EVENTS Save the date. The world of carpet tiles with David Breen # 3 / MAY 15 GOT TO BE THERE

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1 GOT TO BE THERE # 3 / MAY 15 EVENTS 2015 Save the date 6-7 May 2015 ARCHITECT@WORK ZÜRICH, SWITZERLAND 1-3 June 2015 CALA SANTA CLARA, USA 18 August 2015 FEDERAL PROJECT DELIVERY SYMPOSIUM WASHINGTON DC, USA June 2015 FM SHOW EXCEL, LONDON, UK 23 June 2015 PUBLIC SECTOR SHOW EXCEL, LONDON, UK 4-5 October 2015 ARCHITECTURE EXPO RDS, DUBLIN 4, IRELAND Visit Forbo at stand N1150 Register here: May 2015 TARGI PALIW WARSAW, SWITZERLAND Visit Forbo at stand 242 in the Energy, Facilities and Property Zone Register here: registration 2-5 June 2015 EFMA OF BC BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA Visit Forbo at stand D7 Register here: August FOOD & HOSPITALITY DUBLIN, IRELAND The world of carpet tiles with David Breen May 2015 AIA CONVENSION ATLANTA, USA 7-9 June 2015 CHES BC 2015 CONF. WHISTLER, USA SEPTEMBER 2015 HLM MONTPELLIER, FRANCE May 2015 REINRAUMLOUNGE STUTTGART, GERMANY 8 June 2015 LEADING AGE WA CONF. WHISTLER, USA SEPTEMBER 2015 TRAKO GDAÑSK, POLAND May 2015 SANTÉ ET AUTONOMIE PARIS, FRANCE May 2015 BALTIMATEC ALGER, ALGERIA May 2015 TEC WARSZAWA, POLAND June 2015 ARCHITECT@WORK WIEN, AUSTRIA June 2015 NEOCON CHICAGO, USA June PREMIER BREAKTHROUGHS CONFERENCE MARYLAND, USA September INDENTEX DUBLIN, IRELAND 30 September 1 October LEAGUE of CA NORTHERN SAN JOSE, USA October NURSING HOMES DUBLIN, IRELAND INSPIRATION An adventure in modular design and creative innovation. CREATING BETTER ENVIRONMENTS Sustainability is a key aspect of beautifully designed entrance flooring.

2 # 3 / MAY 15 ArchEdition aims to be a platform to keep you abreast of the latest news and events in the architectural and design community which have influenced us and which we hope will be of interest to you. More information is available on our website at Inside ArchEdition 4 INSPIRATION Merantine Paree, Design. The modularity trend. 16 ARCHIDEA INTERVIEW David Page interviewed by Archidea about his caring design for the Maggie s Centre, Inverness. ARCHEDITION Sister publication to ARCHIDEA EDITORIAL OFFICE Forbo Flooring UK Ltd, Den Road, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, KY1 2SB EDITOR Julie Dempster COVER PHOTOGRAPH Marmoleum modular lines t5218, t5231, t3573, t5232 PRINTED ON This publication has been printed on Essential Silk using vegetable inks. Essential Silk is a paper produced using an elemental chlorine free (ECF) process within a mill that is committed to applying an environmental protection policy, in accordance with ISO standard and EMAS regulation and has been certified by the forest stewardship council (FSC). 8 GOT TO BE THERE Forbo at Clerkenwell Design Week a not to be missed annual event. Spotlight feature 10 A DAY IN THE LIFE David Breen chats about his role as Carpet Tiles Product Manager. 14 CREATING BETTER ENVIRONMENTS New Tuftiguard Bamboo the natural choice. 20 THE BUZZ John Lewis Partnership 150th Anniversary celebration chair design. 22 THE BUZZ Fly Forbo the 2013 / 2014 runner up s story. 26 HOW IT S MADE Flotex flocked flooring that s durable and comfortable, quiet yet hygienic, warm, washable, safe and sound absorbing. Back Cover GOT TO BE THERE Events Diary for DIGITAL You are receiving this copy of ArchEdition as a result of an active subscription to ArchIdea (ArchEdition s Sister publication) or having previously contacted Forbo Flooring UK Ltd (or a subsidiary company, holding company, or associated company) ( Forbo ) over the last 24 months expressing an interest in purchasing goods or services from Forbo. As part of our Creating Better Environments campaign we have created a digital version of ArchEdition, should you wish to receive this bi-annual magazine digitally instead please visit or alternatively, should you no longer wish to receive ArchEdition from Forbo Flooring UK Ltd please visit Image above: Marmoleum modular lines 100cm x 25 cm 5218 ARCHEDITION 3

3 INSPIRATION MERANTINE PAREE The modularity trend takes on a new meaning with the approach of this young, versatile designer. ArchEdition asked Meratine, Forbo s Design Manager in the Netherlands about her design inspirations and her work with Forbo, most recently Marmoleum Modular a new concept in linoleum tiles and planks. Q What do you find really exciting/ inspirational in design at the moment? A I have known his work but have just recently met Lex Pott in person. He starts his research with the very origin of natural materials. It is very inspiring to find the similarities between his work with oxidized metals and the oxidation of linseed oil and resin we use to create our linoleum. Nature is a wonderful inspiration for surprising, but familiar colour combinations. The colours of polished and oxidized copper are wonderful examples. Q Perhaps a little bit about your history what you did before working for Forbo? A The path that brought me to Forbo is quite remarkable. I have a Masters degree in Business Administration, a Bachelors degree in Dramatic Arts and am currently finishing a Masters in Design Management. Until recently I combined my work at Forbo with writing theatre plays. I find great pleasure in creating an experience that tickles the imagination of the audience. In a way that is also what I try to achieve with my work at Forbo, creating better environments. Q What are your design interests outside of work? A I get my daily shot of flooring inspiration on Instagram. With #ihavethisthingwithfloors people from all over the world post the most amazing floors in a refreshing view from the top, with just the shoes of the photographer to provide some reference of the scale. And living in Amsterdam, I have an endless source of art right around the corner. One of my favourite paintings is Rosy-Fingered Dawn at Louise Point, by Willem de Kooning, which is exhibited in the Stedelijk Museum. It has an amazing colour palette. I enjoy travelling. Meeting people from different cultures and experiencing life out of your comfort zone opens your heart and mind. And I find it very liberating to travel through the rough beauty of untouched nature. Q Where or what have you taken design inspiration from recently? A New digital opportunities enrich the technical possibilities in design and improve the time to market for producers. But some designers are deliberately taking a step back. Time is taken to research the origin of raw materials, but also investigate true craftsmanship. We have some incredible craftsmen in our factory. Their knowledge of the ingredients, but also the machinery and the effect of a very small change in the process on our Marmoleum is priceless. I find great inspiration in talking to the skilled and very experienced crew in our factory. Q What is next on your design horizon? Either for your personally or from a work perspective. A I visited Salone del Mobile in Milan just recently. It can be a little overwhelming, as there is so much to see and experience. But this is always a very inspiring week for me. And I am happy that we presented some of our Marmoleum Modular (and Eternal sheet vinyl) in the Brera area. My challenge now is to translate all the inspiration into new ideas. Image left: Designer, Merantine Paree with the Marmoleum Modular Lines collection shown in plank format. Top left: Marmoleum Modular lines t3573, t5218, t5231 & t5232 installed in a herringbone format (grid PL-10). Top right: Forbo s display at Salone del Mobile, Milan 2015 showing Eternal digitally printed Rainbow. ARCHEDITION 5

4 INSPIRATION VERSATILE SUSTAINABLE MARMOLEUM MODULAR It is not often a floor covering collection comes along that provides so many opportunities to play and experiment in such a dramatic fashion. Mix, match, combine or contrast - the new Marmoleum Modular collection from Forbo Flooring Systems offers the possibility to do just that. Modularity surrounds us; it is reflected throughout the natural and man-made world, and in particular, urban architecture. So it was only a matter of time before an advanced floor covering collection would bridge the gap to allow for a step change in floor design. Marmoleum Modular turns designing with a sustainable floor covering on its head by providing a distinctive format that allows specifiers to easily combine and connect various shapes, sizes and colours of tiles to develop completely new and exclusive designs. It s a collection with a twist; over 144 items, a variety of colours, designs and complementary tile & plank sizes opening up a whole new Within the marble theme, a beautiful compendium of classic and contemporary marbled colours has been assembled to create a special mix and match dimension to any floor plan. The newest addition is Marmoleum Modular lines. 15 fresh colours based on the popular Marmoleum Striato design, which includes a selection of cross-grained tiles. The plank formats within this range are completely new to Marmoleum and immediately open up a number of design options, from abstract linear designs to classic herringbone. Whether it is subtle nuances or stark contrasts, natural looking concrete or marbled floor designs, tonal progression or bold and vivid expressions of colour, experimentation is definitely encouraged. In order to help with that process Forbo has developed a series of design grids which can be used as part of its online Room Planner tool which demonstrates how design transforms into real floors in real environments. Marmoleum Modular is also a wholly sustainable alternative to other modular design floors available in the market today, as it is made up of 88% natural raw materials, 76% rapidly renewable and 58% recycled content. Other modular formats are available in the Forbo portfolio and include Tessera and Westbond Carpet tiles, Flotex, Allura, Allura Flex and Coral tiles. A world of simple, accessible floor design. The range of four tile sizes and two plank sizes, complements the offer. There are four individual themes, enticing the designer to work with shade, colour, marble and lines. Marmoleum Modular shade is a range of concrete structures in cool and warm greys, complemented by the classic black and white, all presented in delicate steps of colour intensity and hues to create natural realistic stone and concrete patterns. At the heart of the collection, Marmoleum Modular colour features fashionable pastels alongside an eclectic and modern mix of colourful concrete varieties and a full spectrum of bright warm colours. Image left: Marmoleum modular lines t5218, 100 x 25cm planks laid in a herringbone format (PL-13). Images above clockwise from top left: Marmoleum lines t5232 & t5226, 50 x 50cm tiles laid in chequerboard format; Design inspiration stepped concrete blocks; Marmoleum modular colour t3563, t3566, t3712, t3715 & t3243 tile sizes 75 x 50cm, 50 x 50cm & 25 x 25cm; Design inspiration natural wooden blocks creating relief pattern; Marmoleum Modular marble t3053 & t3139 tile size 50 x 25 laid in grid format PM-31; Design inspiration basket weave. For more information on Marmoleum Modular visit: Tile sizes 25 x 25cm 50 x 25cm 50 x 50cm 75 x 50cm 100 x 25cm 100 x 15cm ARCHEDITION 7

5 GOT TO BE THERE Celebrating SUSTAINABLE DESIGN at Clerkenwell Design Week MAY Forbo and ByALEX have teamed up to demonstrate how sustainable materials can create beautiful and functional furniture and flooring. Over the 3 days you can get involved in the ongoing debate facilitated by the environmental writer Carolyn Fry, on what, how, where and why we could improve on the use of sustainable materials in furniture and flooring manufacture. View Nuway Bamboo entrance systems, Marmoleum Modular produced using 88% natural raw materials and the Neighbourhood Chair that combines both of these elements and was designed for John Lewis s 150th Anniversary. Visit and share your thoughts on other sustainable components. A JOIN US AT THE UK S LEADING INDEPENDENT DESIGN FESTIVAL REGISTER FREE AT JOIN OUR SUSTAINABILITY DEBATE DURING CDW AND WIN A BYALEX NEIGHBOURHOOD Don t worry if you can t make it along to CDW. You can also participate in the debate by and let us know your thoughts at #futuremaking Image left: The Neighbourhood Chair. Top: Installation art photograph Sophie_Mutevelian. Clerkenwell Design Week 19 to 21 May For more information visit AARCH RCH EEDITION DITION13 9

6 A DAY IN THE LIFE IN CONVERSATION with David Breen ArchEdition asks David Breen about his career with Forbo and the many faceted aspects of his involvement in the carpet tile industry. A How would you describe a day in the life of David Breen? DB I m part of the Business Development Organisation meeting the Carpet Tile needs of those countries in the Forbo Group who have the capacity and opportunity to market and sell Carpet Tiles. I m involved in everything from Market Research and Competitive Benchmarking to working very closely with our Design, Manufacturing and Sales teams. So every day is different. I m often travelling to those countries who are interested in developing their Carpet Tile business and adapting the product presentation to meet their regional colour and pricing needs. A What are you working on today? DB I ve been working with the UK marketing team on the launch plan of our new Diffusion Carpet tile. It s important when working in product development that we also work with each country to consider how best to take our products to market after it s left the factory floor in order to maximise its relevance and deliver the best return to our UK Tessera & Westbond carpet tile factories. A What made you opt for this particular design to launch? A What s the most enjoyable part of your job? DB Walking into a building and seeing an impressive installation of a Tessera or Westbond carpet tile where I have been instrumental in bringing the product to fruition. The realisation of such projects, thanks to the efforts of our Sales Teams, is extremely fulfilling, and this remains the reason I come to work each day. A Who or what inspires you most at the moment? DB The greening of our entire carpet tile portfolio, in-line with our commitment to Creating Better Environments, is an ongoing and challenging project. Forbo are well recognised in the market place for delivering high quality designs and products and our goal is to continue to do that whilst achieving > 50% recycled content. New Diffusion is currently sitting at 65% and there are projects in the pipeline to increase this even further. To find out more about the new Diffusion collection visit: DB Our Design team are always working on many new developments at any one time but Diffusion captures perfectly the current trend for softening the edges of geometric and linear designs which have been popular over the last few years. Sarah Ludlam, Textiles Designer based at Bamber Bridge who developed the design, explained that Diffusion was a combination of both geometric and organic styles orgametric which reflected new trends in both internal and external architecture. Commercially, the pattern is intentionally random and in places subtle making it easy to use in many schemes. A What s the most difficult part of your job? DB Without doubt, it is balancing the differing needs and requirements of our key European markets. This is normally around different tastes in colour and aesthetics for each market, rather than the technical characteristics of the product. Image left: Tessera Diffusion Images top: Inspiration images for the Diffusion collection derived from both nature and man made structures Image right: David Breen ARCHEDITION 11

7 A DAY IN THE LIFE a new concept in Tessera carpet tiles Designed to be a combination of both geometric and organic styles which soften the edges of geometric and linear designs. We call it orgametric. Tessera Diffusion is a progressive move away from more angular shapes, instead incorporating a beautiful prism pattern that artfully relaxes the organised design through a play on light and shade. The result is a beautifully oblique design that still meets all the current requirements for commercial applications, creating fascinating contemporary floor spaces. Stepping away from the more definitive linear trend of angular blocks, Forbo s manufacturing capabilities allow for an organic triangular shape that creates a diffusion of colour from light to dark. Inspired by crystalline structures, the fractal shapes of Tessera Diffusion fade in and out, creating an almost three-dimensional effect with a much softer background, making the range more appealing to use in a variety of interior schemes. There are 16 colours in the new range, which reflect a tonal movement with an urban edge. Muted and natural shades ranging from intensely dark to very pale inject character, whilst responding to the commercial demand for warmer neutral hues and lighter LRV s in workspaces. Main image left: Tessera Diffusion 2003 glacial flow. Top left: The British Museum Foster & Partners Clockwise from above: Roof structure of Zurich airport; Tessera Diffusion 2013 ocean cruise; Tessera Diffusion 2003 glacial flow with Westbond 9567 misty day and Allura Flex 1642 black seagrass; Pyramid, The Louvre Museum, Paris. Completely practical and versatile, the new Tessera Diffusion carpet tile range sits perfectly with Forbo s luxury Westbond fusion bonded carpet tiles for zoning, as well as the durable Allura Flex luxury vinyl tile both using the same tackifier. This offers users the ability to fluidly blend the carpet tile with other products or combination of materials to create individual areas. The range meets SKA rating criteria for M12 soft floor coverings, contains over 50 per cent recycled content by weight and is manufactured with Refresh fibre; a 100% solution dyed nylon 6.6, with recycled pre and post-consumer carpet fibre that delivers exceptional performance and sustainability. The perfect choice for office environments. A ARCHEDITION 13

8 CREATING BETTER ENVIRONMENTS NEW TUFTIGUARD BAMBOO the natural choice A well designed entrance flooring system will prevent dirt and moisture from being tracked in, prolong the life of interior flooring, reduce cleaning, repair and overall maintenance costs and prevent slips and trips. Nuway Tuftiguard is the original rigid entrance mat in the UK. Tuftiguard has the durability, strength and structural integrity to deliver excellent performance and appearance retention in intense traffic locations and it s now available in Bamboo. BAMBOO SCRAPER BARS WIPER STRIPS Nuway Tuftiguard Bamboo is ideal for use alongside timber finishes and offers excellent sustainability credentials. Its matt aesthetic makes it ideal for very bright entrances as it helps to prevent a stroboscopic effect. For multi-directional entrances, Nuway Tuftiguard Bamboo is available in 50cm tile format Tuftiguard is available in open or closed construction to suit the location of the mat and preferred cleaning regime Tuftiguard is available with single wiper strips or double wiper strips where extra moisture absorption is required or where the entrance is less than 3 metres deep Tuftiguard is available in a choice of depths to match most matwells. Scraper bars, as the name suggests, scrape soil from the traffic crossing the entrance system and wiper strips remove moisture and finer dirt. A To find out more about Nuway Bamboo call , efs.flooring.uk@forbo.com or visit Nuway Tuftiguard is available in Bamboo, a sustainable species of grass. Nuway Tuftiguard Bamboo is ideal for use alongside timber interior finishes. Nuway Tuftiguard Bamboo prevents strobing in bright entrances. Image above: Newly harvested bamboo. Images above right and right: Bamboo production Guillaume Bonnefont ARCHEDITION 15

9 WORK-SPACE-LIFE NOT A CIRCULAR HUG, A STATIC HUG, BUT A A cell struggling not to split: that is the intriguing metaphor the Scottish architect David Page offers for the shape of Maggie s Highlands in Inverness. It is meant as a distraction from the hospital setting. Architecturally it has no hierarchy, no centre. It is anti authoritarian, he explains. DYNAMIC HUG It is not the kind of thing you expect to find next to a hospital. An extravagant pavilion with a spiralling plan which is packed in continually widening swathes of copper cladding, and adjoins two landscape mounds carved into spirals, whose coils tighten upwards. It would be hard to think of a greater contrast with the nondescript buildings of the hospital next door, the Raigmore Hospital, in the Scottish city of Inverness. The contrast was moreover exactly what the architect David Page, from the firm Page Park, hoped to achieve, as he explained in his Glasgow office. The client s starting point was to provide a context that was as different as possible from the usual hospital experience. The client didn t question that hospitals need to be mechanical and methodical, but wanted an alternative that would be life-affirming, life-enhancing and spiritboosting. That is why they select a different creative architect for each Maggie s Centre, to give a unique character to every centre. People struggling with cancer, and their families, find themselves in individual, special situations. The differently designed centres are all a mark of respect for individuality. visitors. But we see it as addressed to the future, a mark in the sand. It is not an idea that we are trying to disseminate. It matters to me that the building stays meaningful for future generations. I would like future generations to wonder what did these architects want to tell us about what they were doing and thinking at the time? Besides, the metaphor helps us articulate a view on how to shape the building. You mean, to create a more complex building? Absolutely. Otherwise architecture just becomes a product. Most buildings seem to be nothing but a product. An underlying narrative turns it into something much richer. If anything, our building communicates how people face the challenge of cancer. It is about turning a disease that is horrible and could be fatal into something beautiful. So it is about hope. The process is inevitable, but the building expresses the battle against the division of the cell. That is what art is for, for exploring difficult things beautifully. If people only The famous architecture critic Charles Jencks designed the garden next to the building. Its two landscape mounds seem like an inversion of the building. Did you develop the concept of garden and building together? DP The project was a lovely opportunity to create a garden, since it was necessary to insulate the building from the highly fragmented urban surroundings. So my colleague Andy Bateman and I invited Charles Jencks to design the garden, and we collaborated with him through models and diagrams. He is such a fantastic free spirit; he is not frightened by convention or reality. His idea was to make the garden expressive by tackling the idea of cancer head on, rather than trying to mask the issue. His bit was the division of cells. In our part, the cell is still united and trying to hold itself together. So our part of the design is an expression of hope, the stage when the cell hasn t divided yet and we hope it won t. His garden could be perceived as the victory of cancer. That is a pretty confrontational message for people who have cancer. We don t expect everybody to read it that way. The users just see it as a garden and a building. The architectural metaphor is invisible to most Image left: Maggie s Cancer Caring centre, Inverness. Photographer: Keith Hunter. Image right: Maggie s Cancer Caring centre, Glasgow. see the beauty, I am happy with that. They don t need to understand the message. I presume you intend to communicate hope, even if visitors are not expected to read the form of the building as a metaphor. Yes. As someone wrote on a Maggie s blog, the building feels like a house. And that s what we tried to achieve. The building should put a warm arm around your shoulders. It should project a sense of welcome. The first place you go to when you come in is not the reception desk but the kitchen table; when visitors enter the building they will get a cup of tea. But the building also opens out ARCHEDITION 17

10 WORK-SPACE-LIFE to the light and to the garden. It s an interesting contradiction: the building hugs you, and at the same time it opens up. The outside world you can see is not the fragmented urban surroundings, but a garden under the sky. It reminds you that we are all a part of nature, of the cycle of growth and decay; our whole life is about this wonderful world that we share. But you d reject the idea of a simple pavilion, one that is what it is, which just talks about architecture, about space and proportion, and could also be calming to the spirit? The greatest pavilion I can think of is the Barcelona Pavilion by Mies van der Rohe. It s a pure experience of space. But would it work as a Maggie s Centre, I wonder? Anyway, that is not the route we took. We started on a journey with another artist to make a garden, and we saw the building as being in that specific garden. I must admit that austere Modernism doesn t do much for me. I don t like the lifeless result of that approach. Nor do I care for something too cosy on the other hand. When you are exploring a metaphor, you have to be on edge, you must thirst for the potential of every project. So a certain emptiness is quite important. Do you believe shape and space can be healing? Some people have talked about whether space can heal. I don t believe it can. I hold the simple notion that it just makes you feel better, psychologically. It can lift your spirit. Whether that can actually have a healing effect remains to be proven. The Maggie s in Inverness is a statement. Its shape refers to the spiral of DNA, which is the spiral of life. The whole building is dominated by the spiral, which wraps itself around you. It hugs you in its arms. It s not a circular hug, not a static hug, but a dynamic hug; a spiral movement that stops your world from collapsing. Another thing is that it is smaller at the foot end than at the head end. So it gives you a sense of a room that is big enough for your personality; it gives you a psychological space you can expand into. That s not an idea we started with; it came as a surprise. Maggie s Highlands gives you the feeling that something special is going on; a kind of excitement, as if you are entering a new and thrilling part of life. What do you think this uplifting experience will mean for someone with cancer? It is meant as a distraction. That is what the founder Maggie Keswick originally wanted: a distraction from the hospital setting. That applies not only to the patient, but also to their family and to all people affected by the illness. As Charles Jencks put it, the building needs to be a church, a social centre, a community centre and a home. Inside Maggie s Highlands, each space flows into the next. There is no centre or hierarchy, nor are there corridors. The rooms join up seamlessly, and you can see into adjacent spaces wherever you go. But every space also invites you to look out of the window, or to go out into the garden. There is an awful danger nowadays of closing off interior spaces and losing the relationship with the outside. Bringing daylight into the building is particularly important in Scotland because it is so dark here. We need to bring as much light in as possible. When you are in the Maggie s Centre in Glasgow or Inverness, you can feel the light pouring in. It feels sunny even when the sun is not shining. In fact the buildings work even better when the skies are grey, because light enters from every direction. You feel bathed in light, even though you are indoors. We opted for an open plan interior for the same reason. All the spaces are connected but there are sliding doors that can create some privacy. But when you don t need privacy, you can open up the room to space and light. It makes the building feel big. Small, but big. Was promoting a sense of community, of belonging together, an important consideration? When Maggie Keswick was diagnosed with cancer in hospital, she was struck by the strict division between the corridor, where she had to wait, and the consultant s office. It physically expressed the hierarchical relationship between doctors and nurse on the one hand, and patients and their families on the other. A corridor is inimical to the free spirit. The business of a corridor is always about dividing people and imposing a hierarchy. The corridor is oppressive because it only lets you go in one direction; it channels and constrains you. If instead of a corridor you arrange a cluster of rooms around a kitchen, the interior is much more about sharing. Andy Kerr, the Minister of Health, who officially opened Maggie s Highlands, had trouble finding a suitably central spot where he could stand to deliver his speech. No one wears a badge of authority in a Maggie s Centre; the space has no centre and no hierarchy. The interior is a democratic space which is equal for everyone who enters. In that sense it is about sharing. Faced with cancer, nobody is superior to anyone else. A For more information on flooring suitable for care interiors please visit Image above left: Maggie s Cancer Caring centre, Glasgow. Image right: Maggie s Cancer Caring centre, Inverness. Photographer: Keith Hunter. ARCHEDITION 19

11 THE BUZZ JOHN LEWIS PARTNERSHIP The Neighbourhood Chair Celebrating their 150th anniversary last year JLP commissioned Alex Swain to build a sustainable chair and he chose to collaborate with Forbo. Following the success of the A Range which is made from FSC Birch ply, ByALEX have designed a contemporary dining chair made from alternative materials. Their design ethos is simple: Purity by Design, which led them to search for a sustainable alternative to traditional hardwood. The material needed to be flexible enough for bespoke finishes within contract use. The result was a chair made from solid Bamboo, which takes just six years to grow before harvesting - compared to 20+ years for most hardwoods. A moulded ply seat pad and back rest add to the chair s comfort and are upholstered in one of the planet s most natural materials, Linoleum, which is made from 88% natural resources including Linseed Oil and Rosin. ByALEX minimises waste by adopting modern manufacturing techniques and uses biodegradable packaging. The warmth of the Bamboo grain and flexible, natural texture of the Linoleum makes for a timeless aesthetic. The Linoleum has a matt finish and is available in a variety of colours which don t fade over time. For contract use, the Bamboo can be sprayed or lacquered using traditional production methods. The chair is available to order directly from ByALEX in standard colours (Cornflower Blue, Forest Fern, Jean, Midnight Blue and Pearl). ByALEX will offer trade discounts and bespoke frame staining or colour options to the contract market as well as Linoleum finish or traditional upholstery options to match specific requirements. A For more information on how the chair was made visit Alexander Swain is a multi-disciplinary designer; his pure approach is as apparent in his communication and branding work, as it is within his product design. For Alexander, the challenge is to make design accessible and purposeful, whilst questioning and raising the expectations of any project. Alexander finds this multi-disciplinary approach to design is vital for inspiration and influences his varied projects. This chair further embodies our ethos which is simple: Purity by Design. The planet s natural resources are under immense pressure which means we are all responsible for making more sustainable choices. Using innovative and natural materials to create unique designs offers a positive approach to the furniture industry. ByALEX designer, Alex Swain To view the Furniture Linoleum collection please visit Image top left: ByAlex designer, Alex Swain Other images: The neighbourhood chair in cornflower blue, midnight blue and pearl. ARCHEDITION 23 21

12 THE BUZZ With the striking bold colours and designs on the flooring produced by Forbo s products, it has created an environment where our employees want to spend time and we are more than happy to welcome visitors around the impressive building. Pamela Wisely, Project Manager at I.T. Alliance Group competition runner up 2013 / 2014 Jean Feeney, Peacock Interiors Jean Feeney of Peacock Interiors in Dublin, Ireland, has created a symbiosis between two office floors at I.T. Alliance Group s new premises, which won the Highly Commended prize in the 2013/2014 Fly Forbo competition. This was achieved by installing a mixture of Forbo Flooring Systems Tessera Teviot and Westbond carpet tiles in a striking pattern to reflect the company s corporate colours and branding, whilst maintaining a fresh and contemporary space. I.T. Alliance Group relocated to a new office building, occupying two floors one floor facilitating the overall group I.T. Alliance and the other floor a subsidiary company, Auxilion housing 90 people, containing boardrooms, open plan work areas, private meeting rooms, kitchens and a canteen. Jean Feeney, Designer at Peacock Interiors, commented: The design brief was to incorporate the colour palette of both companies whilst presenting a modern and invigorating environment for its employees, which included the introduction of breakout areas to create a more informal working environment. Both of the companies logos incorporated circular designs and so we thought this was a perfect way to create an association between the two companies via the flooring design as this is the largest surface area in a building. A lot of people tend to shy away from circular designs, however for us it was a great opportunity to meet our client s brief and produce a unique and crisp design. Forbo s Tessera Teviot carpet tiles in the light grey colourway charcoal and the blue colourway deep ocean were installed throughout the breadth of the office environment as the main component of the design. The breakout areas were made distinguishable using Forbo s luxurious Westbond carpet tiles installed in a variety of eye catching colourways including jet, citrus and clearwater which reflected the companies branding. What s more, Forbo s Westbond bespoke colours are also available from as little as 1m 2, allowing designers and their clients to take complete control of the design process. Jean continued: As both products are from Forbo s modular portfolio where you can mix and match a variety of products in different sizes, designs and formats of tiles it meant that there was a seamless flow between the two carpet tiles, which is exactly what we wanted. The interior design of an office can have a direct effect on employees creativity, attitude, job satisfaction and productivity and in a world where clients are attempting to do more with less, it is critical that the workplace design encourages teamwork and communication as demonstrated by the interior at I.T. Alliance. A For more information on Forbo s Westbond stocked range visit: Image top left: Tessera Teviot charcoal 104, Westbond clearwater 9584 and jet Left: Tessera Teviot deep ocean 127 & Westbond clearwater Above: Tessera Teviot charcoal 104, Westbond citrus 9430 & jet ARCHEDITION 25 23

13 THE BUZZ ArchEdition talked to Jean about her trip to Amsterdam after winning the highly commended accolade in the 2013 / 2014 Fly Forbo competition. Jean enjoyed a trip to Amsterdam and an inspirational visit to the Forbo EC1 showroom in London as her prize after winning the highly commended accolade in the 2013/2014 Fly Forbo competition. There s a Royal win for this year s Fly Forbo competition Forbo Flooring Systems is pleased to announce that Hazel Pearson from Michael Laird Architects will be jetting off to Chicago following her win at this year s Fly Forbo competition due to her impactful design at the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) premises in Edinburgh. For the winning project, Hazel created an efficient layout that clearly defined key areas within the RICS building. Hazel achieved this by specifying Forbo s Allura Wood vinyl tile and Tessera Mix carpet tiles in a very neutral colour palette, which acted as a backdrop for the striking accents of rich purple from Forbo s Marmoleum range that helped to zone off the key areas. Q What was your design inspiration behind the IT Alliance project? A The carpet design concept came from the brand, strong circular patterns which are not only linked to the logo but evoke connectivity. Q What do you find really exciting/ inspirational in design at the moment? A The use of metallic coming into fabrics and finishes, global trends can be seen in fashion first and then it filters down into interior colour palettes and material prints and patterns. Pinterest is a great source for inspirational ideas, gets the creative juices flowing. Q What did you enjoy most about your trip to Amsterdam? A Amsterdam was such a great trip, the factory tour was fascinating, to see each step of the Marmoleum manufacturing process and how automation takes care of some things with such precision. The weather was beautiful, the Reijks museum a joy to work through and I was there in the lead up to the World Cup so there was orange bunting everywhere! Q What is next on the design horizon for you? A I have recently started working with MCA which has a long held reputation for excellence and is involved in a wide range of projects, principally in the areas of healthcare, commercial, media & technology, residential, educational, and leisure sectors. Julie Dempster, Marketing Manager at Forbo Flooring Systems, commented: Choosing a winner for this year s Fly Forbo competition was extremely difficult. However with the combination of subtle patterns, light grey shades and a bright purple, Hazel created a floor space that was practical and impressive, which complemented the RICS brand. Therefore, we thought it was only right to present her with the award and trip to Chicago. Congratulations Hazel! Hazel commented on her win: I am ecstatic that I have won this year s Fly Forbo competition. I still can t quite believe that I ll be flying to Chicago to attend NeoCon I ve always wanted to go! I feel that flooring designs need to be as equally innovative as the overall design and thanks to Forbo s wide portfolio of products, I am able to create the innovative flooring schemes I desire. My favourite product from Forbo is Marmoleum; it s available in wide range of colours, it stands the test of time in terms of style and durability and the icing on the cake is that is a sustainable floor covering what more could you want!? A For more information on how to enter the 2015/2016 competition visit: ARCHEDITION 25

14 HOW IT S MADE Flotex bionic flooring performance combined with colour and flexibility Forbo s Flotex is a flocked flooring that combines the practicality of a resilient surface with the slip resistant and acoustic properties usually associated with textiles. Being completely waterproof, Flotex is also the only truly washable textile floor covering. It provides a warm, comfortable, hygienic surface that is suitable for any commercial specification. The origins of Flotex date back to the 1870 s, when the first commercial flocking was carried out on wallpaper; the term flocking refers to the application of fine particles to adhesive coated surfaces. It wasn t until 1960 that the first electro-statically flocked Flotex floor covering was produced in Chateau Renault, in central France. By 1971, Low and Bonar plc had acquired the manufacturing and marketing rights in the UK for this product. The following November, the Flotex factory in Ripley, Derbyshire was officially opened. Today, Forbo employs 162 people at its Ripley site. Each year, it produces around three million m² of sheet and tile product. A Nylon 6.6 fibres Adhesive Glassfibre reinforcement Cushioned backing Active Sanitized Reservoir Totally impervious 36 Wet Pendulum Sanitized is a registered trademark of SANITIZED AG licence number To find out more visit Image: Flotex stratus Making Flotex manufactured through a molecular bonding process with PVC, fibreglass and nylon 6.6 Nylon 6.6 give exceptional wear and stain resistance plus extreme durability Its fibres are smooth, straight and cylindrical It is easy to clean and provides unrivalled appearance retention Preparing the flock Nylon is processed as natural white, un-dyed cable or tow The tow is accurately cut into 2mm pieces ensuring absolute uniformity in dimension guaranteeing optimal durability, cleanability and resilience The flock is then dyed to create a base shade and made electrically conductive Charging the fibres In the flocking unit, a rotating brush pushes the fibres through an electro-statically charged metal mesh Fibreglass backing, coated with wet adhesive becomes earthed and attracts the charged fibres As the material passes through each flocking unit the density of the fibres increase There are over 70 million fibres per square metre Cooling The material then passes through an oven at an elevated temperature. A strong bond is produced between the PVC and nylon. Whilst the backing is still soft, the product is passed over an embossing roller to create dimples on the underside which give a good key for installation adhesive. After cooling it is rolled. Each roll of Flotex contains 1000m 2. The printing process Flotex can be printed either digitally or using rotary screens. During the rotary screen method the jumbo roll of Flotex travels along a conveyor belt under cylindrical screens which each have designs cut into them. Each screen represents a colour seperation and each colour builds up the pattern. The material is then steamed to fix the colour on to the pile. During digital printing, the design files are created and then converted for use. The rolls of white Flotex are pre-treated before going through the digital printers. The material is then trimmed, steamed and washed. After drying and inspection the material is cut to size, either as 2m wide sheet or tile format. A recycled PVC backing is then attached to the tile format. Recycling and environment Since 2001, over 20,000 tonnes of post-industrial PVC waste have been saved from landfill and recycled to form the backing of the Flotex tile giving the product a 67% recycled content. All production waste at all Forbo sites is recycled and reused, reducing raw material consumption as well as recycled site waste from Forbo s back to the floor scheme. Evolution of Flotex As well as continually improving the product and colour range, a 20% increase in recycled content and a reduction in like-for-like energy consumption by over 16% shows that Flotex is evolving continually and improving choices for the customer. A ARCHEDITION 27