Sustainable solutions and neutral colours are two of the themes that connect the projects in this issue’s Flooring Focus. By Toby Maxwell
Words By ToBy MaxWell
FLOORING SETS the agenda for any interior space, with the right choices providing a golden opportunity to impact perceptions of space, mood and light. That’s why getting these specification decisions right is such a key aspect of any project.
In surveying the latest flooring offerings, we have discovered a host of fascinating schemes that show just how a fine floor can be the differentiating factor. From a busy multi-use former industrial building, to revitalising the communal areas of an iconic residential development, and helping to inspire young primary school minds with a fun and enlightening interior scheme, each show the merits of paying careful attention to underfoot detail.
Plus, of course, we round up some of the most recent new product launches to help you stay right up-to-date on some of the flooring fundamentals.
The Ice Factory
London
The designer was keen to incorporate light-coloured wood to create an airy and open feel to the space. Image Credit: Peter Ghobrial Photography
THE ICE FACTORY is a multi-functional 28,923ft2 building located in the Belgravia area of central London, offering retail, workspace and the only rooftop restaurant/bar in the vicinity. A former five-storey ice factory, it was originally built in 1830 and has been sensitively adapted and preserved to offer a contemporary space suited to a busy and versatile operation.
The designer was keen to incorporate light-coloured wood to create an airy and open feel to the space. Image Credit: Peter Ghobrial Photography
Ensuring sustainability goals were met, the industrial aesthetic was maintained by architect The Workplace Partner and designer Buckley Gray Yeoman, but with additional contemporary elements throughout. Offering floor-to-ceiling windows at the front of the building, the property has plenty of natural light.
When the designer chose Havwoods to supply flooring for the project, it was keen to incorporate lightcoloured wood to create an airy and open feel to the space. The team opted for the Blanco Character boards from the Venture Plank collection for their strong, multilayered engineered construction, making them suitable for a busy commercial space with high foot traffic.
The designer was keen to incorporate light-coloured wood to create an airy and open feel to the space. Image Credit: Peter Ghobrial Photography
Brick walls and pendant lights add to the industrial feeling of the space, with pops of colour used throughout via fun and eye-catching pieces of art and foliage. A combination of lighting has been used, depending on the room’s purpose, with task lighting installed in the offices and accent lighting installed in the breakout zones. www.havwoods.com
Riverside Primary School
Perth, Scotland
Architype was keen to create a space that combined comfort, light, air quality and natural finishes with soothing colours
WITH AN AMBITIOUS target set to reduce energy costs and create a space that promoted the well-being of students, Architype specified a range of Forbo Flooring Systems’ environmentally conscious floor coverings to meet these important objectives on the new Riverside Primary School.
Based in Perth, Scotland, Riverside Primary School is the first Passivhaus-designed primary school in Scotland. Passivhaus certification and performance was a key priority for Perth and Kinross Council, with this brief informing many of the specifications made for the construction and internal finishes of the new school.
Architype was keen to create a space that combined comfort, light, air quality and natural finishes with soothing colours
Sam Boyle, associate at Architype, says: ‘With the Passivhaus standard set as a key target by Perth and Kinross council, our team had to overcome a range of design challenges to meet the stringent technical performance requirements for the accreditation. Thanks to clever specification and design choices, we were able to achieve this, with the new school estimated to reduce energy costs by 70% compared with a CIBSE typical benchmark school.
‘To meet the Passivhaus standard, it was important that the materials we put into the building were carefully chosen. This was one of the main reasons behind our use of Forbo’s flooring solutions, with its sustainability credentials and wide range of designs ideal for satisfying the project expectations.’
Architype was keen to create a space that combined comfort, light, air quality and natural finishes with soothing colours
As well as meeting the technical Passivhaus requirements, Architype was also keen to create a space that combined comfort, light, air quality and natural finishes with soothing colours. Boyle adds: ‘We really wanted to make this environment uplifting and welcoming for the students and staff, with lots of natural finishes and surfaces used to help root the school in nature. Flooring was a key part of this.
‘For example, one product we specified across the school’s circulation areas was Marmoleum Decibel in the Eiger colourway. Not only is Marmoleum Decibel an incredibly sustainable floor covering, independently certified as Climate Positive, cradle to gate, without offsetting, but it is also extremely durable, making it perfect for high-usage areas within a school. In addition to this, Marmoleum Decibel can reduce impact noise by 18dB, something which is great for a busy school environment. The Eiger colourway complemented our overall colour palette, with the dark grey stone effect design fitting in well, in addition to having dirt-hiding properties – perfect for such heavily trafficked areas.’
Architype also specified a range of Forbo’s Tessera carpet tiles in the classrooms (in Quinoa and Pasture colourways), as well as step-safety flooring choices. Boyle says: ‘Of course, safety was a top priority for this project – not only for the students, but for the staff too. That’s why we specified Forbo’s Surestep and Safestep R11 in the kitchen and wet rooms, as well as its Colorex SD anti-static vinyl in the server room and other IT rooms. All of these solutions have great safety credentials, providing R10 and R11 slip reduction ratings and Colorex SD having electrostatic discharge properties throughout its entire lifetime. We specified all three in neutral grey colourways to ensure a uniform appearance.’
Architype utilised Forbo’s Coral Duo entrance flooring in the Dark Steel colourway across all external doors and passageways, stairs and toilet entrances. The product was chosen to help prevent walked-in dirt, and to lower the risk of moisture being walked through the building, which could cause slips.
Boyle concludes: ‘For us, the real measure of any school building and interior is the influence it has on those using it and how it can positively impact the ability of students to learn, play and grow. We’re delighted with how Riverside Primary School turned out, as are the client, head teacher and all the pupils – who are very proud of their new school.’ www.forbo-flooring.co.uk
Oniro Suites
Mykonos
Countryside Lumberjack Oak flooring from Parador. Image Credit: Andreas Bekas
ONIRO SUITES is an intimate boutique hotel in the cosmopolitan island of Mykonos. Interior designer Fivos Stavrides and his team focused on a range of combinations for each of the individual spaces within the resort, with a focus on light, earthy colours, natural materials and accessories. Shown is Countryside Lumberjack Oak flooring from Parador. www.parador.de/en
Countryside Lumberjack Oak flooring from Parador. Image Credit: Andreas Bekas
CBRE HQ
London
Sustainability was a key reason why Bolon flooring was selected. Image Credit: Hufton+Crow
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE services and investments firm CBRE partnered with Lazari Investments and architecture practice MoreySmith for the extensive renovation and redevelopment of its HQ, Henrietta House. The new design aims to deliver a high-level workplace experience for both employees and clients that enables a hybrid working pattern and promotes well-being, collaboration and productivity.
Sustainability was a key reason why Bolon flooring was selected. Image Credit: Hufton+Crow
MoreySmith executed an entire redesign for the site which included a 40,500ft2 major architectural newbuild extension to the rear of the building taking the total footprint to around 144,500ft2 to accommodate approximately 2,000 employees. This expansion allowed for a larger space in a prime central London location, without the need for relocation or extensive demolition of the existing building.
Sustainability was a key reason why Bolon flooring was selected. Image Credit: Hufton+Crow
The design aims to prioritise employee well-being by maximising natural daylight and providing new amenities, including two on-site wellness studios, outside terraces, a large employee café, a library, returning new parent facilities, and a dynamic pitching suite and presentation facilities. A new ground-floor entrance and reception area includes a new dedicated lounge for visiting clients, and the installation of a new two-storey retail façade enhances the street presence on Henrietta Place and Welbeck and Wimpole Street.
Sustainability was a key reason why Bolon flooring was selected. Image Credit: Hufton+Crow
Bolon’s flooring was selected by MoreySmith for inclusion in the project with sustainability of the product a key factor in the selection decision. Bolon Ethnic Kaise in a custom tile was specified by MoreySmith for the general offices. This neutral colour has metallic yarns that reflect the natural light. Combining a soft textile with durability, it is well suited to high-traffic areas.
Bolon’s Silence Pause with acoustic backing was chosen for a few select areas of Henrietta House. The manufacturer says that this textured, structured flooring is inspired by nature, historical textiles and traditional wooden parquet patterns. The acoustic backing offers sound-insulating properties, which are well suited to office environments.
Experts from over 20 different CBRE teams advised on this project including planning, advisory and transaction, and ESG and sustainability among others. The building aims to achieve BREEAM Excellent, which recognises the building’s environmental performance as being among the top 10% of UK non-domestic buildings. In addition, the building will submit to become WELL Certified Platinum, the highest rating level in the WELL Building Standard, which would make it one of the UK’s largest WELL Platinum, fully fitted projects.
Sarah Herman, marketing director at Bolon UK, says: ‘It is always a pleasure to work with MoreySmith and so we were delighted that our flooring was chosen for this prestigious project. MoreySmith introduced us to this project at an early stage and we worked together on the design process to select semi-custom options for CBRE. After many years in the pipeline, we were thrilled to see the finished result – a hugely impressive and sustainable workplace project.’ www.bolon.com/uk
Danesmoor Group
County Durham
The space needed durable and hardwearing products that will remain in top condition and align with brand colours. Image Credit: Dave Charnley Photography
OPERATING FROM its base in County Durham, Danesmoor Group is a fifth-generation independent group of businesses specialising in the supply of products and services to the KBB industry. Having established its position as a supplier of worksurfaces and furnishings, the company required a space that reflected its expertise and prioritised employee well-being and experience. Working alongside its contractors, Danesmoor Group appointed Interface to refurbish its office space.
The client wanted to ensure the office truly represented its brand and identity as the space would be used to welcome clients and contractors. Flooring would play a crucial role in the design of the new office space, and it was key that specified products complimented the wider design scheme, which featured the company’s brand colours of dark blue and black throughout.
The space needed durable and hardwearing products that will remain in top condition and align with brand colours. Image Credit: Dave Charnley Photography
The space needed durable and hardwearing products that will remain in top condition and align with brand colours. To achieve this, the grey shades of Ebony, Haze and Shell were selected from Interface’s Works Effect collection for a border around the main workfloor to create interest with the subtle design of the Works Element tiles used across the space. The textured design of these tiles makes them an ideal option for areas of high footfall as they can hide wear and tear and stand the test of time without the need for regular replacement.
Pastel shades of Interface’s Works Effect range in Mint, Adrift, Cactus and Canyon were specified for the directors’ offices, which are situated around the main workfloor. Beyond visual appeal, the coloured tiles support wayfinding too, separating these private offices from the rest of the workspace.
For the main walkways and meeting rooms, LVT tiles from Interface’s Level Set collection were selected in Natural Woodgrains to introduce biophilic elements into the space, as well offering durability and slip resistance in these high-traffic areas, thanks to the Ceramor+ coating.
The space needed durable and hardwearing products that will remain in top condition and align with brand colours. Image Credit: Dave Charnley Photography
Breakout areas feature a herringbone design using the Brushed Lines LVT collection in four shades of blue – Deep Cobalt, Teal Oxide, Celadon and Arbella – to introduce interest to the space and create separation from the workfloors and walkways.
Donna Dent, concept designer at Interface, says: ‘Danesmoor Group was keen to put its employees at the heart of this space and wanted to avoid a corporate, dull design scheme. The wooden and blue tones of the LVT tiles were selected to introduce warmth and character to the breakout spaces, making a clear separation between spaces for focus work, collaboration and socialising, while the Works Effect collection lowers the carbon footprint of the space through the CQuestBio backing, and its unique textured design hides wear and tear, ensuring the product can stand the test of time.’
To help achieve the project’s sustainability aims, Interface opted for the Work Effects and Works Elements collections, both of which contain over 60% recycled and biobased content. The LVT Level Set and Brushed Lines collections chosen for use also contain 39% recycled content.
Graeme Smith, head of retail and commercial design at Danesmoor Group, adds: ‘We wanted to ensure that our most important stakeholders, our employees, would fully benefit from time spent in the office and ultimately provide them with a welcoming working environment. Interface’s design and sustainability expertise played a key role in enhancing the design scheme for the space, and it’s reassuring to know that the flooring is directly contributing to our internal sustainability goals.’ www.interface.com
Amtico HQ
Coventry
The space needed durable and hardwearing products that will remain in top condition and align with brand colours. Image Credit: Kenton Simons
BRITISH FLOORING designer and manufacturer Amtico marked 60 years in business with a refurbishment of its Coventry headquarters and Solihull offices – and understandably the flooring was a particular important aspect of the project, combining classic and bespoke designs from its Signature LVT collection.
As part of its sustainability journey, the brand specified the new floors with its Amtico Bio option. The bio-attributed LVT is made with PVC from renewable biomass sources, which the company says reduces carbon emissions by more than 90% compared to the manufacture of standard fossil fuel-derived PVC.
The space needed durable and hardwearing products that will remain in top condition and align with brand colours. Image Credit: Kenton Simons
Visitors to Amtico’s Coventry HQ and factory are greeted by a bespoke diamond-inspired polygon motif, created by the company’s in-house design team to honour the company’s diamond anniversary. Made with Onyx Marble and accented by Polished Gold feature stripping, the design showcases the versatility of the Signature LVT collection and Amtico’s precision cutting capabilities. The stairs feature creative touches with Tollymore Oak, Colour Edit and Onyx Marble on the risers.
Emily Higgs, designer at Amtico, says: ‘Combining classic Signature design from the past six decades with new innovations such as the Polished Gold Stripping, and a grand-scale bespoke laying pattern, the floor tells the story of Amtico’s past and present and alludes to our exciting future. This, together with the thoughtful update to our wider long-standing Coventry site, has been a wonderful way to kickstart our 60th anniversary celebrations.’
The space needed durable and hardwearing products that will remain in top condition and align with brand colours. Image Credit: Kenton Simons
At the Solihull office, the refurbished entrance features a stunning combination of Grey Burnished Metal from the Signature collection with Polished Copper feature stripping, laid in Large Parquet. The adjoining corridor, featuring Hackfall Oak laid in a Chevron pattern, extends into the ground-floor office space.
Upstairs, Amtico’s versatility is showcased upstairs with a blend of Wood and Stone laying patterns. The design morphs from Gable Parquet Large in Hackfall Oak to a combination of Onyx Marble and Grigio Classic Marble, culminating in the eye-catching Gatsby Square Large laying pattern.
The space needed durable and hardwearing products that will remain in top condition and align with brand colours. Image Credit: Kenton Simons
Holly Johnson, marketing director at Amtico, says: ‘For six decades our commitment to design and British manufacturing has allowed us to create unique and beautiful LVT flooring – our Coventry and Solihull sites reflect our craftsmanship and values as we celebrate our 60th anniversary. The designs are a testament to the quality of our LVT products, the creativity of our designers and the expertise of our CAD and manufacturing teams.’ www.amtico.com /commercial
The Lowry Hotel
Manchester
FOLLOWING A £4m refurbishment, the fivestar Lowry Hotel in Manchester has now reopened following a comprehensive makeover to its 165 rooms. With designers Goddard Littlefair and MRV Interiors behind the new design, the result is an enhanced resident experience through the introduction of new Smart TVs and wi-fi, alongside new curtains, carpets, fabrics and colour schemes throughout the bedrooms and public areas.
The hotel’s 165 rooms have undergone a comprehensive makeover
In the 2,228ft2 Presidential Suite – which cost £700,000 alone – the space has been reconfigured and redesigned to include an enlarged dressing room, large dining room, double steam shower and free-standing bath, living area and super king-size bed.
A neutral colour palette takes centre stage combining dark wood screen, curtains and rugs with a lighter, Scandi-inspired flooring from Havwoods. The Blanco 13 Character 180mm 1-Strip boards from the Venture Plank collection were chosen for their bright and airy qualities, which help to reflect light around the suite.
Elsewhere in the hotel, the Lowry’s new spa – the Re:Treat – offers visitors access to facilities including cryotherapy chamber, meditation pod and sensory deprivation tank. On arrival, guests are greeted with a large reception area and coffee bar in an earthy palette. Organic materials are at the heart of the design, from coffee-coloured leather chairs and textured tiles to the live wall with greenery and potted plants.
Havwoods’ Bergen Rustic 125mm Herringbone boards from its Henley collection run throughout the reception, resulting in an open-plan space but still with clear zones. The style of flooring helps to visually elongate the room, while the natural variations of the wood grains and knots are intended to add depth and interest to the minimalist aesthetic. www.havwoods.com
Barbican Estate
London
THE ICONIC Barbican Estate incorporates around 2,000 residential flats in the City of London. When a community of residents of Frobisher Crescent – one of 13 terrace blocks in the complex – was looking to re-carpet the communal walkways, they reviewed a number of design proposals, choosing Milliken to undertake the floor covering project.
The residents were keen to find a high-performance floor covering that would visually reflect the urban aesthetic of the Barbican’s signature brutalist architecture. Presented with a variety of proposals, they chose Milliken’s solution for a combination of its Facet and Urban Graffiti modular carpet designs.
The residents were keen to find a high-performance floor covering that would visually reflect the urban aesthetic of the Barbican’s signature brutalist architecture. Image Credit: Gareth gardner
Using modular carpet also meant that product wastage could be minimised, typically 14% compared to 65% for broadloom floor coverings. Importantly, this also saves cost and reduces the impact on the environment. The Urban Graffiti ‘rugs’ set within a field of Facet was also simple and efficient to install due to its modular format.
Facet’s tufted level loop pile construction features asymmetrical striations, designed with Milliken’s Millitron digital colour placement technology. Specified in the neutral tones of Latte, the design is installed as the main field carpet for the walkways. Set within the field carpet, large rug-style insets of Milliken’s bold and colourful Urban Graffiti design adds some drama and interest.
The residents were keen to find a high-performance floor covering that would visually reflect the urban aesthetic of the Barbican’s signature brutalist architecture. Image Credit: Gareth gardner
As part of the Comfortable Concrete Retold design collection, the multi-tile design is composed of 12 individual tile elements that come together to create one single, randomly laid design feature. Choosing Urban Graffiti’s Pastel colour combination, the residents felt that the contemporary design offered a burst of style and fun into these typically mundane spaces. Installed strategically at the main walkway intersections, the design also serves as a means of wayfinding through the building.
The Barbican terrace building’s curved form can present some potential challenges for installation of floor coverings. The scope of the project covered three floors of Frobisher Crescent’s communal walkways, each at 300m2.
The residents were keen to find a high-performance floor covering that would visually reflect the urban aesthetic of the Barbican’s signature brutalist architecture. Image Credit: Gareth gardner
Both carpet designs feature Milliken’s integral WELLBAC Comfort cushion backing. As well as absorbing much of the impact noise of people moving around the walkways, the cushion backing has been designed to feel comfortable underfoot and help absorb wear from foot traffic.
As an additional performance measure, Milliken’s OBEX Tile Entrance Flooring was installed at each entry area to prevent moisture, dirt and dust particles from residents’ footwear entering the building. www.millikenfloors.com
