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When the University of South Wales was looking to expand its on-site chiropractic clinic, architecture and design practice Stride Treglown was appointed to carry out the works. To achieve the sustainability principles included in the brief, a number of Forbo Flooring Systems’ floorcoverings were specified, including its Allura Flex vinyl using the innovative IOBAC MagTab system.
Ranked among the top 50 UK universities in the Guardian University Guide 2026, the University of South Wales (USW) prioritises hands-on learning, with state-of-the-art facilities. Most recently, this has seen the construction of a new £6m chiropractic clinic, home to the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic (WIOC). The two-storey building includes 26 treatment rooms, seminar spaces, DXA (bone density) and diagnostic ultrasound facilities, openly accessible for both students and the public.
Marié Nevin, project architect at Stride Treglown, commented: “Our brief involved the design and delivery of the new clinic space, with sustainability at the brief’s core. The university has pledged to achieve Net Zero by 2040 and so the incorporation of environmentally conscious finishes was very important. As well as using a blue green roof and solar panels, the interior finishes also contributed to the creation of an environmentally conscious space.”
Supporting Stride Treglown was interior designer Kenton Simons who was tasked with delivering the initial concept design, as he explained: “When approaching any project, I first work to find a narrative and a solid basis to then build the design around. Given the building’s function as a chiropractic clinic, my focus was on flow and movement. Biophilia was another design pillar, reflecting chiropractic care being a holistic medicine that seeks to treat the whole body and not just the origin of pain. I chose to select a combination of natural, muted tones and colours, helping to create a sense of calm. It was important to me that walls and floor surfaces sat back in the overarching scheme, to be present but not overpowering.
“Sustainability was a key part of the brief, with the university wanting the internal space to be fully reconfigurable in the future. In many ways, this flexibility is as just important from a sustainability standpoint as the sourcing of materials, ensuring that the interior can be adapted as the building’s needs change, rather than being thrown away. It was here that the conversation started around raised access flooring.”
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