TODD Architects has announced a number of internal team promotions that have created seven new Associates with specialisms across a range of sectors, including office, residential, healthcare, education, retail and aviation. “These well-deserved promotions are part of our continued succession and business development plan, rewarding talent and experience and creating
Leading UK manufacturer Kawneer had its full range of architectural glazing systems specified for a stunning residential development at Cardiff marina. The Kawneer systems were selected for Phase One of Bayscape Ltd’s £40 million mixed-use development, which has been shortlisted for an award. “We specified Kawneer because of the need
The construction of the 3750 ft² Lake House, a contemporary new build private residence situated on a man-made island in a flooded quarry in the Cotswolds, will be overseen by Boon Brown Architects. Having been Lead Consultant and Architect from design inception through to planning and full technical design, Boon
Staticus has been appointed as the façade contractor for Royal Mint Gardens, one of the most prestigious new luxury residential developments in London, located next to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. It incorporates 263 high-specification apartments and facilities including a concierge lounge, pool, cinema and gym. Staticus is
For the refurbishment of a popular visitor attraction, the client required a single flooring solution that helped maintain the highest health and safety standards, and enhanced the aesthetics of its exotic exhibits. The seamless, non-slip Sika ComfortFloor® PS-24 system proved ideal for the project. Blue Planet Aquarium in Ellesmere Port,
Forticrete will be showcasing its innovative range of precision engineered concrete building products at the Build Show, part of UK Construction Week (October 9-11 2018). Amongst the products on display will be its Low Pitched Roof Window System and SL8® large format roof tile. Forticrete’s low pitch roof window system
Contemporary house design often focuses on the use of space and light especially if the design is bespoke. Clients that can afford it often want homes that are more integrated than they once were. Gone are separate rooms for kitchens and dining areas. These spaces are merely separated by space.
Tens of thousands of hard working British tradespeople are not being paid for the work they have done, according to a new national campaign which is gathering pace. Backed by safety workwear and footwear designers Scruffs, a petition has been launched as part of the #PayWhatYouOwe campaign, in order to
DHF (Door & Hardware Federation) has announced the creation of a new Commercial Department, established to support the organisation’s on-going growth, and in particular, its training offering. Marketing Manager, Patricia Sowsbery-Stevens, has been promoted to the post of Commercial Manager, and will oversee the new department’s development, with an emphasis
It’s been the best ever start to a year for East Midlands demolition firm AR Demolition, with record turnover and profits in the first half of 2018. In the six month period to July the company saw turnover rise by 54% compared to the same period in 2017, with year-on-year
TODD Architects has announced a number of internal team promotions that have created seven new Associates with specialisms across a range of sectors, including office, residential, healthcare, education, retail and aviation. “These well-deserved promotions are part of our continued succession and business development plan, rewarding talent and experience and creating career opportunities to keep those skills within the practice. These promotions will help us deliver our collective aim to empower future leadership by investing in our team,” said MD Paul Crowe. Michael Burns has over 20 years’ experience and has completed some of TODD’s most acclaimed buildings, including INI Belfast HQ and Queens University’s library tower. He is currently leading the delivery of major office developments in Belfast and Brighton. Martin Wylie has been working at TODD since 2015, with extensive experience in the design and construction of offices, apartments, educational, and healthcare buildings. He is currently engaged in a number of high profile schemes including the Gate, a 20 storey student residential development in Sheffield. John Palmer is based at TODD’s Dublin office, and is responsible for all aspects of project delivery spanning a range of sectors including residential, healthcare, education and commercial and custodial. John has a specialist interest in Passivhaus standards, energy conservation and green building technologies. Brona Marshall has over 20 years’ experience working on projects in sectors including commercial, aviation, media, sports and particularly education. Brona has recently been involved in a master planning development project for Bristol Airport that will facilitate the anticipated capacity increase in passenger numbers initially to 12 million passengers per annum. With over 13 years’ experience across multiple sectors including healthcare, education, commercial and residential, Jonathan Thompson has a wide experience working with clients, contractors, sub-contractors and regulating authorities across the UK, Ireland and the Middle East. Jonathon is leading the design of Queens University’s prestigious new School of Management building. Having joined TODD’s in 2012, Bobby Moore has become an integral part of the practice’s education team, regularly working on feasibility studies, competitions and tender submissions. Currently Bobby is working on Holy Family Special needs school in Cootehill, County Cavan where the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar has just cut the first sod. Heading the residential housing team, Shaun Hegarty has more than 17 years of experience in the area and has completed a multiplicity of schemes for both private sector and Housing Association clients. Shaun also fronts TODD’s involvement in the RNLI framework, supporting RPS on the delivery of works to the RNLI’s coastal and inland lifeboat stations throughout Ireland and Scotland.
Leading UK manufacturer Kawneer had its full range of architectural glazing systems specified for a stunning residential development at Cardiff marina. The Kawneer systems were selected for Phase One of Bayscape Ltd’s £40 million mixed-use development, which has been shortlisted for an award. “We specified Kawneer because of the need for a high-quality and trusted product. Crisp detailing was important in the overall design concept and aluminium was essential for the marine environment,” said Andrew Baker, Director of Rio, award-winning architects who have used Kawneer systems on numerous projects. The two blocks of luxury apartments – Whitewater House and Waterford House – both used Kawneer’s AA®100 mullion-drained curtain walling with 50mm sightlines, thermally superior AA®720 tilturn and side-hung casement windows, and AA®545 open-out swing doors. Whitewater House, so named because it also overlooks Cardiff International White Water Centre, was first to complete, offering 56 generously-proportioned one, two and three- bedroom apartments including two penthouses. Meanwhile, Bayscape offers a total of 115 apartments, with optional private moorings, across seven and eight-storeys of apartments which are joined by an elevated garden podium. The ground floors feature a coffee shop, waterside bar and restaurant, commercial/retail units and marina management facility. The luxury apartments, which all feature private balconies or terraces, start at £175,000 and range from up to 624 ft2 for a one-bed, 990 ft2 for two bedrooms and 1,119 ft2 for a typical three-bedroom. Residents also benefit from undercroft parking, a concierge service and lift access to all floors. The impressive floor to ceiling double glazing in every apartment ensures they are light and airy and residents can enjoy the stunning views. The Kawneer systems were installed over five months by a team of up to eight operatives from approved dealer Dudley’s Aluminium for main contractor BECT Building Contractors. Dudley’s, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, also worked with Kawneer and BECT on another Cardiff project – One Canal Parade. Bayscape was shortlisted for residential development of the year in the 2018 Wales Insider Property Awards.
The construction of the 3750 ft² Lake House, a contemporary new build private residence situated on a man-made island in a flooded quarry in the Cotswolds, will be overseen by Boon Brown Architects. Having been Lead Consultant and Architect from design inception through to planning and full technical design, Boon Brown will continue to work with the client to administer the build contract and ensure every detail of Lake House is delivered to specification. “Right from the outset, our client demanded a bold, high specification design with a strong visual connection with the lake. We applied our experience in bespoke residential design with commercial scale architecture to explore original solutions and create the architecture and language the client sought. The form, layout and technical detailing will deliver expansive views of the lake unhindered by the distraction of structural elements, window framing or railings,” explained Craig Jones, Architectural Director at Boon Brown. The new build’s reinforced concrete frame will enable large column-free spans whilst maintaining a slim flat-slab floor construction and low storey height. Exposed concrete is largely left fair faced internally in an honest expression of the structure. The elevational design expresses a light, modular clad ground floor with a high percentage of energy performance glazing and black glass spandrel cladding, allowing the first floor to visually float above a reflective base. The upper floor directs views over the lake, with the master bedroom having a stunning 6m by 3m frameless corner-glazed floor to ceiling picture window. The upper floor cladding incorporates larch vertical strips to the main form, matching surrounding buildings and being sensitive to the woodland setting, whilst the expressive parts are sheathed in black render. Meanwhile, the minimalist interior required exceptional design coordination with building services to ensure systems are discreet and complement the interior. A VRF refrigerant comfort cooling system serves fan coil units unobtrusively built into each habitable room and coordinated with fit-out furniture. The building fabric is highly insulated, and the underfloor heating is via water source heat pump, taking advantage of the lake setting. The central ventilation system incorporates heat recovery and tempered fresh air supply. Lake House is a family home at The Lakes by Yoo, a disused quarry site that has been flooded to create sculptured island plots for individual dwellings. The accommodation is divided over three floors, with all the principal rooms enjoying the south-westerly view over the lake. In addition to five bedrooms, living, dining and media rooms, there is a roof level reading room that connects to a terrace and hydropool.
Staticus has been appointed as the façade contractor for Royal Mint Gardens, one of the most prestigious new luxury residential developments in London, located next to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. It incorporates 263 high-specification apartments and facilities including a concierge lounge, pool, cinema and gym. Staticus is one of the largest façade contractors in Northern Europe and responsible for the iconic look of several new builds in London, Manchester and Liverpool. Over the next six months, the company will install more than 13,000 square metres of unitised façade Panels across the building. Unitised façade comprises pre-fabricated panels, designed and manufactured to order and delivered direct to site for faster installation; a cost-efficient method, and factory quality control, makes it increasingly popular in the UK. Established 20 years ago in Lithuania, Staticus owns a 14,000 square metre factory that can operate up to 12 production lines at the same time. The company is therefore ideally positioned to deliver the Royal Mint Gardens contract as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for façade engineering from initial concept and design to manufacture and installation. “We are both excited and deeply proud to be part of the development of this historic area in London, which is close to The Royal Mint, the origin of British coin production,” said Staticus’ UK MD Paulius Gurksnys. “We love to innovate and will realise this project with a number of unique solutions including frameless façade elements hanging on tension rods with horizontal glass fins and a spider glass fixing system. It is going to look very special indeed.” With offices in Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and now London, Staticus is growing its presence in the UK, with recent projects including the X1 Media City towers in Manchester and the Aspire Point Tower in Stratford, East London. Paulius continued: “We utilise advanced research, methods and technology to help create visually stunning smart buildings, where people can live and work in harmony with the environment. This latest project at Royal Mint Gardens is a real coup for Staticus and strengthens our position in the UK façade market.” For more information, please visit www.staticus.com.
For the refurbishment of a popular visitor attraction, the client required a single flooring solution that helped maintain the highest health and safety standards, and enhanced the aesthetics of its exotic exhibits. The seamless, non-slip Sika ComfortFloor® PS-24 system proved ideal for the project. Blue Planet Aquarium in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire is home to Europe’s largest collection of sharks, as well as a host of stunning sea-life such as rays, otters and tortoises. Due to the differing floor finishes throughout the attraction’s ‘Venom’ display area, the client required a single flooring solution that made for a clearer, lessconfusing viewing experience for visitors. The new floor had to offer high levels of slip resistance on account of over-spray from a nearby cascading waterfall feature creating wet surface areas, hence the specification of Sika ComfortFloor® PS-24, a tough, solvent-free, polyurethane, seamless system. Contractor, Mike Thelwell Flooring, was selected to install the new surface, which had to be built-up in places to correct the removed floor’s differing heights. As well as its robust resistance to heavy footfall and slippage – even when flooring becomes wet – Sika ComfortFloor® PS-24’s decorative properties were crucial to its specification. It is available in a wide range of bespoke colours to suit all environments, with the client choosing a two-tone effect to create an ‘earthy’ feel in the aquarium’s Venom area. The system’s seamless aspect provided another appealing feature, as it makes the flooring simple to clean and hygiene standards easier to uphold in busy, commercial spaces. Mike Thelwell, Director at Mike Thelwell Flooring, said: “The project was complex and specific to the client’s requirements, but Sika ComfortFloor® PS-24 ensured challenges were easily overcome. We worked closely with Sika and the client to ensure the surface was fitted within the agreed timeframe. We are extremely proud of the floor we’ve provided for this popular attraction. Our team’s installation skills, in conjunction with Sika’s superb floor system, made for a very successful project.” With the Sika ComfortFloor® PS-24 system, which comprises Sikafloor®-3000 and Sikafloor®-300, two-part elastic, aliphatic, low-VOC, self-smoothing polyurethane resins, the aquarium has been furnished with a surface that looks as good as it performs. Non-slip, smooth and stylish, the new floor succeeds on many levels, helping enhance the visitor experience for the many thousands of people who cross the attraction’s threshold throughout the year.
Forticrete will be showcasing its innovative range of precision engineered concrete building products at the Build Show, part of UK Construction Week (October 9-11 2018). Amongst the products on display will be its Low Pitched Roof Window System and SL8® large format roof tile. Forticrete’s low pitch roof window system has been specifically developed to enable roof windows to be installed at pitches as low as 10° – much lower than many other systems, when used with Forticrete’s Centurion roof tile. Designed primarily for single storey extensions, the revolutionary system includes a patented two-piece tray drainage flow system. This stops water pooling and leaking by collecting water running under the tiles, dispersing it and controlling its flow into the guttering with no overshoot. The SL8 roof tile is another innovation designed to meet the increasing demands of the roofing market. With just 8 tiles per square metre needed it provides greater coverage with approximately 20% less tiles required per roof. It also has the visual characteristics of natural slate with benefits that no other interlocking tile can match. John Lambert, Managing Director of Forticrete, says the Build Show is the ideal opportunity to discover Forticrete’s range of products. He comments: “With well documented waiting times for popular building products, and margins being squeezed, we’re actively encouraging everybody in the supply chain to look at the alternatives, such as products made from concrete. Our precision engineered range includes products which are revolutionary in design and meet the growing demands of the construction sector. By considering materials that are sustainable, durable and have a more competitive price point, it provides a win-win for everyone in the supply chain.” Forticrete, part of Ibstock plc, is a leading manufacturer of concrete roof tiles, architectural masonry and walling and cast stone. Visit Forticrete at Stand B642 or visit www.forticrete.co.uk.
Contemporary house design often focuses on the use of space and light especially if the design is bespoke. Clients that can afford it often want homes that are more integrated than they once were. Gone are separate rooms for kitchens and dining areas. These spaces are merely separated by space. The same can be said of other features such as staircases. One look at contemporary staircases online and it is clear that spiral staircases are the new normal. Not only do they allow access to the upper levels but are very much a design feature. With this in mind, let us take a look at how to design a house with a big garden. Bringing the Garden into the Home When the garden is large and spacious it becomes a design feature. Unlike smaller homes where the garden is defined, a house can be created to give panoramic and 360-degree views of the garden. This calls for big windows letting the outside colours and light come into the home. Landscaping It is important that the feel of the garden matches the architectural style of the house. For example, the house might be of a traditional, stately home design. As such hedges, clipped lawns, and statues may fit well in the garden. Should the house be more modern a more modern approach to the garden will be needed. As with all things balance and a blend is required to avoid the space looking disjointed. Features As the garden gives more room to work and be creative, you can utilise this to allow for better features for the house. Consider using features such as balconies and glass to maximise views. Good use of living space can really bring the house alive. Adding features such as outdoor stair kits can make the garden accessible from different places and the house accessible from the garden. Consider using them to utilise the space and add features. Think about what can be seen in the garden from the house. You might want a water feature to be visible or the view beyond the garden might be breathtaking and awe-inspiring. Both of these things add value to a home. Also, good design can hide views which are less savoury. Split level gardens are a good way to partition off different areas without putting up obtrusive fences and other physical barriers. This allows you to make a social, kids, and other areas clear which is heaven sent for most families. Lighting Lighting is important on a number of levels when the garden is a large space. You want the main living areas to be positioned to get the most light and any design should incorporate this. You also want to ensure that the position of the house does not block out light to parts of the garden that need it, such as flowerbeds and vegetable patches. With good design houses and gardens can merge together to make amazing living spaces. A little thought, a little creativity can work wonders to produce the best homes on both an aesthetic and practical level.
Tens of thousands of hard working British tradespeople are not being paid for the work they have done, according to a new national campaign which is gathering pace. Backed by safety workwear and footwear designers Scruffs, a petition has been launched as part of the #PayWhatYouOwe campaign, in order to highlight the crippling consequences of unpaid invoices in the construction industry. A spokesperson at Scruffs said: “Tradespeople are now increasingly at risk of severe financial burdens and pressure on their businesses, as invoices are delayed or disputed by customers. Imagine if your workplace refused to pay your salary. How would you pay your household bills, the mortgage and your general cost of living? “Our construction professionals work incredibly hard, through rain or shine, building our roads, fixing our homes and making our towns and cities nicer places to live – they deserve better than this.” The petition, which at the time of writing has 183 signatures and is growing, acknowledges the severity of the issue, reminding supporters of the industry’s worth, which equates to nearly £164bn in the UK alone. To enforce change, the petition seeks to provide tradespeople – particularly those who are self-employed – with more robust support. This could include establishing more rights for tradespeople, when it comes to chasing invoices long beyond their due date, and introducing enforceable fines for unpaid bills to deter any unnecessary late payments. The petition goes on to acknowledge that over the past 20 years the media has been flooded with stories of cowboy builders not completing work and letting people down. However, delve a little deeper and in the majority of cases the reality for tradespeople is completely the opposite. The spokesperson continued: “Our #PayWhatYouOwe campaign, which kicked off with a campaign video on Facebook, has already reached more than 800,000 people [21 September 2018]. It is about more than encouraging quicker payments. It’s about respect.” If you want to support the petition and help to give our tradespeople more rights, visit https://www.change.org/p/government-tradespeople-aren-t-being-paid-more-rights-as-they-appeal-to-people-to-paywhatyouowe. For more information about Scruffs and the #paywhatyouowe campaign, visit www.scruffs.com.
DHF (Door & Hardware Federation) has announced the creation of a new Commercial Department, established to support the organisation’s on-going growth, and in particular, its training offering. Marketing Manager, Patricia Sowsbery-Stevens, has been promoted to the post of Commercial Manager, and will oversee the new department’s development, with an emphasis on streamlining training course booking processes and delivering the very best service and value to its members. With responsibility for overseeing both marketing and training functions, Patricia, who has worked at DHF for three years, will be tasked with taking the trade association’s training department ‘to the next level’, including offering online booking facilities for all training courses and ensuring that new entrants into the industry are presented with the opportunity to become proficient with the necessary accreditations, qualifications, such as NVQ, and CSCS cards. DHF, established in 1897 and committed to raising standards, is renowned industry-wide as the ‘go to’ place for technical advice and training. Regarded as a ‘centre of excellence’ with an expert team of professionals that can provide help and support across all sectors, DHF’s distinguished training programmes provide delegates with a deeper understanding of legislation affecting supply, installation, maintenance and repair. To date, more than 2300 delegates have successfully completed one of its four training courses and earlier this month, DHF moved its head office premises to ‘The Barn’ at ‘Shuttington Fields Farm’, a larger office space with a state-of-the-art Training Academy, demonstrating its continued commitment to training. “Training remains one of DHF’s biggest growth areas,” says Patricia. “The creation of a new Commercial Department will enable us to co-ordinate and restructure our training offering to ensure our programmes continue to provide both members and non-members with the support, technical expertise, information and knowledge they need to operate in their chosen sector, successfully and compliantly. Currently, DHF has four training courses on offer: the well-established two-day Diploma courses for Automated Gates and Industrial & Garage Doors, the one-day Industrial & Garage Door Certificate course, and now the recently-launched one-day Automated Gate Safety certificate course. Additionally, DHF will continue to work with BRE on the Fire Door Inspection training courses. I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to develop this department and look forward to a new and exciting chapter in DHF’s continuing expansion.” “Patricia has more than proved her value as a key member of DHF’s senior management team; she was therefore the logical choice for taking the association’s training provision forward,” said DHF’s CEO, Bob Perry. “In a year that has seen tremendous growth and a move to improved office facilities, we look forward to the next stage for DHF and congratulate Patricia on her new position.” For further information about DHF’s training provision, please visit: https://www.dhfonline.org.uk/training.htm
It’s been the best ever start to a year for East Midlands demolition firm AR Demolition, with record turnover and profits in the first half of 2018. In the six month period to July the company saw turnover rise by 54% compared to the same period in 2017, with year-on-year gross profit increasing by 18%. The figures follow significant investment in new plant and machinery, including £1.5m spent on three new cutting-edge high reach Kiesel machines last year after previous investment of £1m in 2016. Following a period of restructuring and stabilisation, AR Demolition’s managing director Richard Dolman said he was happy with the direction in which the company, based in Carlton near Nuneaton, is now moving. “We didn’t perform as well as I’d have liked in 2017,” he said, “so we’ve worked hard to improve all areas of the business. I’m delighted with how quickly we’ve noticed such a dramatic improvement in financial performance. “Earlier this year we appointed a new board, including a financial director and a commercial director, and we’re currently looking for an operations director to join the team. “We’re introducing some new processes and procedures across all our departments, including some cutting-edge improvements in communications and reporting, as well as strong governance and controls. “It’s all had a dramatic impact on our bottom line. We have seen record turnover and profit for the first half of this year and in turn we have seen strong growth in our forward order book, with much of the custom being repeat business.” In May, AR Demolition was named in the prestigious ‘1000 Companies To Inspire Britain’ report, released annually by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). The report celebrates the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). To qualify, company’s revenue between £6 million and £250 million, be operating for at least three years and be among the fastest-growing in their industry sector. Mr Dolman said that he and the leadership team at AR Demolition were keen to develop the company into a new type of demolition contractor, one where quality, safety and innovation – particularly in terms of sustainability and recruitment – were placed at the forefront. He said: “This improved financial performance opens up many opportunities for growth in terms of diversification, new customers, and the continued implementation of innovative techniques. “By helping to advise on and implement better methods of recycling, our industry can make dramatic improvements in the construction sector’s reduction of its carbon footprint. “We’re pioneering the first ever master’s degree in demolition at the University of Wolverhampton and we’re working closely with local schools and colleges to offer work experience and placements so we can find and retain the best talent out there. “And by investing in the Kiesel machines, which provides our clients with the benefits of massive operational efficiencies, as well as helping with carbon reduction, we are implementing innovative technology which showcases the future of AR Demolition and the industry as a whole.”