External Works

“In terms of designs for timber garden chairs for this season, we’re seeing a focus on simple, solid, timeless pieces that are at once understated yet effortlessly elegant.

“Another really important trend in hardwood furniture this year is the use of reclaimed timber. If we look at teak, for example, which is probably the most sought-after hardwood for outdoor furniture because it is naturally weather resistant and so hard wearing, there have started to be a few concerns around sustainability centred on issues like overintensive logging in teak’s natural tropical rainforest habitat, or natural habitats being cleared for commercial plantations. “But reclaimed teak offers a superb alternative. Pre-used teak is readily available in its native countries, places such as India, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia, where it is extensively used in construction. Because it is so hard wearing and durable, when it is pulled off old timber frame buildings, it is still perfect for recycling to make furniture out of. A reclaimed teak garden chair makes a strong, sustainable, beautiful addition to any garden.”

At the other end of the scale from the classic teak chair, Jo Alexander is also seeing an increase in demand for a much more contemporary material for furniture - concrete. “When we think of concrete, we tend to think of tower blocks and big, imposing urban infrastructure, but in recent years some forward-thinking furniture designers have been reinventing concrete as a highly attractive material for our gardens. Polished concrete has a very appealing shine to it and makes a great choice if you want something a little more unusual for our garden.

“The concrete garden chair options we are stocking this year also show how versatile concrete can be - from industrial-looking, cubist-inspired stools to beautifully smooth giant polished ‘pebbles’ that look like they have been picked straight out of a mountain stream.”

ROOFTOP DEVELOPMENT UTILISED ON ENFIELD’S LYTCHET WAY ESTATE

Enfield Council had a pressing need for additional homes for social rent, and with no suitable land available for development, they were inspired by the solution offered by Langley Structures Ltd. This was the innovative ‘Upwardly Living’ rooftop development concept, creating new additional dwellings above existing flat roof housing stock. Enfield Council were able to utilise the single source design and supply chain offered by Langley for rooftop extensions, flat to pitched conversions and flat roofing.

The council’s Lytchet Way estate, which has a mix of three and four storey blocks, was selected and Langley undertook an in-depth feasibility study. This identified that three of these blocks were suitable for rooftop developments to create new homes on top of existing stock. The site is incredibly well positioned to support densification, having excellent transport links.

Philip Pank Partnership were commissioned by the London Borough of Enfield to provide multi disciplinary services on the project, comprising Contract Administration/Employer’s Agent, Clerk of Works and Quantity Surveying.

“We are delighted to have had the opportunity to provide these services to Enfield and to have gained invaluable experience in the procurement and delivery of the Rooftop Development concept,” commented Sophie Redding, Associate, Philip Pank Partnership.

The rooftop developments, in this case comprising single-storey extensions with light weight pitched roofs, were installed by a Langley Approved Contractor who also carried out extensive flat-to-pitch roof refurbishments on the twelve remaining blocks on the estate.

Enfield Council wanted to avoid decanting residents to temporary accommodation, as this would be a costly logistical operation as well as being disruptive to the community. These challenges were successfully overcome to ensure that the 25 new homes were considerately developed with residents in-situ throughout the entire project. Enabling works included extending the existing stairwells and services to the new fourth floor level. Langley’s off-site prefabricated floor, wall and ceiling cassettes were lifted into position and assembled on site. They were inspected on a weekly basis by Langley Technical Managers and the contract administrators, to monitor and ensure the quality of workmanship.

The lightweight, pitched framing system was covered with Langley Roman strip tiles and had sun tubes installed to utilise natural light within windowless kitchens. Photovoltaic (PV) panels were mounted at roof level to provide electricity for communal services.

A robust fire protection strategy included internal works to extend fire breaks at all existing party walls within the roof void to the underside of the roof membrane level. New service risers for electricity and gas were constructed at each end elevation, then distributed via the new roof void to the new flats below.

“Rooftop development represented a cost-effective way of adding to our housing stock without the need to acquire new land, which is often in short supply.”

- Project Manager at Enfield Council

This project supports the Government housing objectives regarding the efficient use of space to deliver new homes by building up rather than building out, using the space above existing buildings to create new homes. Support for this approach was re-iterated by the Housing Secretary in February 2018. (source: Fixing Our Broken Housing Market White Paper, Department for Communities and Local Government).

To discover more information about Rooftop Developments, view Langley’s video case study.

The video demonstrates the benefits of Rooftop Development for social housing landlords looking to develop their portfolio. It also showcases the award-winning Lytchet Way Estate, featuring time-lapse footage of the entire project. Visit: www.langleystructures.co.uk

Waterside Court is a large office development located around seven miles from Manchester City Centre. With over 40,000 square feet of office space spread over two levels, they recently needed a platform lift to enable access from the ground floor to the first floor offices.

After an initial site visit, Invalifts recommended their ‘Commercial Platform Lift.’ This platform lift has been designed for schools, restaurants, offices and public buildings, offering a high quality of finish, including an anodized aluminium platform console, braille and tactile push button, along with an ergonomically designed aluminium or stainless steel handrail on the carriage. This lift has some of the the lowest maintenance and operating costs on the market. The lift is fully Part M and Equality Act compliant and comes in a range of platform sizes to suit any requirement. With just a 50mm pit (or ramp) required, and no machine room, this lift can fit in just about anywhere. The lift was a perfect fit for Waterside Court, and has enabled accessibility for staff and visitors to the offices.

To find out more about the Commercial Platform Lift or other lift products, you can give Invalifts a call on 0845 468 2543 and speak to one of their friendly experts.