surfaces - flooring
in br ie f
• Polyflor selected for endoscopy unit
designer, combined with C4’s research into the effects of colour and texture, identified that pastel colours were associated with a calming effect for the children, while greys were considered neutral.
“As such, we looked to keep to those colours wherever possible,” said Pass. “The challenge was therefore to find easily-cleanable, resilient and subtle- patterned flooring which could be used in multiple locations while also meeting stringent Building Control and Health Technical Memorandum standards.” Forbo’s flocked flooring, Flotex Penang in Grey, was installed throughout the public area, in each of the assessment suites, meeting rooms and family areas.
Accidents can happen The semi-plain Penang design from the Flotex Colour range offers a subtle linear effect with no pattern repeats, reducing wastage and making installation easier.
Its unique construction also provides the comfort and warmth of a carpet, combined with the cleanability and durability of a resilient floor, which is particularly important in an environment for children, where accidents can happen. Pass said: “Caudwell Children is working towards receiving NHS referrals, which means that the assessment suite areas needed to meet specific Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) standards.
“The chosen flooring also needed to be easy to clean and have minimal jointing. Therefore, Flotex was ideal as it comes in a 2m-wide roll which meant that it could be easily installed. In addition, its subtle and non-repeating pattern was crucial to the product’s selection in these areas due to the children’s perception of their environment.”
The flooring also had to meet Building Regulations Part E and BB93 requirements governing audio privacy and reverberation, both of which are a significant distracting stimuli for children with neuro-developmental conditions. As such the design team looked to exceed all current acoustic requirements for room-to-room sound
36
healthcaredm.co.uk
transmission and reverberation. “Flotex sheet offers up to 20dB impact noise reduction and assists in reducing reverberation times in the key areas,” said Pass.
Versatile and tactile
“While traditional carpet may have been able to offer this, they would not have been easily cleanable or available on a roll, which was critical for HTM compliance.
“This was a significant benefit in the
product’s favour and, when presented to the client, we knew that the versatile and tactile nature of the floor covering was a perfect fit for the demanding criteria we had to meet.” Forbo’s Allura Wood Luxury Vinyl Tile
(LVT) in Blue Pastel Oak was selected for the main corridors of the public area. The assessment suites and breakout spaces lead off from the corridors, so the variation of flooring will enable the children to differentiate each space and aid with wayfinding.
Beswick said: “The design of the CICC was a highly-complex process, incorporating multiple criteria which intersected with different elements of the building’s layout and intended usage. “The flooring choice had to meet the demands of a high-traffic, clinical environment while offering specific design elements that would contribute to the overall atmosphere we wanted to create.”
www.forbo-flooring.co.uk www.c4projects.co.uk
Polyflor’s Expona Commercial and Polysafe Arena flooring ranges were selected for the new Community Health Clinic in Bicester, an expansion of InHealth’s Oxfordshire community endoscopy service. Installed by The Commercial Flooring Co of Bicester, Polyflor Expona Commercial in ‘Blue Recycled Wood’ was used for the staffroom and kitchen area, with the shade ‘Painted Cement’ installed across the reception and entrance. Polysafe Arena PUR in the shade ‘Linen’ was fitted in the corridors, toilets, and laboratory areas.
www.polyflor.com
www.inhealthgroup.com
• Donation helps bereaved parents
Altro has donated its Wood Safety Comfort and Pisces flooring products for a new family and quiet room at the Royal Alexandra maternity hospital in Paisley. Funded by SiMBA, a charity supporting families who have lost a baby; the family room provides an area for parents who are experiencing bereavement to stay from induction to delivery and postnatal care. Altro Pisces in ‘Beach Hut’ shade was used for the en-suite, while Altro Wood Safety Comfort has been installed in the main rooms as a contrast to the furniture finish.
www.altro.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57
