsdottir, Espen Vik, Finn Nørkjær, Frederik Lyng, Jakob Lange, Joanna M. Lesna, Kamilla Heskje, Katrine Juul, Kekoa Charlot, Kei Atsumi, Kristoffer Negendahl, Lasse LyhneHansen, Lone Fenger Albrechtsen, Mads Mathias Pedersen, Mael Barbe, Marcelina Kolasinska, Martino Hutz, Matteo Dragone, Naysan John Foroudi, Nick Huizenga, Nobert Nadudvari, Ovidiu Munteanu, Rasmus Rosenblad, Richard Mui, Rihards Dzelme, Roberto Fabbri, Ryohei Koike, Sofia Rokmaniko, Sunwoong Choi,Tiina Liisa Juuti, Tomas Ramstrand,Tore Banke,Tyrone Cobcroft and Xin Chen

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©J Hourcade

©Cyrille Weiner

Clichy-Batignolles Lot O8, Paris, France

TKV boosts community spirit Clichy-Batignolles Lot O8 is an ambitious project combining 342 housing units, a seven-theatre art-cinema, a municipal community centre with a black box theatre and dance studio as well as ground-floor retail spaces.

©J Hourcade

ocated in the new Clichy-Batignolles neighbourhood, the project’s position, overlooking larger Grand Paris, takes advantage of its siting by multiplying corner angles for near and far views and distributing density to the three ‘bows’ of the triangular site before rising to the maximum authorised height of 50m. Three residential buildings, offering exceptional views of the great Parisian landscape, anchor three corners of a mixed-use block. At the heart of the project is a cultural centre for the new ZAC Clichy-Batignolles district in Paris’ 17th arrondissement – a seven-theatre cinema and a community centre. These public volumes, anchored to the ground, give way to the public realm and are crowned with hanging gardens.Three residential blocks emerge from this base, climbing up to 50m.This simple distribution of masses effectively resolves the inscription of a complex programme on a high-density site.Thickened facades permit a band of generous loggias around the residential blocks. Architectural precast concrete on the buildings’ facades situate the project within the material tradition of Parisian stone and concrete and gives each of the three buildings a singular expression from the ground to the sky – the twisted form with its torqued effect (sand-coloured), the chiseled bar with continuous balconies (in white) and the pleated tower with its progressive fold (in white).

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The new Clichy-Batignolles neighbourhood occupies a unique place in the Parisian urban landscape; it both belongs to the large open space of the city’s green belt and links the neighbourhoods of the 17th arrondissement to the town of Clichy. The cultural block is emblematic of the primary axes that first shaped this territory – Rue Mstislav Rostropovitch, Boulevard Berthier, the railway tracks and the park. Despite the difficulties of being trapped between infrastructure, the site has extraordinary potential to centralise uses and strengthen social connections. The parcel also benefits from its visibility at great distances, given the overall low density of the green belt and elevated position generated by the railway topography. These corner conditions, combined with the potential for both close and distant visibility, motivated the decision to concentrate the density at the corners of the site, up to a maximum height of 50m. The site’s topography allowed a large part of the public programme and all of the parking to be located in a partially underground podium, from which the three collective housing forms ascend. This distribution of volumes makes a clear distinction between the cultural spaces, anchored to the ground, and residential programmes that expand upward, opening up to the greater landscape.

Clichy-Batignolles Lot O8, Paris, France

©Cyrille Weiner ©J Hourcade

The positioning of the three residential blocks at the corners of the triangular site permits views and light at every floor. The building volumes are carved to privilege diagonal views, daylight and to maximise the number of corner units. The area of each unit is extended by an average of 14m2 of exterior space per unit with a generous balcony occupying the thickened facade (instead of the typical 9m2). These spaces, effectively an additional room, provide uninterrupted views of the landscape while maintaining privacy with opaque balustrades. Here, outdoor living is possible; with a minimum depth of 1.6m, these spaces can comfortably accommodate a table and four chairs.

These external extensions of the living spaces resulted in several unique conditions, such as the double-height loggias at the 15th floor, internal patios on the 10th, and private terraces on the 11th. Collective terraces are also accessible to residents at the second and 11th floors. At the second floor, for example, a large garden hangs above the cinema featuring a path meandering between the trees as if it were a vertical extension of the park.

Geometry and material Designing 50m residential buildings (15 floors) meant that the expression of height was specifically considered in order to avoid the traditionally repetitive and static effect of stacked floors. Thus, all three buildings use the facade to create an overall sense of movement and a dynamic effect from bottom to top; from the ground to the sky.

Outdoor living

©J Hourcade

The cultural centre of Batignolles occupies a strategic position at the edge of the 17th arrondissement and Martin Luther King Park, facing Boulevard Berthier and visible from the Porte de Clichy. It fronts the Paris Opera’s Ateliers Berthier, which today hosts the Théâtre de l’Odéon. The block completes this cultural offering with ‘Les 7 Batignolles’, a seventheatre cinema and community centre, which includes a concert space and dance studios. These public programmes make the block a natural destination for the whole neighbourhood. The cultural aim of the project confers a special status at the corner of two streets, giving the public space a recognisable identity and creating a destination. In order to open the block to the public, both the community centre and cinema feature transparent facades looking onto the park and a footpath at the centre of the block. This path encourages relaxing interactions between the public and residents throughout the day. It also gives access to a flexible space at the front of the cinema, a fully glazed multi-use cultural space facing the park. From this space, the public can descend into the theatres or cross through the lobby, connecting to Boulevard Berthier. An interior street that resolves the lower-level change and connects the neighbourhood through the centre of the site. The community centre completes the gesture with a large lower-level auditorium and a dance studio that overlooks the street. An educational garden on the roof of the community centre supports its programmes, and the cinema rooftop operates as a shared garden for residents.

©Cyrille Weiner

Cultural centre

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©J Hourcade

The sand-coloured, or ‘twisted’, building is conceived in an upward movement wrapping the building.This effect is produced by a regular shift in the structural span from one floor to the next.Thus, the form seems to curl upon itself, in the manner of an atmospheric movement. The pink, or ‘pleated’, building is characterised by the gradual transition from a flat facade in the lower floors to a pleated facade on the upper floors.This articulation gives the form a dynamic profile that changes depending on the viewing angle.The white, or ‘chiselled’ building is best perceived from pedestrian height. The balcony soffits are carved into faceted profiles that gradually change throughout each floor. Each building also treats the last floor differently to establish a ‘crown’. The desire for unity resulted in the use of prefabricated concrete on the facade of each building. This material, having great solidity and exceptional durability, allowed for a greater variety of finishes and colours. Beyond the technical approach that justified this choice, the material also places the project within the continuity of Parisian masonry.

Factory fabrication has a low environmental impact because it reduces waste and simplifies on-site logistics (traffic and sound pollution). It also allows for a greater precision over the colours of the building elements, an especially important aspect for projects of this size that have a long lifespan and a range of climatic conditions across the site. The buildings’ colours are inherent to their materiality, especially here, where the concrete is naturally coloured by the sand and aggregates. No artificial colourants or additives tint the precast load-bearing facade system.

Landscaping This micro-landscape invites us to explore, despite a limited site, the impression of a larger landscape (miniaturisation), to travel in space and time (heterotopy), and to feel the vibration of a present multiplied in time. An atmospheric nature is created overlooking Martin Luther King Park, an outlook onto the city and its layers of urban horizons. The creation of this nature requires great precision.The emotional construction of this

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landscape is a collage of images, memories and sensations. This is translated via the forming of a wooded hill, a winding pathway, as well as views and textures that make it possible for this living nature to climb hills or tumble down its slopes. These gardens become supports for the history and memories of residents by staging a theatre of nature and time: plants growing more luxurious and sensual with variations throughout seasons and years. The sophisticated composition of the garden creates a rich variety of uses both individual and collective. For example, an active use like crossing the garden or a more contemplative one as when viewed from a dwelling. This physical contact with nature allows you to either garden privately on your own balcony or collectively in the communal garden, to either admire nature or engage with it, and to meet neighbours. These pockets of gardens on the rooftops are a form of nature that enriches the city which makes the city seem more hospitable.

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©J Hourcade

Clichy-Batignolles Lot O8, Paris, France

www.tvk.fr/architecture

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Build Focus: High-Rise Buildings

HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS The latest news, trends and advice on high-rise buildings

Technical & Customer Support Manager – fire at Pilkington United Kingdom, Steve Bond

CEO of Shackerley, Brian G Newell

A safety-first approach to cladding specification specification.This trend is driving quality-led specification, rather than a price-led ‘value engineered’ approach, with safety becoming a critical element of a system’s core performance criteria. It remains important that a full understanding of a cladding system’s safety credentials informs the specification process. Natural stone and ceramic granite are universally classified as A1 non-combustible and are exempt from the need to be tested because these materials are already known to offer a fire-safe facade solution. However, some facade system finishes containing organic substances, such as resin, for example, do not meet either the Class A1 or A2 requirements of BS EN 13501-1. Specifiers should, therefore, check the fire resistance of any cladding materials, other than ceramic or natural stone, by checking that they have been tested to BS EN 13501-1. www.shackerley.com

Fire safety has never been higher on the agenda for the building design industry. The climate follows the review of Building Regulations, which called for “a universal shift in culture to restore trust in the safety of our built environment”. In tandem with a growing focus on fire safety, architects are becoming increasingly ambitious with their use of glass in high-rise projects. As such, glass needs to deliver fire safety performance that goes above and beyond regulations, helping create safe buildings without compromising on architectural appeal or natural light exposure. When used as part of an external facade, fire-resistant glass helps prevent the spread of a blaze to neighbouring structures. Products, such as Pilkington Pyroclear Plus, enable facades to be fully glazed while complying with regulations including Document L (concerning the conservation of fuel and power) and Document K (which specifies protection from falling, collision and impact).

Meanwhile, for internal doors and glazed partitions, common in office or commercial buildings, fire-resistant glass can help provide a safe passage of escape for occupants while complying with Document M (access to and use of buildings). The higher up a building you go, the more critical the requirement for this heatinsulating performance – as the time it takes to escape will be longer. Whilst glazed partition walls can help ensure safe evacuation, protection times of up to 120 minutes are needed to allow safe access for search and rescue personnel. These types of passive fire protection safety products need to be designed in conjunction with active fire safety solutions to form an overall fire strategy for the building. Fire-resistant glass is key in meeting the modern demands of architects by delivering high safety performance without compromising on design. www.pilkington.com

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It’s now 18 months since the Hackitt Report called for greater clarity of construction regulation and almost a year since new legislation was passed banning the use of combustible cladding materials for new high-rise residential blocks. It’s a positive step in the right direction but, as it stands, the legislation only applies to buildings over 18m high. With more fire safety regulation likely, and the huge job of replacing non-compliant cladding on legacy high-rise residential buildings still ongoing, the issue of fire safety in cladding specification is as topical as ever. What we’ve seen at Shackerley, where all our SureClad ventilated facade materials are certified to A1 or A2-S1-d0 to BS EN 13501-1, is that the change of legislation for tall residential buildings has prompted a safetyfocused specification culture across all buildings. We’ve seen a marked increase in the level of due diligence applied to cladding

The key roles of fire-resistant glass

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Voice of the Industry

Are your construction tools damaging your hearing? Did you know that one million people are exposed to hearing-damaging noise at work? If you work in construction, you’re most likely aware that the industry is a noisy business. But did you also know that the sector has the secondhighest rate of people developing occupational deafness?

nfortunately, when you lose your hearing, it’s both irreversible and life-changing. With this in mind, Insulation Express has investigated the noise levels of construction tools, before revealing the many ways in which construction site workers can protect themselves. Noise levels of construction tools The volume of sound is measured in decibels (dB). The higher the decibel, the louder the noise and, therefore, more damaging. This scale is measured from 0 to 140 dB. However, if you are exposed to anything at 85 dB or higher for extended periods of time, your hearing can be permanently damaged.

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Construction is a noisy business, with even the most basic of tasks like hammering a nail producing the same level of noise as a loud thunderclap. To help raise awareness, Insulation Express has uncovered the decibels of the most common tools found on site – without hearing protection. Each tool has then been ordered from loudest to quietest so that construction workers can understand the hearing implications that come from working with these tools every day. Using a scabbler for 15 minutes can permanently harm your hearing Most construction tools are way above the recommended limit (85 dB); therefore, workers should always wear ear protection.

Voice of the Industry These numbers are incredibly alarming considering hearing loss at work is preventable. Evidently, the way hearing protection is managed at work needs to change to protect workers and the UK.

Removing your earmuffs for just five minutes cuts your protection in half Naturally, if you become familiarised with the noise level on a construction site, you may believe there’s no harm in removing your hearing protection. However, research from the Health & Safety Executive has revealed that removing your earmuffs for a couple of minutes can seriously damage your hearing. If you are using earmuffs that provide 25 dB of protection, removing them for five minutes will reduce your overall protection to 11 dB (56% less). Or removing your earmuffs for 10 minutes will reduce your overall protection to just 8 dB (68% less). For example, if you were to use an electric drill (100 dB) whilst wearing earmuffs that give a protection of 25 dB, your ears would only hear noise levels of 75 dB. However, removing your protection for five minutes reduces that 25 dB protection to just 11 dB – which would expose you to a noise level of 9 dB (100 dB of the tool minus 11 dB). Unfortunately, this is over the previously recommended noise level of 85 dB and can, therefore, permanently damage your hearing.

Work-related hearing loss costs the UK’s economy up to £7bn per year Hearing loss affects personal life massively, so much so that occupational deafness has the second-highest rate of disabled award status – meaning that the benefits are paid out from the Government. In turn, not only does hearing loss impact someone’s life but the UK’s economy too. It’s estimated work-related hearing loss costs: The NHS £500m a year The UK insurance industry £70m a year in liability claims The UK’s economy up to £7bn a year.

How to spot hearing loss If you believe your employer hasn’t practiced sufficient hearing safety on site, or you are worried you have subjected yourself to loud levels of noise – there are signs to look out for. Generally, occupational hearing loss is gradual, but you can spot symptoms to prevent any further damage.These include: Ringing in ears People sound like they are mumbling It is hard to hear when there is noise in the background Asking people to repeat what they said Speech sounds muffled or distorted Muffled hearing at the end of your working day. Once you lose your hearing, sadly you cannot get it back, so it’s important to always wear hearing guards in noisy environments. A good way to test your hearing is on your journey to work – play the radio at a volume just loud enough to hear. On your way home, play the radio again at the same volume, if you can’t hear it as well, you may have damaged your hearing. There are also online hearing tests and apps, from Boots and WHO. In the case your hearing is compromised, use sufficient hearing protection and speak to your GP.

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For example, using a scabbler for 15 minutes is nearly as loud and just as damaging to our ears as a helicopter flying at 100ft. What’s more, using a pneumatic breaker without protection for one minute, is the noise equivalent of a military jet taking off. At the top of the noise scale is a cartridge tool. Even using this for one second creates sound levels of 157 dB that are instantly damaging to your hearing without protection.

Failure to equip employees with hearing protection has contributed to a 25% rise in noise breaches The Building Safety Group has revealed that noise breaches are up 25% on UK construction sites (compared to Q1 of 2019). Bob Gowen, a volunteer for Hearing Link and an Electrician for over 35 years, believes that construction employees are “now [working] in noisier environments” than he did, yet “private contractors don’t supply ear protection for their staff.” Gowen added that the main concern is that younger employees don’t seem to realise what the noise is doing to their hearing, so “getting them to wear protection is yet another problem.” Unfortunately, this means that “by the time they get into the 40 and 50 [age] bracket, it is usually too late to save their hearing,” Gowen noted. This is especially concerning considering that hearing loss can seriously impact your life. Once Gowen started to suffer from hearing impairment, employees on construction sites often joked at his expense.“What I worry about is how other people with hearing loss who work in the construction industry cope. Unlike me, they may not be self-employed and, therefore, cannot simply walk away.”

What can employers do to protect their workers? According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 50% of all hearing issues can be prevented through various health measures. So, how exactly should employers protect their workers’ hearing? Under ‘The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005’ employers have a duty to reduce and control noise as much as possible on a site.There are a number of ways employers can protect their employees from hearing damage, such as: Supply hearing protection Purchasing quieter tools Making machinery as quiet as possible by using pads to minimise vibration, using silent blades and nozzles, or replacing fans and motors Looking out for alternative ways to carry out the construction work without the use of loud machinery – like doing tasks by hand Limiting the amount of time workers are exposed to a noisy task.

www.insulationexpress.co.uk

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Legal & Business

Businesses uncertain after immigration proposals are delivered

Matthew Davies heads the immigration team at law firm Wright Hassall and is an expert in business immigration law, helping employers, individuals and investors to navigate the complexities of the UK’s immigration rules to minimise delays, costs and risks in hiring talent from overseas.

Impacting UK businesses The proposals are likely to increase net migration, but critics say the UK risks becoming a low-wage and low-skill economy, given the lowering of skills thresholds and mooted special schemes for low-skilled and low-paid work. The uncertainty surrounding the post-Brexit situation is driving more businesses to look beyond the European Economic Area (EEA) for the talented workers they need; however, this will require them to engage with a complex application process. Navigating the Home Office rules for eligibility and ensuring an application is made correctly can be daunting, as errors can result in refusals, penalties and claims. Time is of the essence, and organisations new to the process must understand and factor in the likelihood of delays, while ambitious businesses should begin preparations.

Unfettered access to the UK labour market for EEA and Swiss Nationals will end due to Brexit, and those EEA workers currently employed by UK businesses may apply to convert EU law rights into UK law rights. Known as the EU Settlement Scheme, it will offer pre-settled status for newer workers and settled status for those who have been living in the UK for five years. The Government has given a unilateral commitment to make this possible even in the event of a ‘No-Deal’ Brexit, with assurances given that current UK-based EEA nationals will have time to secure their future right to live and work in the UK. Less certain is the fate of would-be EEA migrants after a no-deal Brexit – latest announcements from Government imply new conditions attached to any grace period and access to the EU Settlement Scheme may be blocked.

Employing outside the EEA For the time being, the points-based system for non-EEA nationals will continue in its present format, whereby UK employers wishing to sponsor workers must be licensed and follow complex criteria.

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The Government has considered creating a revised system, essentially built on the existing points-based ‘Australian-style’ structure (which really bears little resemblance to the Australian system). The Government White Paper, since amplified by announcements from the new Prime Minister, envisages re-balancing the system in 2021 to include EEA nationals. However, this new system will be weighted towards “in-demand skills”, while scrapping the Residential Labour Market test, which has certain set advertising and benchmarking requirements before a migrant applicant can be sponsored.

What does the future hold? The arrival of Boris Johnson and the fastapproaching Brexit deadline means that immigration law and policy may be subject to unexpected change. For those organisations that are reliant on a readily-available, low-cost workforce, it is important to take expert advice and start developing a strategy to mitigate the risks associated with Brexit-related changes to immigration.

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Working in the UK

Immigration is a favoured subject of new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, but the Government White Paper proposals for a post-Brexit immigration scheme did little to clarify the situation for UK businesses, says Matthew Davies, Immigration Solicitor at Wright Hassall. he proposed removal of a cap on the number of skilled workers coming into the UK is welcomed, but an adherence to minimum salary thresholds is a problem.

www.wrighthassall.co.uk

CMY

Technical Focus

Images/illustrations: ©University of Stuttgart, ICD and ITKE

Digital design vision made watertight with HERTALAN EPDM The BUGA Wood Pavilion celebrates a new approach to digital timber construction. The segmented wood shell is based on biological principles found in the plate skeleton of sea urchins, which have been studied by the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD) and the Institute for Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE) at the University of Stuttgart for almost a decade.

s part of the project, a robotic manufacturing platform was developed for the automated assembly and milling of the pavilion’s 376 bespoke hollow wood segments.This fabrication process ensures that all segments fit together and is complete with EPDM waterproofing.The stunning wooden roof spans 30m over one of BUGA’s main event and concert venues, using a minimum amount of material while also generating a unique architectural space.

Biomimetic lightweight construction: Segmented wood shells The BUGA Wood Pavilion provides an architectural marvel at the central summer island of the Bundesgartenschau 2019 in Heilbronn, Germany. The design of the pavilion is based on morphological principles of the plate skeleton of sea urchins. Following the precursor research, the BUGA Wood Pavilion is pushing the design and structural performance of biomimetic segmented wood shells onto a new level – with the same small

amount of wood per square meter as in the LAGA project, is it possible to build a shell that reaches triple the span? And can this structure remain fully reusable, so that it can be deployed on a different site after the BUGA without any loss of performance? To achieve this goal, the pavilion builds on the biomimetic principle of using ‘less material’ by having ‘more form’, both on the level of the overall shell and its individual segments. In order to minimise material consumption and weight, each wood segment is built up from two thin plates that plank a ring of edge-beams on top and bottom, forming large-scale hollow wooden cases with polygonal forms.The bottom plate includes a large opening, which constitutes a distinctive architectural feature and provides access to the hidden connections during assembly.The lightweight building elements are connected by finger joints, which follow the morphological principles of anatomic features found on the edge of sea urchins’ plates. In the assembled state, the shell works as a form-active structure through its expressive doubly-curved geometry.

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Integrative (co) design: Feedback-driven design, engineering and fabrication development New ways of building require new ways of designing and manufacturing.The BUGA Wood Pavilion was conceived under the paradigm of co-design, where novel possibilities in design, engineering and fabrication are explored through continuous computational feedback within an interdisciplinary team. In this project, the co-design algorithms developed by the project team generate the shape of each element of the pavilion according to architectural design intent and structural requirements, while all robotic fabrication aspects are directly embedded and negotiated.The design of the pavilion happens concurrently and in feedback with the design of the robotic manufacturing set-up, which is a bespoke development for the project. The highly integrative process enables the design and engineering of 376 unique plate segments with 17,000 different finger joints in response to multifaceted design criteria, from the scale of the overall structure down to sub-millimetre details. Without any loss of precision, this multi-scale approach allows addressing architectural and structural considerations concurrently. Despite the pioneering character of the project, and despite an incredibly short development time of only 13 months from commission to the opening, the integrative computational process allows for the careful design of each building element in minute detail.

Robotic pre-fabrication: Combining automated assembly with high-precision machining Compared to a solid wood plate, as for example, used in the team’s LAGA Exhibition Hall, the hollow building segments significantly reduce weight and material, but they increase the number of building parts eightfold and lead to more complex manufacturing.Thus, striving for higher resource efficiency needs to go hand-in-hand with automated robotic

Technical Focus DEFORMATION PERSPECTIVE

Fact file:

EXPLODED DIAGRAM

Project: BUGA Wood Pavilion 32 x 25 x 7 m (LxWxH) Covered area: 500m² Shell area: 600m², weight of loadbearing wood structure: 36,8kg/m² CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM: Structural shell: robotically fabricated hollow, polygonal wood case segments of spruce laminated veneer lumber with UV-protection coating Cladding: HERTALAN EPDM waterproofing, three-axis CNC-cut natural larch, three-ply wood plates

manufacturing of the shell segments. For this, a novel, transportable, 14-axes robotic timber-manufacturing platform was developed by ICD University of Stuttgart and BEC GmbH, and located at the industrial partner MuellerBlaustein Holzbauwerke GmbH for production.The platform includes two high-payload industrial robots mounted on a 20ft standard container base.The flexibility of industrial robots allows the integration of all pre-fabrication steps of the pavilion’s segments within one compact manufacturing unit. Everything happens in a fully automated workflow, controlled by two million custom lines of robotic code that were directly exported from the computational design framework. On average, the assembly time per segment is eight minutes, with the high precision-milling taking another 20 to 40 minutes.

Facade panels Battens in direction of water flow Waterproofing membrane Top plate Cassette beams with applied glue interface and angled pockets for bolt washers Holes for bolted tension and moment connection, finger joints for shear force connection Bottom cassette plate with applied glue interface and assembly opening

A novel structure made watertight by EPDM The pre-fabricated shell segments were assembled in only 10 working days by a team of two craftsmen. After connecting all segments with removable bolts, a layer of HERTALAN Easy Cover EPDM was rolled over the pavilion. Eight sheets of 1.5mm-thick HERTALAN EPDM membranes loose laid on the support shell and the edges and seams were glued, thereby ensuring watertightness to provide complete waterproofing. EPDM was the perfect choice due to its flexibility, ease of installation and advantage of its adhesion to most substrates including: Untreated larch facade plates provide the external cladding of the pavilion. All building elements are designed for disassembly and reuse on a different site.

The pavilion’s load-bearing wood shell achieves a column-free span of 30m, but weighs only 38kg/m². This is less than the LAGA exhibition hall benchmark, despite a threefold increase in span and a fivefold increase in size. Drawing a line from traditional carpentry to high-tech robotic fabrication methods, the BUGA Wood Pavilion showcases the possibilities for efficient, economical, ecological and expressive wood architecture that arises at the intersection of master craft, digital innovation and scientific research. The BUGA Wood Pavilion is located on the Summer Island of the Bundesgartenschau 2019. It was opened on 17th of April 2019.

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Dimensions:

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Workplace & Education

A comprehensive workplace strategy Award-winning integrated design firm Lemay is celebrating the recognition of three recent projects designed to promote collaborative work and creative thinking. In the face of some backlash against open-plan workspaces, the success of Lemay’s projects demonstrates not only the value of this approach but the importance of how it is applied.

n January, Lemay’s new offices for accounting firm BDO won honours at the Grands Prix du Design, highlighting the firm’s highly innovative approach to the design of work environments for traditionally conservative professional contexts. In March, another groundbreaking concept by Lemay earned investment-development hub Espace CDPQ a nod at the International Design Awards, in the ‘Interior Design/Office’ category: a third award for a project whose casual, edgy vibe is quintessentially Montreal. And finally, Lemay was a finalist for an excellence award from Quebec’s Order of Architects for transforming the Bishop’s University library into a 21stcentury learning commons where students can satisfy their curiosity and express their creativity in a modern space dedicated to collaboration.

Analysing user needs and workplace dynamics Collaborative work environments, also known as shared or open-concept spaces, aim to optimise productivity and improve user wellbeing, foster knowledge transfer and enable the free exchange of ideas. And while some media have reported that introducing these spaces has the opposite effect – decreased face-to-face interaction and corresponding increases in digital usage – this is most often due to a premature introduction of these spaces, without a comprehensive workplace strategy. “To make sure a collaborative environment meets its objectives, we perform an in-depth analysis of the existing workspace,” says Sandra Neill, Associate and Workplace Strategist at Lemay.

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“We then work closely with the users to fully understand how their work is organised. Then, because we involve users in the planning process, we’re able to identify and respond to a much wider range of requirements.” Companies that take the time to do this preparatory work find that introducing collaborative spaces increases not only productivity but profitability and retention rates. An office design with a variety of interconnected work and social spaces also directly benefits employee engagement and wellbeing: equally good for the bottom line.

User comfort and wellbeing In designing BDO’s national office in Toronto, Lemay considered the client’s corporate identity and values as well as its diverse and multi-generational workforce, putting a strong focus on user wellbeing and incorporating principles of sustainable construction to create a workspace that maximises functionality and efficiency. The result stands out with its biophilic approach that integrates natural elements into the built environment to establish an employee connection with the space. Natural ventilation and large vegetated areas purify the air and, combined with abundant sunlight, reduce stress while increasing creativity. The Toronto-based concept will be deployed in BDO’s regional offices across Canada.

Workplace & Education The concept also allows for the fact that collaborative work is a spontaneous practice that extends throughout the day, and location can be as variable as timing. Understanding this, and how it affects user needs and expectations, is crucial to avoiding the many issues that can arise when consultation is not part of the process.

Designing space to encourage interaction Espace CDPQ, at the nexus of business in Montreal’s Place Ville Marie, shows a multitude of approaches to collaborative work, with its auditorium, globalisation lab and a wide variety of meeting rooms, and integrated high-tech and low-tech tools to meet as many work styles as possible. “Above all, it’s an organic space that naturally draws users to express their creativity,” says Jean-Francois Gagnon, Associate and Design Director at Lemay. “We’ve pushed the envelope by imagining so many different ways to enable that.” Spread over two floors, the awardwinning hub for SMEs to develop their business and network is unified by a large atrium and spiral staircase that facilitate interaction between advisors and entrepreneurs. Abundant glazing promotes the penetration of natural light and offers panoramic views of the cityscape.

Adapting to evolving needs

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Bishop’s University’s new learning commons is also dedicated to community and collaboration, built on feedback from students, professors, librarians, administrators and university alumni to radically transform what had been a lowceilinged, closed-in space too small for its growing collection and user base. At the heart of the project is a new atrium, bright and welcoming with magnificent forest views, connecting the building’s two main floors. It promotes knowledge transfer as it hosts activities ranging from impromptu student meetings to conferences. Welcoming individual and collaborative workspaces encourage solo or group work according to need. “The user is invited to own the spaces according to the desired level of privacy, external contact and ambience,” says Eric Pelletier, Lemay Partner and Design Principal. “They’re no longer a simple user; they’re an actor in their own environment. “With flexibility, there is empowerment; and when an environment is also stimulating, the user feels good about it.”

www.lemay.com/en

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Off-Site & Modular ACS Cobham

ACS Cobham

Taking student accommodation off site Here, Andy Smith, Head of Business Development at Caledonian Modular, looks at why off-site and modular construction are helping meet growing demand for highquality student accommodation.

ff-site construction has continued to grow substantially in the last few years due to its ability to deliver significant efficiencies compared to a traditional build. At the same time as reducing the schedule by around a half, off-site and modular construction ensures consistently high build standards. Manufactured off site and then assembled on site also creates a safer workplace, because it is a more controlled environment. It is for these reasons and others that off-site has grown in popularity over the last few years. Education at all levels – primary, secondary and further – has been one of the sectors to recognise and embrace these benefits both inside and outside of the classroom. Take higher education establishments, for example. Purpose-designed, flexible modular building systems create an environment that meets the needs of higher education providers and offer students the added comfort and quality that they look for when choosing a university, which can be just as important to them as the teaching facilities.

So with today’s students having higher expectations of their educational experience – and that includes where they live, the majority of universities are turning to off-site construction as part of their ongoing estate investment programme in order to attract more students.

Examples of best practice We have worked on several projects within the higher education sector over recent years; including a £13m turnkey contract to build an extension of the existing boarding facilities at ACS Cobham International School, which was designed by Broadway Malyan. We were responsible for the manufacture and construction of the modular components of the new facility, which provided an additional 113-bed spaces, all in premium single and double rooms. It also incorporated supervisor accommodation, study areas and common rooms to complete an eye-catching fourstorey building.

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Prince Consort Village in Hammersmith chose modular construction, too, for the 539-bedroom development that was designed to meet the specific needs of Royal College of Music students, as well as the wider student population. It incorporates acoustically treated bedrooms, communal lounges, 24-hour music practice rooms and private study spaces. The main contractor on the project was Balfour Beatty, and we worked as a specialist sub-contractor, delivering the modular bedrooms in a virtually complete state. During the early stages of the project, we created a full prototype study bedroom in order to finalise the specification with the college.The college also used it as a marketing vehicle to demonstrate the quality of the final finish and attract new intakes of students. Due to our success and long track record in supplying high-quality student accommodation, we recently secured a £10m contract for the development of a new student accommodation block at Station Approach, Hereford. The project will provide Hereford College of Arts and the city’s new NMiTE University with 178 student bedrooms each with its own study area and en-suite bathroom, along with other areas of accommodation. All the modules will be manufactured off site to ensure consistently high build quality, whilst reducing the build schedule by around 50% compared to a conventional build.This is achieved, for example, because it enables infrastructure and groundworks to progress at the same time as the accommodation is being manufactured. Each room will be delivered to site 95% complete, which will result in a

Off-Site & Modular Research shows that student accommodation is becoming more design-driven and less of a functional space to sleep and study. That means there’s an increased emphasis on creating social spaces, such as combining kitchen, dining and seating areas. – Andy Smith, Head of Business Development at Caledonian Modular significantly faster site inspection and handover. Once completed, the accommodation will be indistinguishable from a conventional build and will be ready for occupation by students in September 2020. Herefordshire Council is carrying out the project with development partners, energy and regeneration specialist ENGIE and Cityheart Partnerships. Hereford College of Arts (HCA), which has a proven need for good quality student housing to support its growth plans, will be the main customer of the new accommodation.There will also be the need for rooms for students of NMiTE, supporting its development. Councillor David Hitchiner, Leader of Herefordshire Council, said: “The new student accommodation will provide high-quality purpose-built facilities, making Herefordshire an even more attractive proposition for young people looking to study here. We are delighted that this will support our local higher education providers and promote Herefordshire as a great place to study and live.” He added: “Station Approach is a key project within the council’s Development and Regeneration Programme (DRP) which will support economic development in the county.”

An example of Caledonian’s student accommodation from the interior

The answer?

An example of Caledonian’s student accommodation from the interior

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Research shows that student accommodation is becoming more design-driven and less of a functional space to sleep and study. That means there’s an increased emphasis on creating social spaces, such as combining kitchen, dining and seating areas. Practical trends include slightly larger furnishings, and we have already responded with a number of bespoke design innovations. Shorter build schedules, assured levels of quality and an ability to attract students means off site is becoming the preferred route forward for many decision-makers in the primary, secondary and further education sectors. Forecasts indicate that off-site will continue to grow in 2020 as quality, time and labour pressures make alternatives to conventional construction methods more attractive.

www.caledonianmodular.com

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Lighting & Electricals

Carbon monoxide – why would you risk it? Latest research commissioned by Gas Safe Register has found that home safety, including the condition of the boiler and appliances, falls low on the list of priorities for most homebuyers, says Andy Speake, National Technical Manager at Aico.

ore than a quarter of UK homebuyers put re-decorating at the top of their list when moving into a new home, compared to a mere 12% who would fit a new boiler. However, almost three in 10 homebuyers had to replace their boiler earlier than anticipated due to it being faulty or old. So, buyers’ wish-lists and reality don’t always go hand in hand. Whilst this attitude is understandable – who doesn’t want their new home looking great – it’s potentially dangerous. One of the most important things a homebuyer should do is check out the boiler. If this hasn’t been done at the survey stage (and it’s not standard practice), and there are no records of boiler servicing provided by the seller, then getting that boiler serviced by a Gas Safe Registered installer is essential.

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Raising the alarm

A lack of awareness is the problem here. It’s difficult for residents to think of a boiler being potentially dangerous. It’s normally out of sight, and as long as it’s heating the house/ hot water, it’s generally forgotten about; out of sight, out of mind.When people think of gas safety, they think of the obvious danger from natural gas – explosions.They don’t think of carbon monoxide as mostly they don’t know what it is, where it comes from and just how lethal it can be. At Aico, we have also been working hard to highlight the risks associated with carbon monoxide, most recently with our ‘Why Would You Risk It?’ campaign. We have also been trying out new methods of raising awareness, using virtual reality at exhibitions. Unlike traditional user interfaces, virtual reality places the user inside an

Lighting & Electricals

Would you know the six symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

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Dizziness

Breathlessness

Headaches

Nausea

experience, immersing them and enabling them to interact. We are using it to show the effects and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and why installing a carbon monoxide alarm could save their life. However, you also have a role to play. If you are working on a recently purchased property, raise the issue of the boiler servicing with the new owner and, if it’s an old boiler, suggest a new combi one is worth considering. It’s also important to stress the use of carbon monoxide alarms. Whilst the main cause of carbon monoxide leaks is from faulty appliances or incorrectly installed ones; carbon monoxide leaks could also result from poor ventilation and blockages, external sources/ neighbouring properties or cracks in chimneys or flues, which develop over time.The only way to detect carbon monoxide leaks is with a carbon monoxide alarm. If there is major work taking place at the property (which is likely if you are involved), then mains-powered smoke alarms will be required. Mains-powered carbon monoxide alarms can be easily incorporated into the smoke alarm system, as long as you also fit an alarm control switch to enable residents to identify which alarm has triggered.

Carbon monoxide alarms: quality counts

There are many carbon monoxide alarms to choose from, but the quality varies considerably. Only recommend a carbon monoxide alarm that is BS EN 50291

certified and only opt for known, reputable manufacturers. Check to see what the testing regime is during manufacture. I recommend one where each alarm is tested at multiple stages of manufacture and never one that is batch tested. Mains-powered carbon monoxide alarms are the safest option as they provide added reliability as batteries don’t need to be changed. In the event of mains failure, they have battery back-up and, if you select ones with lithium battery back-up, there’s no chance of someone ‘borrowing’ the battery for another device. The quality of the alarm also has more widespread implications: the better the quality, the better the range of features, functions and accessories. A key feature to look out for is data extraction technology which can provide invaluable information on the alarm such as battery back-up or battery life, alarm sensor status, any alarm activation with details of when it occurred and detection levels of carbon monoxide. Aico’s AudioLINK data extraction technology is available on all of our carbon monoxide alarms and is incredibly easy to use with a free app. Quality alarms also have wireless interconnection facilities, so can be effectively linked with other carbon monoxide alarms – and even smoke alarms – within the property, for maximum safety. The very latest alarms to hit the market are combined heat/carbon monoxide alarms, such as Aico’s Ei3028, designed

specifically for the kitchen, providing protection against fire and carbon monoxide in one unit.

When are carbon monoxide alarms required?

Where and when carbon monoxide alarms are required is very much dependent on the location of the property and its tenure. Scotland has the most thorough regulations, requiring carbon monoxide alarms to be fitted in all properties where there is a fuel-burning appliance or a flue. In Northern Ireland, it’s when any new or replacement fuel appliance is installed (except cookers). England and Wales have the least stringent requirement, with carbon monoxide alarms required under Building Regulations in rooms where any new or replacement solid-fuel appliance is installed. In private rented properties in England, landlords must retrospectively fit a carbon monoxide alarm in every room with a solid fuel-burning appliance. However, we recommend following British Standard BS EN 50292:2019 which states best practice is fitting a carbon monoxide alarm in all rooms that contain any fuel-burning appliance, rooms where people spend the most time and where they sleep, plus any room that has a flue running through it.

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Unconsciousness

www.aico.co.uk/technicalsupport/guides-publications

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Ceilings & Acoustics

Why reducing workplace noise is good for employee wellbeing Despite the ongoing trend towards working from home and remote meetings, it is necessary for many of us to spend our working days in places like offices, factories, classrooms and hospitals. As a result, good workplace design is an essential component when it comes to maximising employee wellbeing, health and productivity, says Ben Hancock, Managing Director of Oscar Acoustics.

owever, one of the biggest challenges in getting workplace design right is often ignored during the planning stage; the impact of noise on employees. Indeed, a recent survey from estate agent Savills found that the proportion of workers saying noise levels were important to them increased to 83% this year – up from 77% in 2016. In order to understand just how big a problem workplace noise is, we commissioned some research exploring the views of 2000 UK employees across a range of different sectors. The research reveals some surprising and concerning effects of noise pollution, a worrying lack of action taken against it and a dearth of knowledge about the associated health issues.

Sonic battlegrounds – a productivity problem

The effects of poor acoustics are extensive and could be hurting companies’ bottom lines, especially as they are compelled to address the issue. The Control of Noise Regulations 2005 require employers to prevent or reduce risks to health and safety from exposure to noise at work. However, our survey found that nearly one-quarter of us know someone whose hearing has been impacted by working in a loud environment.This means businesses are potentially opening themselves up to lawsuits in the long term. It’s an issue that is only set to rise up the corporate agenda. Strikingly, our research found that 59% of UK workers believe they work in a loud environment, while 44% of respondents say they can’t concentrate

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when it’s noisy at work, and 50% believe it negatively impacts productivity. Not only this, but the research has also shown evidence that incessant din is shredding people’s ability to work as a team. A fifth of employees (19%) state it’s the reason they’ve had a breakdown in a relationship with a coworker. 29% have even snapped at colleagues, including 11% at a superior. It doesn’t end there though. Nearly one in 10 had left passive-aggressive notes for their colleagues, and even more alarmingly, 6% have resorted to physical violence, rising to 16% of millennials. The results of these surprising stats also varied according to where people work across the UK. It showed that if you are working in London, you are over three and a half times more likely to leave passiveaggressive notes and over seven times more likely to resort to violence. The most common way people avoid the racket at work is wearing headphones (25%); however, this can boost noise levels by 9 dB, creating even more noise and further impacting on your hearing. This is backed up by our survey, which found that one in five participants say they’ve known someone to ignore their boss and have missed phone calls due to headphone usage.

Ceilings & Acoustics

Workplace sound absorption is vital

So, what can be done? We’ve always known about the dangers of noise pollution, and hopefully, this research will drive it home to others too. It highlights that it’s increasingly

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is leading the global movement to transform buildings.Their WELL Building Standard is a blueprint for creating better spaces and empowering employers to transform their workplaces and put the health of their employees first. As a result, there is a growing trend in the architect and interior design community to create workspaces that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also create a welcoming experience for future inhabitants.

Change is on the horizon

©Nick Wood

Noise pollution is also a serious health problem.The Chief Medical Officer in England says it is second only to air pollution in damaging public health while the World Health Organisation (WHO) highlights issues such as tinnitus, sleep disturbance, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, adverse birth outcomes and cognitive impairment in children. However, our research shows that people are worryingly unaware of these risks. 90% of survey respondents do not realise noise can cause heart attacks and strokes, both of which can be deadly. Given the potentially disastrous effect noise has on employee productivity and team morale (as well as workers’ respect for their boss), you’d be forgiven for thinking that employers are pulling out all the stops to fix this problem. Unfortunately, over half of respondents (54%) said their employer has taken no action to combat it, and 42% said they don’t even take the issue seriously. It’s somewhat concerning, given the problem impacts not just profit margins but also people’s health.

harder and harder to avoid excessive noise in any workplace as the UK has become a ‘sonic battleground’. It also shows that an unhappy workforce due to poor acoustics can be very unproductive. It can lead to employees becoming distracted, arguing with colleagues, missing important calls and taking more sick days, all of which could have a seriously negative impact on business.

Luckily for employers, there are tools and building certification systems available that architects and contractors can work towards when designing new workplaces.

With the rise in open-plan offices and increasingly mechanised production lines/distribution centres, employers are increasingly looking at acoustic design to keep their people safe and increase productivity. Whether it’s for a fit-out, refurbishment or new build, taking workplace acoustics seriously and removing distractions caused by excess noise will ensure these workspaces sound as good as they look with a calm and relaxing atmosphere. However, there is still a long way to go, and our research shows that companies need to act now to reduce the scourge of noise in workspaces if they want to protect their business interests, and more importantly, the health of their employees.

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Taking health and wellbeing seriously

www.oscar-acoustics.co.uk

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Cladding

Staticus completes Media City Towers One and Two facades in Manchester A family-run business established approximately 20 years ago, Staticus is one of the biggest building facade contractors in Northern Europe, with their head office and a factory in Lithuania and offices in Norway, Sweden, Austria and the UK.

taticus was appointed by Vermont Construction on behalf of X1 Developments to deliver the building facade for Tower One and Tower Two at the Media City development in Salford Quays, Manchester, working closely with FCH Architects. Paulius Gurkšnys, CEO at Staticus UK, commented: “We were contracted for the Media City Tower One at the end of 2015. We demonstrated that we could deliver a quality product on time, and we signed the contract. We were appointed to design, manufacture and install the unitised facade panels.

“Staticus specialises in unitised aluminium and glass facades – we have completed hundreds of similar projects across Europe. This was, therefore, the system we used for both of the towers at Media City. “Some contractors use stick facades, but we prefer the unitised system as we believe it offers a higher quality product with far less installation time on site. We believe that unitised panels are the future of facade construction – they are produced in a more controlled environment, and shipped to site for efficient and fast installation.

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Fact File Development: Media City Type: Residential accommodation Location: Salford Quays, Manchester, UK Developer: X1 Main contractor: Vermont Construction Architect: FCH Architects Facade contractor: Staticus UK Website: https:// x1developments.com/ development/x1-media-citytower1/ “We are expanding our presence in other European countries and have recently opened a new office in Austria, as well as growing our business in the UK. One of the reasons our business is booming is because of the excellent and passionate team we have working across the company. “The great benefit of using Staticus is that we can offer a one-stop-shop for building facades.We have an in-house design team and our own factory in Lithuania which allows us to maintain the highest standard of quality from design to manufacture, on-site delivery and installation, all the way through to our warranty service.”

Cladding

Chris Gallagher, Operations Director for Vermont Construction, who appointed Staticus for Media City Tower One and Tower Two, explained: “Vermont Construction is a principal contractor based in the north-west of England. We were formed in 2004, predominantly to work in the residential sector, which is the market we operate in currently. “I came to work on the Media City project in April 2015. I was very interested in the project as it was the largest residential project signed outside of London that year. It was, therefore, very high-profile, and I was intrigued about the organisation and working so close to home. “One of the reasons we appointed Staticus for this and subsequent projects, was because there was a very straightforward process with them.They met our requirements entirely and unequivocally, which was very refreshing to see. “Staticus is a different type of contractor. They set themselves apart from their competitors as it’s such an easy process to work with them.They are very forthright and will do what they say they’re going to do – they’re very reliable, and I trust them to deliver works on our schemes. “Staticus performed faultlessly, and it has secured them further work with us. I would absolutely work with them again. It’s very rare to come across a contractor who has their breadth of ability and delivers – they were exceptional.” Richard Conlan, Associate Director at FCH Architects, commented: “With this project, we took over the original design from AHR

Architects and we were contracted to develop the scheme out to completion. “This building was the first of four towers, which are of very similar design. It was, therefore, important to try and get the modular size of the facade correct in the first go so that it could be replicated across the four. “We worked closely with Staticus – we had regular meetings and went over to meet them in their factory in Lithuania.We had a good working relationship with the team throughout the design all the way to completion. “The Staticus team were very helpful and knowledgeable – everyone communicated well and integrated with the wider design team. “We are currently working with them on other projects in Liverpool.” Carl Phillips, Senior Site Manager for Vermont Construction, said: “Staticus provided the complete envelope system for the towers, from the ground floor right up to the 26th floor. I worked with them daily, coordinating with the team from the design stage right the way to the final install. “The experience I had working with Staticus was an enjoyable one – it was very smooth. They came across as a very professional outfit. The team on site were excellent – we have our set procedures and standards, and they were quite willing to follow that. They were really good at health and safety, and their communication was great, especially at listening to what we wanted as a client.

“I was fortunate enough to visit Staticus’ factory over in Vilnius, Lithuania, over a threeday period.We inspected the manufacturing process, the QA process, and we had a meeting with their senior management – it was very impressive. “I would absolutely recommend Staticus to another company. In fact, we used them for the facade on Tower Two at Media City, so we’ve had two projects now with them, and they’ve both gone really well for us. “I think the best thing about working with Staticus is they are very proactive and quick to respond.” Staticus is growing its UK presence and is already responsible for the iconic look of buildings in Manchester and London, offering a comprehensive facade engineering service – from conception and design through to manufacture, installation and project management. 8 www.staticus.com *

info@staticus.co.uk

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Show Preview

Products to watch at BATIMAT 2019: Allrane PURE by Allrim: a plant-based resin for stone carpets and self-draining floors FWS Panoramic Design by Schüco: the leanest aluminium facade for maximum transparency LED Skipper by While Zero: a smart and simple architectural lighting animation controller

The leading European exhibition for the architecture, construction and building industry returns to the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre from 4 to 8th November celebrating the buildings of tomorrow with special events, guest speakers and innovations.

osch, Leica, Schüco, Bieber, Simonin, STANLEY, Black & Decker, Jouanel, SFS, Jansen, Würth, KS Tools, IMER Group will be amongst the 1700 exhibitors showcasing their latest products, equipment and materials to international visitors at this year’s BATIMAT. Across five days, the trade-only event will be the one-stop-shop for architects, builder’s merchants, site managers and construction buyers alike, in search of innovative products, inspirations and practical solutions. BATIMAT will explore the key themes and issues that are expecting to arise in the coming years and which will shape tomorrow’s built environment, including: Understanding the relationship between building and mobility Designing the cities of tomorrow with low to zero-carbon emissions

How to use non-waste and renewable energy solutions Improving working conditions and adapting to new technologies Increased connectivity and optimising, storing and sharing energy with new technologies. These themes will be addressed across the six sectors of the show, including two new areas, ‘Off-site Building’ and ‘Construction Tech’ – an area dedicated to the use of new technologies in the construction industry. Celebrating its 60-year anniversary, the Innovation Awards will bring practicality to the main topics explored and allow visitors to identify the very best of exhibitors’ products, carefully selected by a panel of independent industry experts. An exclusive focus on the opposition between high-tech and low-tech will be made during a highly-awaited conversation

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gathering European-based acclaimed Architects Amin Taha from GroupWork, Carmen Santana from Archikubik, Manuel Leon Anjul from Traumnovelle architects and Francesco Isidori from Labics. In addition, particular attention will be given to off-site building during a whole afternoon of talks dedicated to this construction technique.Visitors will be given the opportunity to hear from prominent speakers on how off-site building is still revolutionising the sector and how it can help boost on-site productivity. Speakers will include Bouygues International’s Head of Modular Construction Aurélie Clereaux, Architect Andrew Waugh, Mark Farmer from CAST Consulting, Bryan Evans from ESFA and Henry Mickeburg from Skystone.

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The future of construction unveiled at BATIMAT 2019

Wastebox by Wastebox: an app providing construction sites with waste collection centres and recyclers Rezalpak Neo by Brand France: a polypropylene ply sheet Pinpoint Wireless Sensors by Astrel Group: an accurate sensor to detect water leaks and over-heated areas Dispatcher Trackers IOR by Dispatcher – Redwit: a solution to monitor geolocation data and operational times of machinery on the ground Automated and Connected Sliding Window by Somfy & Liebot: a motorised sliding window with secured aeration function Smart Climate Control Window by Technal: which remotely controls the temperature and air quality.

www.batimat.com

Show Preview

Visit LuxLive this November

s the only showcase specifically dedicated to innovation in lighting, LuxLive is where more than 200 international brands launch new solutions and discuss innovative technologies with an audience of over 6000 specifiers and end-user buyers. Its location in London, a global lighting design hub, and its historical ties with the UK market make LuxLive a firmly established date for both suppliers and manufacturers selling into the British market. It also offers a platform for those companies seeking to get involved in international projects via architectural and consulting engineering practices, who operate out of the capital. Co-located with LuxLive is ‘lightspace london’, the ultimate event for architects and lighting designers to discover inspirational ideas from iconic and new-to-market international brands. Both LuxLive and lightspace benefit from the interaction between their audiences, maximising their attendance in London to deliver two days of unmissable business generation, networking and learning. The organiser, Clarion Events has secured over 100 world-class industry speakers to deliver cutting-edge sessions packed with inspiration. Smart Spaces and Wellbeing, Emergency Lighting,Women in Lighting and

Illuminating City, are just some of the exciting features visitors can enjoy over two days, completely free of charge. You will be able to meet some worldclass, industry-leading lighting manufacturers including; LEDFLEX, Bluetooth, Signify, P4 Fastel, Osram, Recolight,Thorlux, Seoul Semiconductor, Hacel Lighting and LiteIP.

Top must-visits at LuxLive 2019:

Smart Spaces Technology giant Bluetooth is partnering with LuxLive to become a headline sponsor of the main Smart Spaces arena, which is located at the heart of the event on the show floor. This is where the keynote presentations and major panel discussions take place, all focusing on intelligent buildings. Bluetooth is disrupting the lighting control industry with its Bluetooth mesh networking standard and pushing the boundaries of what the industry thought could be done with lighting. In this special seminar, we’ll explore these exciting technologies and the innovative applications – both indoor and outdoor – they’re unleashing. Our expert, global speakers will explain the technology, and look at the very best, exemplary projects from around the world.

Emergency Lighting At this time of heightened concern about fire safety standards, it’s more important than ever that emergency lighting is fully compliant with all relevant standards and is maintained and tested regularly. In this special seminar along with headline sponsor P4, LuxLive will bring together the top experts in the field to answer all the key questions, and we’ll explore emerging technologies and protocols such as automatic testing, internet-connected systems and stayput lighting. lightspace london Since its launch in 2015, lightspace london, co-located with LuxLive, has been the leading event for lighting designers and architects to find new inspiration and innovation, as well as to collaborate in defining the role light plays in internal and external environments. Women in Lighting LuxLive and lightspace have teamed up with Women in Lighting to support gender balance in the lighting profession. Founded by Light Collective, the project is a celebratory endeavour that will set out to create an inspirational digital platform for women working in the architectural lighting industry to promote their passion and achievements, narrate their career path and goals, celebrate their work and elevate their profile in the lighting community.

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LuxLive – the leading event for anyone who supplies, buys, specifies and designs lighting – returns to ExCeL, London, from 13 to 14th November.

www.luxlive.co.uk/lia

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Show Preview

Networking

London’s leading construction and design show is back from 27 to 28th November at Olympia, London, and this time it is bigger and better than ever before. Spanning across two floors, London Build is more than just an exhibition. Not just your average construction show, the event is jam-packed with content, networking and entertainment.

his year will have an important focus on mental health, wellbeing, diversity and equality on the main stage and throughout the exhibition, as well as opportunities to stay up-to-date with upcoming major construction projects and opportunities across Greater London and the UK.

What’s on?

London Build will be boasting CPDaccredited sessions across eight different summits, hosted by the most sensational line-up of speakers at any construction show in history, and featuring accredited training workshops in everything from sustainability and BIM to advanced digital and social media construction marketing. An extensive programme of over 500 esteemed speakers includes the likes of Juliemma McLoughlin, the Chief Planner – Development, Enterprise and Environment at Greater London Authority; Fergus Harradence, the Deputy Director of

the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Gillian Charlesworth, the CEO of BRE; Graham Watts, the CEO of Construction Industry Council; Sharon Duffy, the Head of Transport Infrastructure at Transport for London; and David Speight, the Project Delivery Director on the expansion of Heathrow – to name a few. Over 350 exhibitors will fill the venue including: Procore, Powerday, Recticel, JLG, BT Openreach, Epson, Panasonic, Bauder, Beaulieu International, Roof Maker, Autodesk/Plangrid, George Boyd/SaintGobain, Wurth, Resapol and Bostik. The Humans of Construction photography exhibition will be displaying 1000 of the most influential and inspiring professionals working in the UK’s built environment, featuring individuals from a wide array of fascinating backgrounds in the industry, from CEOs to architects, pioneers to students and future leaders.

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An event like no other

London Build believes that doing business should be fun, and includes within the event the Festival of Construction. Featuring comedy acts, entertainment, live music, celebrity guests, London beer festival, gin tastings and prize giveaways, the Festival of Construction promises to be the biggest festival in the industry, offering you the chance to rub shoulders with big industry names and celebrity guests, whilst indulging in London’s finest food, drinks and live entertainment.

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London Build returns for 2019

London Build is looking forward to welcoming over 25,000 registered contractors, architects, engineers, developers, councils and construction professionals over the two days. We’re expecting a high level of attendance from the UK’s top 100 contractors and architects, offering an unbeatable opportunity for networking with peers and clients alike. We want you to leave London Build armed with a wide range of new connections and friends and make sure you become part of an ongoing exciting and vibrant new community of like-minded professionals. Networking opportunities include our firstever LinkedIn Networking Lounge – a groundbreaking networking initiative which enables attendees to network and make new contacts whilst simultaneously building their online network through LinkedIn using QR codes and a timetable of speed networking events. We’ll also be hosting networking events such as Meet the Buyer by Constructionline, CIOB Hub in the Pub, Constructing Excellence Club Breakfast, BIM & Tonic, #TeqDen10x10, Diversity in Construction, and the UK’s largest-ever networking meeting of Women in Construction – plus many more.

www.londonbuildexpo.com

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Doors & Windows Clement’s slick manufacturing process and the skill set of the installers ensured the contract was completed ahead of schedule and to a very high standard of finishing

The Clement EB24 range of new steel windows with welded G+ multi-pane system was installed because it provided a close match to the building’s original windows

or existing windows, while simultaneously providing all the advantages of 21st-century technology. EB24 windows are manufactured with exceptionally slim frames.The 24mm insulated glass units mean that the largest possible glazed area is provided, thereby optimising solar gain and saving energy through reduced use of artificial lighting. Clement’s most versatile and popular product, EB24 windows are appropriate for both refurbishment and new-build projects.

About Clement Windows Group

Clement steel windows light up Central London hotel Clement Windows Group has provided in the region of 800 new steel windows to Central London hotel, Melia White House.

ollowing discussions with Camden’s planning department, the Clement EB24 range of new steel windows with welded G+ multi-pane system was installed because it provided a close match to the building’s original windows. In total, nearly 800 windows were installed in two phases requiring the Clement team to work to an exacting schedule. Kevin McEnteggert of interior and fitout specialist Corley Woolley commented: “Clement’s slick manufacturing process and the

skill set of the installers ensured the contract was completed ahead of schedule and to a very high standard of finishing, resulting in an almost snag-free handover to a very happy client. “Due to the success of phases one and two, we are in the process of negotiating phase three works. Clement Windows will be working with us once again.” Clement EB24 steel windows have been created for fenestration projects where a traditional steel window appearance is required, replicating the appearance of original

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Clement Windows Group manufactures an innovative range of steel windows, doors, screens and rooflights.The company specialises in conservation work for both private residences and commercial projects. Based just outside London in Surrey, England, the brand regularly supplies to overseas clients, particularly North America.

About Melia White House

Part of the Melia Hotels & Resorts Group since 1999, Melia White House is situated in a striking Grade II Listed Art Deco building close to London’s Regent’s Park. Opened in 1936 as a luxury apartment building, it took 700 men less than a year to build it. With great facilities open to nonresidents too it became known as the White House Club in the closing years of the 1930s. During the Second World War, the distinctive shape of the building meant it was used by the Germans as a compass and was consequently never bombed. In 1959, work started on transforming the apartment block into a luxury hotel which became the centre of the Swinging Sixties scene with many prominent guests from the worlds of politics, business, music and fashion. 8 www.clementwindows.co.uk * info@clementwg.co.uk ( 01428

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Roofing,Cladding & Insulation

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Floors, Walls & Ceilings

Structura UK, the fabricator and installer of glass curtain walling and specialist refinishing expert, has completed a massive project renewing and refreshing this London landmark. Delta Point, the 28,500m2 former BT office building in Croydon, has been completely overhauled as part of its transformation into 404 apartments and commercial units. Work started on a complete glazing refurbishment coupled with refurbishing and refinishing the entire cladding facade.

Due to the scale of this project, Structura was on site for over a year with a full-time crew and set up a specialist preparation/spraying booth in order to facilitate refurbishment with minimum disruption. This innovative booth, complete with extraction venting, was complemented with a curing booth set up

Award-winning acoustics with elegant design Troldtekt, one of Europe’s largest innovators and manufacturers of wood-wool panelling, has won an ICONIC Award 2019 for its exciting new ‘design solutions’ range. Danish-manufactured Troldtekt panels are commonly specified throughout the UK and Europe to improve the interior acoustic environment. The new

collection has proved so popular it won the ‘Innovative Architecture’ Award at this year’s distinguished German Iconic Awards. Presented by the German Design Council,

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8 www.structura-uk.com/kalwall * mail@structura.co.uk ( 01233

501504

the awards celebrate visionary architecture and innovative, sustainable products. Designed by in-house Architect Michael Christensen, the nine new Troldtekt design solutions have two primary features in common. Firstly, they are mass-produced and, therefore, competitively priced. Secondly, they give architects great flexibility and are designed to give ceiling and wall surfaces a seamless look. Each solution is intended to form a complete acoustic surface, whether large or small. The range comprises Troldtekt line and Troldtekt line design with perfectly symmetrical vertical lines, Troldtekt tilt line with asymmetrical grooves, Troldtekt curves, Troldtekt tiles, Troldtekt puzzle, three-dimensional Troldtekt rhomb, Troldtekt rhomb mini and Troldtekt dots. Troldtekt dots is a fascinating design comprising 66 round indentations of varying size, adding a dynamic pattern of circular elements to the entire ceiling or wall surface. 8 www.troldtekt.co.uk * info@troldtekt.co.uk ( 01978

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©Mark Herboth

Structura makes a strong point

in the basement. Work on other panels was also carried out in-situ from cradles suspended around the building. An added complication was the fact that, with the building changing use from commercial to residential, the paint needed to achieve Class 0 on spread of flame in accordance with BS 476. In order to ensure conformity and correct certification, Structura’s bespoke colour formulation was tested at Exova Warrington Fire to make sure it was fully compliant. This substantial project is a perfect example of how Structura’s various divisions can collaborate to provide a one-stop-shop for the complete renewal of facades. The ability to design, fabricate and install replacement glazing, along with cladding refurbishment and refinishing, creates a seamless project management workflow and reduces costs and time spent on site. Importantly, it negates the need to use several different contractors with the associated problems that can entail.

ÂŠMark Herboth

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RCI

The best way to ensure fire safety – particularly in highrise and high-risk buildings – is to solely use A2-s1, d0 materials or above, such as EQUITONE

EQUITONE’s A2-s1, d0 fire performance classification means its materials are classed as of limited combustibility in England, emit little or no smoke and produce no flaming droplets or particles within the first 10 minutes of fire exposure

EQUITONE: the perfect choice to ensure cladding fire safety in high-rise buildings As the Government steps in to speed up cladding replacement on private tower blocks, Martin Smithurst, Technical Manager at EQUITONE, explains the importance of private owners making responsible choices in choosing materials with the required fire performance classifications.

ince 2017, the Government has identified 176 private high-rise residential buildings that are fitted with unsafe cladding. There are now plans in place to speed up the removal and replacement of the cladding, with the Government investing around £200m to ensure the work takes place as quickly as possible. Whilst the initiative is fully Governmentfunded, the onus is still on private building owners to ensure that appropriate safety measures are in place so people can feel safe in their homes. As the application process for building owners to access the funds opened on 12th September (and closes on 12th November), the focus has now turned to what materials should be used for the recladding.

At EQUITONE, we have been evolving and innovating in collaboration with architects to design and manufacture fibre cement facade materials for more than six decades. With building material combustibility a key focal point during the specification stage, we have a longstanding commitment to ensuring all of the company’s materials comprehensively meet the fire performance classification A2-s1, d0 to EN 13501-1:2018. The Euroclass standard of fire safety is the recognised standard of fire safety across Europe. It was introduced by the European Union in 2000 to remove trade barriers between individual member states and to ensure consistent quality levels. It classifies the reaction to fire, as well as evaluates multiple

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aspects such as ignitability, flame spread, heat release, smoke production and propensity for producing flaming droplets/particles. As stated in the Government’s Approved Document B, materials that are A2 and above – which includes all EQUITONE materials – can be safely used for high-rise buildings over 18m in England.The ‘s’ and ‘d’ parts of the classification refer to the total smoke, and the number of flaming droplets and particles emitted during the first 10 minutes of exposure to fire respectively, with s1 meaning little to no smoke and d0 meaning no droplets. In order to ensure the best fire safety precautions across the 176 tower blocks, building owners must make the responsible choice to meet the demands of current fire performance requirements. EQUITONE’s A2-s1, d0 fire performance classification means our materials are classed as of limited combustibility in England, emit little or no smoke and produce no flaming droplets or particles within the first 10 minutes of fire exposure. This means EQUITONE’s materials do not contribute to the formation or spread of a fire. When choosing facade materials that need to meet the demands of the current fire performance requirements, our dedicated technical and specification team can offer expert support to architects, designers and contractors from the initial design concept through to build completion and beyond. In conclusion, the best way to ensure fire safety – particularly in high-rise and high-risk buildings – is to solely use A2-s1, d0 materials or above, such as EQUITONE.

8 www.equitone.com/en-gb ( 01283

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RCI Returning St Joseph’s School to its former glory

Investment sees ISO-CHEMIE boost UK customer service

Generations of schoolchildren have attended St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Willesden, so when a fire destroyed its roof, it was a blow to both the current students and its community. When selecting the right roof tiles for the rebuild, it was vital to find one that matched its Edwardian predecessors. Ideal for this role, BMI Redland Rosemary Clay Classic tiles were selected by architect firm Wilby & Burnett. Like St Joseph’s, the Rosemary Clay tile has a long and distinguished history that stretches back over 180 years. BMI Redland’s range of Rosemary Plain Clay tiles come in a range of eight weathered, brindled and single colours which mellow naturally over time. Rosemary Clay Classic in red was selected as the best match for this project, providing the required aesthetics and a quality hand-crafted clay roof with the reliability of modern machine-made techniques. With its new roof in place, few people today would know that there had been such a devastating fire at the school.

ISO-CHEMIE has invested in office and warehouse facilities to accommodate expansion and growth plans.The company’s office has been relocated to Slough, while distribution operations will be based out of a new warehouse in north London. It also reinforces ISO-CHEMIE’s strategy to develop its solutions whatever may come of the Brexit situation. Relocating from its previous warehouse in the North West, the move allows inbound deliveries from Germany to arrive a day faster. New investment will see UK customers benefit from quicker deliveries of foam sealant tape products from the company’s German manufacturing facility. Customers will also be able to take advantage of a system that allows them to collect stock as well as receive next day deliveries, while architects and those responsible for technical specifications, will be able to tap into expertise around the benefits of using specialist technology to secure airtight solutions.

8 www.bmigroup.com/uk

8 www.iso-chemie.eu/en-gb/home

* sales.redland@bmigroup.com

* info@iso-chemie.co.uk

( 01908 015760

( 01207 566867

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Lighting

Lighting and its part in the workplace wellness revolution New research indicates that UK businesses are preparing to spend more than ever before on measures to enhance workplace wellness. Improving lighting can be one of the more straightforward but most important steps, says Tamlite Head of Wellness, Debbie-Sue Farrell.

orkplace wellness is a notion whose currency has increased dramatically during the last decade. But until relatively recently, it was clear that the extent to which admittedly wellintentioned words were translating to solid actions was rather variable. Fresh indication that this is changing is provided by a new report from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) – a global non-profit research and education organisation focused on the built environment. ‘Picture of health: the growing role of wellbeing in commercial real estate investment decision-making’ presents data from the first comprehensive survey of leading property experts into understanding health and wellbeing. Drawing on interviews with more than 100 investors, developers, fund managers, consultants, valuers and analysts, the report explores the ways in which the wellbeing agenda is

influencing investment decisions across the real estate industry. Although the report suggests that “strong performance reasons to invest in wellbeing” are yet to become discernible to some investors and developers, the overall thrust is positive. It states that “providing a workspace that promotes better health and wellbeing has become a fast-adopted trend within the UK real estate industry”. Reinforcing this positive impression is the headline statistic that 86% of survey respondents expect to increase their investment in wellbeing in the next three years, with 17% anticipating that the increase will be ‘significant’. The composition of these investments will obviously be determined by the nature and requirements of individual companies, but in almost all cases it is probable that lighting – now firmly established as an important determinant factor in workplace wellness – will be a prominent part of the mix.

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Lighting control and circadian rhythms

The ULI report has much to say on the subject of lighting.The importance of allowing natural light to suffuse buildings as much as possible is a given at this point. But in terms of technology, the report states that “for tenants, the most popular changes spoken about were the impact of acoustics and lighting – [including the use of] circadian lighting or putting lighting control in the hands of users, if natural light was not available”. In these and other respects, the latest generation of LED-based systems can make it significantly easier to achieve lighting that is conducive to good health. The ability of LED lighting to provide a more appealing and consistent standard of illumination – with extended product lifecycles and far fewer failures than traditional lighting – is hardly new. But what has emerged in more recent years is a new tier of tunable systems that make it

Lighting wellness, the ULI report asserts that “technology to make buildings smart – whether it’s about bricks and mortar or how people are using the building – looks set to be an important next step, particularly for on-the-ground operations.”

Wellness in the future

possible to closely mirror circadian rhythms – in other words, the 24-hour cycle that synchronises bodily functions in humans and animals. The efficiency of modern lighting goes up further when used in conjunction with motion sensors and overarching control systems. These make it possible to use and direct light where and when required. Lighting control means that schedules and ‘states’ can be created and retained, allowing the lighting to match the requirements of the space – however, those may shift as day or night progresses. Depending on the nature of the workplace – not to mention the extent to which employers feel comfortable with handing over this kind of responsibility – employees themselves may be able to alter the lighting to meet their preferences. “Technology options are starting to grow,” says the ULI report, and “apps are now becoming more common that put the

controls for lighting and heating in the hands of employees; just having the control is an improvement to their wellbeing”. There is now a surfeit of anecdotal and academic evidence that points to good lighting contributing to increased productivity and employee morale. That is obviously great news for employers, but it’s only one way in which they stand to benefit. Current LED systems are often as much as 60% more efficient than traditional equivalents, while lifetimes of 50,000 hours are increasingly commonplace. With a dramatic reduction in the probable number of system failures, lighting-related expenses – including those linked to maintenance and support – will be much lower. By looking at lighting in isolation in this way, it is easy to ascertain the positive contribution that can be made by building systems individually – not to mention collectively. No wonder, then, that in considering the future of workplace

For Tamlite, this latest report validates a long-term focus on making wellness integral to our business case. In particular, the last 12 months have seen us talking to architects, consultants and building owners/operators about the benefits of investment in wellbeing. Overwhelmingly, the impression we have formed is of a growing recognition that improvements to office environments – especially in terms of lighting – offer a way to enhance UK workers’ day-to-day experiences of the workplace, no matter what their type of activity or occupation. In the years ahead, the case for technology that promotes wellness, in conjunction with a good lighting design, will become even stronger. Wireless lighting networks will allow facility managers to monitor, set scenes and give staff some lighting control to suit their needs. This provides employees with more control over their working environment, enhancing their comfort and, as a result, productivity. In recent years, the focus in building spaces has shifted from energy efficiency and technology to enhancing employee productivity and engagement. In addition, research suggests buildings with smart systems will see a 15% increase in productivity, as well as a 15% decrease in absenteeism. These are numbers that cannot be ignored by business owners, employers and facility managers. According to Vitality’s Britain’s Healthiest Workplace study, British businesses lost $4bn (£3.25bn) more as a result of healthrelated absence in 2018 than in the previous year; clearly, this is a trend that cannot be allowed to continue. Then there is the simple fact that with an ageing population, more of us will be working into our late ‘60s or early ‘70s. In that context, it’s imperative that opportunities to keep people healthier for longer are not overlooked. With its obvious benefits for employee productivity and morale – and equally attractive implications for energy-related expenditure and support – lighting is a fantastic starting point for any company’s wellness journey. 8 www.tamlite.co.uk/wellbeing * sales@tamlite.co.uk ( 01527

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Building Elements

Personalised art installation enhanced by Evolution finish A unique piece of artwork instantly personalises a room or garden space, becoming a much treasured and valued item. Such items are now a popular addition to interior and exterior design. Powdertech Corby has recently powder coated panels for Stark & Greensmith, a leading designer and supplier of architectural screens and decorative metalwork for internal and exterior use. These are worked in a range of materials, including steel, aluminium, brass and copper. John Ward at Azara Landscapes designed three laser-cut panels to be mounted in a rendered wall. “The desired appearance was for the panels to be verdigris (oxidised) copper,” said Mat Webb-Jenkins at Stark & Greensmith. “After obtaining a number of sample panels from Powdertech, we suggested to the designer and his client that Evolution ‘Copper mine’ would be a good way of conveying the aesthetic

in a cost-effective, contemporary and practical way.” The finished result is a beautiful garden panel, a focal point in the client’s garden. Taking inspiration from natural elements, Evolution finishes allow architects and designers to achieve the look they need, together with using the most appropriate and cost-effective materials for the job. The finishes offer high-performance weather resistance and are Qualicoat Class 1. They provide excellent visual and tactile detail and carry a 25-year guarantee.

8 www.powdertechcorby.co.uk * pcl@powdertech.co.uk ( 01536

400890

Vortice launches single room heat recovery unit Vortice has launched a new single room heat recovery unit which is quiet, efficient, energy-saving and anti-allergic thanks to built-in filters preventing the release of pollutants and allergens into the surrounding air. Easy to install and maintain, the Vort HRW Mono is an ideal alternative to traditional ventilation systems and intermittent fans. Suitable for recessed installation in outside walls of thickness between 285 and 700mm, it has a low-voltage EC motor-driven fan and five speeds.There are two versions of the Vort HRW Mono, manual or RC (remote control), allowing the unit to be turned off and on and the mode of operation to be selected. * sales@vortice.ltd.uk

( 01283 492949

Tudor Hall utilises GEC Anderson technology 8 www.vortice.ltd.uk

Showerwall Project launches new brochure Showerwall’s Project bathroom wall panelling brochure has been revamped to highlight the benefits of the system to specifiers for the social housing, student accommodation and care home sectors.The updated brochure, which boasts a contemporary new design, includes helpful graphics that demonstrate how Showerwall’s large-format panels offer installation time- and costsaving benefits compared to tiling.The hard-wearing panels can be installed in less than a day compared with two days to tile the same space, while materials and labour costs are reduced by up to 80%.The Showerwall system also offers significant maintenance benefits over tiling and these are also highlighted in the brochure. * info@showerwall.co.uk

( 0845 604 7334

8 www.showerwall.co.uk

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The creation of an ultra-modern teaching building as a new core to a long-established school in Oxfordshire has included the installation of custom-designed and manufactured stainless steel sinks, worktops and splashbacks from GEC Anderson for several of the different technical spaces. One of the architects involved with the project commented:“The GEC Anderson sinks, work surfaces and other fabrications were specified for the food technology area as well as units for the ceramics and textiles rooms.The new centre opened on schedule last Easter in time for the start of the 2019 summer term, and everyone involved has been pleased with the results.” 8 www.gecanderson.co.uk * info@gecanderson.co.uk ( 01442 826999

Building Elements Lifecycle of fire doors extended with Yeoman Shield OMNIE selected for Cornish development A building services contractor has put together a package of renewable and underfloor heating products, from the OMNIE range, to meet the energy and comfort ambitions for a housing development on the Cornish coast.The properties are being constructed by builder, Karn Havos Developments, while Sadler and Bourne from Liskard is the long-term supplier of OMNIE’s products. While the company has experience of installing OMNIE’s ground source heat pumps on other sites in Devon and beyond, conditions at Bedruthan led the firm to propose the use of the compact, highperformance LWD50 air source heat pumps along with 50mm Foilboard Floating panels over concrete sub-floors, connected via the manufacturer’s Precision-Flo manifolds. 8 www.omnie.co.uk * projects@omnie.co.uk ( 01392 363605

The FM company of a large Yorkshire hospital engaged with wall and door protection specialist Yeoman Shield to resolve the unsightly and problematic damage that was occurring to fire doors in a busy specialist unit.Yeoman Shield was able to provide a comprehensive fire-rated door protection system, which when installed does not affect the fire integrity, to help combat and break the damage cycle, helping to prolong the life of the doors. Door Edge protectors, either FD60 or FD30, according to a door’s rating, were installed to the vulnerable leading and hinged edges of the door to prevent chipping and splintering and helping to maintain the recommended 3mm gap between doors and frames. ( 0113 279 5854

8 www.yeomanshield.com

Facade & Glazing Solutions transforms 18th-century glassworks The former site of an 18th-century glassworks in Bristol has been transformed into an elegant eight-storey riverside office building featuring shimmering glass facades and frameless glass balustrades installed by Façade & Glazing Solutions. Contemporary Artist Terry Haggerty also created a sevenstorey glass art installation on the eastern elevation of 3 Glass Wharf facing the railway line approaching Bristol Temple Meads, one of the busiest gateways to the city.The art installation was also installed by Façade & Glazing Solutions.The design is inspired by the intersecting train lines that run into the station, with bands of glass straddling floor-to-floor reflecting the interweaving structure of the train tracks. * facades@fgs-uk.co.uk

Air hidden in the shadows The new High Flow Diffusers from Waterloo Air Products have been created so that architects can incorporate a shadow gap feature and hide air terminal devices from view. This follows trends in architecture to create vents, grilles and diffusers that make it easier for architects to complement their designs. The new diffusers are available in a single slot with three different sized slots to choose from as standard. As with all Waterloo Linear grilles and diffusers, High Flow can utilise multiple sections for a continuous linear run. For further design flexibility, the range includes a plasterline version, for invisible borders. There are two variants available for both ceiling and wall mounting. The High Flow Coanda (HFC) creates a horizontal throw through the Coanda effect and is perfect for ceiling installations. Whereas the High Flow Directional (HFD) for horizontal projection of air is designed for wall mounting or can provide a Coanda throw if positioned close to a horizontal surface.

( 0333 321 4827

8 www.fgs-uk.co.uk

Simpson StrongTie introduces allnew catalogue Simpson Strong-Tie has released its all-new 2020 catalogue; a comprehensive product guide which showcases the company’s most recent innovations and product line extensions. Alongside the UK’s largest collection of connectors for timber and masonry construction sit numerous new products, including the GPC, Gable Panel Connector, a highmovement timber frame tie, decorative and a heavy-duty post bases, an adjustable mini hanger, purlin anchor, twisted restraint strap and a 4mm reinforced angle bracket. The catalogue also contains comprehensive technical data, performance characteristics, safe working loads, plus easy-to-follow installation instructions. Managing Director, Malcolm Paulson, explains: “It’s been a busy time for Simpson Strong-Tie, we’ve really pushed the boat out to increase our core product range, engineered to stand the test of time. With our new enhanced product lines, along with our rapid made-to-order service, we really can say that if we don’t have it – you don’t need it.”

8 www.waterloo.co.uk

8 www.strongtie.co.uk

sales@waterloo.co.uk *

* uksales@strongtie.com

( 01622 711500

( 01827 255600

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Building Elements

Fassa Bortolo brings finishing touches to modular school Leading Italian render specialist, Fassa Bortolo has recently completed a new project with modular build expert, Ashby & Croft, delivering an external render solution for a new build at Quarry Hill Academy. The new four-bay teaching facility at the Grays-based school was constructed off site with most internal works and panels fixed in a controlled environment before the finishing touches were added once the structure was in place. The contractor opted for the Fassarend A96 basecoat, which was used to bond and skim the carrier boards and embed the reinforcing

mesh, before applying the FX526 priming undercoat for a seamless, uniform surface. Finally, the RX561 topcoat was applied, to a thickness of 1.5mm for effective protection. The products were chosen to decorate the external facade based on the build materials and the colours required to meet the brief. Fassa topcoats come in 365 colours as standard, but bespoke tinting is also available.

Safe and secure – new Red Jet passenger catamaran A new addition to the Red Funnel Ferries fleet of passenger catamarans that criss-cross the Solent between Southampton and the Isle of Wight entered service in summer 2018. With a speed of 38 knots, Red Jet 7 is 41m long and holds 277 passengers and four crew. As a new-build vessel, the advanced design for the fire protection had to undergo a stringent approval process to comply with the Marine Equipment Directive (MED) prior to installation by SEC Marine from Southampton. The modern catamaran received a state-ofthe-art fire detection system from Apollo, designed and commissioned by Fireboy-Xintex UK Operations. The ideal solution for medium and large nautical installations, Discovery Marine has the flexibility to manage different operating environments via interchangeable devices and modes. More than 30 multi-sensor detectors from the Apollo Discovery Marine range were supplied for Red Jet 7, supported by a Kentec panel. 8 www.apollo-fire.co.uk * enquiries@apollo-fire.co.uk ( 0239 249 2412

Alexandra Ly, Marketing Executive at Ashby & Croft, commented:“Our experience working with Fassa was positive, the company was very professional and provided strong technical support. They took the time to visit and advise thoroughly on product-related information.” 8 www.fassabortolo.com/en

* info.fassauk@fassabortolo.com ( 01684

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Energy Saving Trust renews Safeguard’s Stormdry ‘verified’ status The Energy Saving Trust (EST) has re-granted Stormdry Masonry Protection Cream from Safeguard Europe ‘verified’ status in respect of its role in helping improve the energy efficiency of external masonry in buildings. In an EST Product Performance Verification report from August 2019, the organisation confirms three primary claims by Safeguard about Stormdry Masonry Protection Cream, namely that: it inhibits the absorption of water by masonry; will continue to inhibit water ingress despite exposure to severe weather, including sunlight exposure and freezing temperatures; and helps improve the energy efficiency of dwellings by reducing heat loss, leading to lower heating requirements. University of Portsmouth tests on solid wall constructions treated with Stormdry established that it can provide energy savings of up to 29%. It does this by providing a high level of water repellency, preventing rain penetration of brickwork and keeping walls dry. 8 www.safeguardeurope.com * info@safeguardeurope.com

( 01403 210204

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Building Elements

The place for pro decorators to ‘Build a Better Business’

The professional decorating industry will again convene at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena on November 26th and 27th for the 2019 National Painting and Decorating Show. Now in its 25th year, this is the annual trade event targeted specifically at professional decorators, interior designers, stockists and facility managers. From paints and wallcoverings, to tools and applicators, to colour trends, textures and techniques – this show brings

together the latest in product innovation alongside plenty of trusted best sellers. Many of the biggest names and brands in the decorating industry will again feature hundreds of products making the trade headlines. Dulux, Crown, Brewers, Mirka, Farrow & Ball, Wagner, ProDec,

3M, LittleGreene, plus many more – the list of exhibitors participating in the 2019 show reads like a who’s who of the decorating market. Again this year, the two-day event will be buzzing with product launches, handson demos, theatre sessions, show-only deals, free samples, how-to information, competitions, raffles and prize draws. And each day, the first 1000 visitors to arrive at the event will receive a complimentary product-packed DecoBag. This year’s show theme is ‘Build a Better Business’, with a special seminar area featuring a packed schedule of presentations on various topics to help professional decorators boost their customer base, productivity, efficiency and profitability. From making the most of social media to the benefits of professional training, and from time-saving spray painting techniques to health and safety issues, visitors will pick up plenty of top tips and valuable information on the issues affecting today’s rapidly-evolving business climate. 8 www.paintinganddecorating-

news.co.uk

Pilkington Planar glazing welcomes customers to M&S store The new Marks & Spencer site for St Helens is located literally over the road from glass manufacturer Pilkington United Kingdom’s production facility – so it’s appropriate that the firm’s glass will be welcoming customers into the store. The storefront makes use of Pilkington Planar structural glazing, a frameless system that uses countersunk stainless-steel bolts which sit flush with the external surface of the glass. This minimises their appearance without compromising the integrity of the system.The bolts are connected back to internal vertical glass fins to provide resistance against lateral loads such as the wind. The two-storey facade uses a combination of insulated double-glazed units on the upper floor and laminated single-glazing on the lower level without compromising appearance. By including double-glazing in the upper floor, the glazing has been given a lower

U-value, so less heat escapes through the glass, ensuring greater thermal efficiency while creating a comfortable space to comply with Building Regulations. Pilkington Optiwhite true low-iron glass has been used throughout, ensuring that the glazing is close to colourless, giving visitors a view through the shopfront to displays. Screen printing has been used on the units that sit in front of the steel frame and the space between floors, disguising the building’s structure and providing a clean aesthetic to the facade. This helps draw the eye towards the shopfront displays, creating a more inviting experience for customers.

8 www.pilkington.com/en-gb/uk * pilkington@respond.uk.com ( 01744

692000

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