A CONTEMPORARY TWIST
Modern flooring from Desso has helped to transform historic Drill Hall Library at Chatham Maritime.
Drill Hall Library is a modern student resource and computing centre in a grade II listed building for the three Universities at Medway partners, the University of Greenwich, the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University. But its historic origins extend back to 1902, when the Drill Hall was first built.
Originally designed as part of the Royal Navy Barracks in Chatham, the Navy would use the space for training exercises in bad weather. Since Drill Hall’s reopening in 2006, the library has become a focal point for the Medway University partners, evolving into both a place of study and meeting point for students.
The striking Drill Hall Library sits in Chatham Maritime, north of Maidstone in Kent, with a spacious and light space, complete with metal beams and exposed brick. To contrast its industrial image, a modern and sleek look was chosen – which is why flooring contractor Elite Flooring turned to Desso (part of Tarkett) to provide high-quality flooring that could provide a healthy environment for a recent refurbishment.
Desso installed 2,000m2 of DESSO
AirMaster Blend 9980 – a structured loop pile carpet tile that brings a strong design look, as well as health and wellbeing and functional benefits. Ash and charcoal shades of grey in a flowing pattern allow the brightly coloured furniture to stand out and the books to take centre stage. The dynamic carpet tiles also provide the perfect backdrop for breakout spaces, where collaboration is encouraged.
For a library full of books and computer equipment that tend to attract dust, installing a carpet tile that would improve indoor air quality was paramount, particularly due to the large open plan layout. DESSO AirMaster was chosen for its ability to reduce the concentration of fine dust indoors eight times more effectively than hard flooring, and four times better than standard carpet. This was found from tests performed at the
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Drill Hall Library offers a space for quiet and silent study, and needed a carpet tile that would aid this environment, helping to keep noise under control. DESSO AirMaster was a way to improve the acoustics of the building, as well as provide an area for peaceful contemplation – ideal for concentration.
Dave Puplett, Drill Hall Library Manager, Universities at Medway, commented: “The DESSO AirMaster Blend has been great in our very busy Drill Hall Library. Its’ modern look has been very well received with our student population, it has excellent environmental qualities, and it’s hard-wearing enough to withstand everything that we’ve thrown at it. It’s worked so well that we’ve now used the same carpet tiles in our Pilkington Building teaching rooms.”
www.desso.co.uk www.tomorrowscontractfloors.com
laboratory of the independent German test institute GUI, which specialises in the analysis of indoor and outdoor air quality. The trials assessed DESSO AirMaster versus standard PVC hardfloor and versus standard structured loop pile carpet.
With a steady flow of students, heavy wear and tear is to be expected. It was important for Drill Hall Library to have durable flooring that would clean well and be resistant to stains. DESSO AirMaster, one of Desso’s more innovative carpet tiles, is a hardwearing product that is specially designed to meet these conditions.
“For a library full of books and computer
equipment that tend to attract dust, installing a carpet tile that would improve indoor air
quality was paramount.”
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