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When contract interior specialist, Gradus, launched a new design-led, contemporary carpet range called “Urban Myth”, they took the opportunity to take on some ‘urban myths’ within their own community in nearby West Gorton, Manchester.

Working in partnership with leading communities charity, Groundwork; Manchester City Council and The Guinness Partnership, Gradus provided an opportunity for the local community to have hands-on involvement in the creation of a pollinator garden; large containers filled with a diverse collection of pollinating flowers. The purpose of the mobile biodiversity initiative is not only to increase the biodiversity of the residents’ local environment, but also dispel the myth that people don’t value green spaces.

Anthony Roberts, Group Marketing Communications Manager, at Gradus explains: “There is a misconception that urban communities such as those here in West Gorton, don’t value the green space or green initiatives. However, as we’ve witnessed, that is far removed from reality.

“A project like this helps to transform all-too-rare green spaces and by ensuring that a variety of plants are chosen, we can breathe new life in to these areas. We’re also able to create multi-functional, multi-purpose green spaces that appeal to all members of the local community.

“As a manufacturer that works closely with architects, we understand that the role of the architect and architecture is changing. RIBA’s update to its ten mandatory CPD core curriculum topics highlights social purpose as integral to the role and responsibility of architects. Architecture for social purpose is about understanding the social value and economic and environmental benefits that architecture brings for individuals and communities. The project at West Gorton is an exemplar of that, this resonates on a much deeper level, enhancing social spirit and fostering cohesion within the community.”

Gradus worked closely with Groundwork, a charity active in the West Gorton community, to make the mobile biodiversity initiative a reality and as Julie Hyslop, Senior Project Officer, adds: “Through our work and projects like this, we’re able to maximise the space available and engage the local community at the same time. Here in West Gorton, we’ve seen school children of every age passionate about the garden’s creation and its ongoing upkeep, whilst older residents have been enthused at the chance to get to know their neighbours better and spend more time with them.”

Local residents were actively involved in the creation of the containers in which the plants have been arranged. They are wrapped with a variety of educational messages to reinforce both the value of the garden’s creation and its ongoing contribution to the local community.

Anthony concludes: “We’re looking forward to seeing how the project we’ve created here is cared for and enjoyed, as well as the contribution it makes to strengthening the local community. It has certainly dispelled the myth that such initiatives aren’t valued, and we very much hope to work in other areas of the UK to similarly make a difference.”

For more information on Urban Myth or Gradus’ complete carpet range, please visit www.gradus.com or contact Gradus Technical Support on 01625 428922.
More information can be found about Groundwork’s community work within Greater Manchester at http://groundwork.org.uk/Sites/msstt/

To complement Gradus’ expanding, high-performance contractor carpet products and to provide a versatile offering, Gradus has extended its Lafite Connect Space range to include a plank option as well as two new colours.

Carpet planks have become increasingly popular amongst specifiers and contractors and the new plank variants of Lafite Connect Space can be used as a feature design to enhance and customise interiors.

Featuring an attractive linear design, Lafite Connect Space is perfect for large areas in commercial office and education environments.

Karen Burman, product manager for Gradus, said: “Transitional zoning has become popular in recent years and can be created by installing planks or tiles of different colour tones to form a subtle shift from light to dark flooring. With the new Lafite Connect Space options, specifiers can combine grey base tones for a gradual transition and add a vibrant accent colour for a unique statement with the new colour options.

“Alternatively, to create feature areas, Lafite Connect Space allows specifiers to experiment with colour contrast and bold installation patterns to create a feature area or an exciting statement design.”

The two new colour additions, warm natural and an olive grey, cater to the growing appetite for organic colours in commercial environments to create features or zones such as breakout areas, seating areas and walkways.

The high-performance contractor carpet forms part of the Lafite Connect family and will work in conjunction with other designs within the range for a coordinated floor scheme. Specifiers and contractors can combine formats and choose from a range of installation methods such as herringbone, half drop and brick bond.

For more information on Lafite Connect Space or Gradus’ complete carpet range, please visit www.gradus.com or contact Gradus Technical Support on 01625 428922.

 

XT stair edgings from contract interiors specialist Gradus, have been installed to all core staircases at the University of Derby’s Nunnery Court halls of residence to create a safe and inclusive environment.

Situated on Nuns Street, Nunnery Court has recently undergone a major refurbishment to its rooms and communal areas to modernise the fittings, fixtures and décor. The development, which is one of nine halls of residence, has 308 premium and standard student’s rooms.

With hundreds of people passing through the halls of residence each year, the staircases need to be able to withstand heavy footfall, whilst also providing a safe and inclusive environment for students, staff and visitors alike.

GXT11 aluminium stair edgings from Gradus’s market-leading XT range were chosen at Nunnery Court due to their safety and durability. They protect the step edge and surrounding floorcoverings from damage, subsequently reducing ongoing maintenance costs at the facility. The XT range features an insert that extends around the leading edge of the profile to ensure that foot contact is always made with the slip-resistant element, this helps to reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls. To further increase safety on the stairs, Xtra-grip inserts were chosen which offer increased surface roughness to reduce the risk of slip particularly where the stair edgings may become wet. Specified in the colour ‘Vapour’ (grey), the inserts harmonise with the interior design but also provide the correct LRV (Light Reflectance Value) to highlight the step edge, crucial for helping to prevent slip, trip and fall accidents.

Victoria Parry, Hall Manager for Nunnery Court, commented “We required a robust stair edging system that could withstand the large amount of people accessing the halls and using the staircases on a daily basis. We’re extremely pleased with the finished outcome, not only do they look great, we have the added reassurance that they have been manufactured by a company with over 50 years’ experience.”

Anthony Roberts, Group Marketing Communications Manager, said: “It’s been great to be involved with the refurbishment as I attended this University as a student and understand the importance of stair safety in such busy environments. The XT stair edgings range combines safety, performance and aesthetic for a complete solution that minimises slip accidents on stairs. GXT11 was the perfect fit for Nunnery Court, providing a safe solution that also complemented the modern and clean aesthetic of the building.”

The XT range has been developed specifically in line with the latest legislation in Approved Document M of the Building Regulations 2010, and all of the XT stair edgings are available to download as BIM objects. This provides specifiers with up-to-date, accurate technical information to build into their next project.

For further information on Gradus’ full range of XT stair edgings, please contact Gradus Technical Support on 01625 428922 or visit www.gradus.com.

Gradus is contributing to safety for students at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Situated in Houghton Street, Central London and originally constructed in the 1920’s, the Main Building of the London School of Economics and Political Science has recently undergone a restoration project to the North Eastern side of the building, which saw the installation of a brand new staircase.

ASXT11 stair edgings from Gradus were specified for the project to ensure the safety of the staircase, while maintaining a clean and contemporary aesthetic. XT stair edgings comprise an aluminium channel with a slip-resistant insert that extends around the leading edge of the profile to increase underfoot contact with the slip-resistant element of the stair edging. Selected with Glacier standard interior inserts, the stair edgings define the step edge by providing a suitable colour contrast with the floor covering, in line with BS 8300:2009+A1:2010 and Approved Document M of The Building Regulations 2010.

Gabija Bingelyte, Project Manager for the London School of Economics refurbishment said: “Thousands of people pass through the campus each year and, as such, the university needs to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for students, staff and visitors.

“As the market leader with 50 years’ experience in the industry, it was an easy choice to specify Gradus for the project. We chose market-leading XT stair edgings, as they complement the contemporary staircase whilst also providing a superior level of safety.”

Anthony Roberts, Product Manager for Gradus, added: “The XT range offers the ultimate solution for protection against the risk of slips, trips and falls, which are one of the main causes of injuries on stairs.

All of Gradus’ XT stair edgings are available to download as BIM objects. Gradus’ BIM objects provide up-to-date, accurate data about products providing you with the relevant technical information to build into your projects.

For further information on Gradus’ full range of XT stair edgings, or for any other queries, please call 01625 428922 or visit www.gradus.com.