Architects Reap the Rewards of Getting Style Involved Early
2013-07-29
Architects, specifiers, contractors and end-user clients are being encouraged to involve Style as early as possible in the design of flexible room arrangements, in order to enjoy the best possible solution.
According to Style’s group managing director, Julian Sargent, some of the most innovative moveable wall solutions that Style has installed have been ones where its in-house design team has been involved early.
“If we take, for example, the curved wall that we installed for the London HQ for CMC Markets,” said Julian. “Here we worked with architects Pringle Brandon to create an elliptical client seminar room. This required the panels to be sent to Denmark, home to the only facility in Europe with the technology to form the desired curvature. Each panel had to be immersed in heated sand where it was then machine-bent over a 24hr period.
“Another great example is at Henderson Global, where we were specified by Pringle Brandon. At their 125,000 sq ft HQ in Bishopsgate, we were tasked with delivering a fully automatic partitioning system using Priva-Lite privacy glass to create five separate meeting areas. The Skyfold vertical-folding partition, for which Style is the sole UK distributor, was the only solution with the adaptability to incorporate Priva-Lite, although all sixty-four glass panels had to be shipped in from the US in 3m lengths as they were not available in the right specification in the UK.
“And in Scotland, our team devised the first horizontally moving, fully automatic partitioning system for St. Joseph’s Primary School in Dundee. With each panel weighing 450kg and a ceiling height of 5000mm, Duncan Myers, a senior architect for Dundee city council, had concerns about school staff manually handling the panels which is why we devised a fully automatic process simply involving the push of a button.”
On the case studies page of Style’s web site, there are numerous examples of breathtaking projects which involve some very clever thinking. At Lockton, the world’s largest privately owned, independent insurance brokerage firm, Style had to deliver a high performance, acoustic moveable partition.
To achieve the client’s required high level of acoustic integrity, Style was involved at the construction stage, attaching the head-track directly to the building structure to successfully minimise flanking through the ceiling cavity.
At every step of installation, consideration had to be given as to how the facility may be used and the consequent impact on the direction and level of noise through, over and around the partition. A semi-automatic sliding partitioning system was recommended, ensuring the seals between the panels are tightened to optimum levels to provide a good acoustic barrier, whilst a telescopic end panel was installed to create a flush finish. The plasterboard encasement within the ceiling void was sealed with specialist acoustic mastic to cut flanking at ceiling level, and finally Rekton sound absorbing boards were applied to one side of the partition wall to improve the internal room acoustics.
“We have a team of incredibly talented designers with a wealth of experience, across all of our five regional offices,” said Julian. “If you have a particular challenge creating flexible space, meeting acoustic standards or you are facing a difficult room design, please talk to us and we’ll help find the best solution.”
For more information, please contact your nearest Style office.
