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A 30-year-old building, previously part of the Hewlett Packard campus in Bristol, was selected for renovation to become the University’s Future Space building, to be used by R&D project teams to nurture start-ups working in robotics and smart-controlled machinery.
The renovation of an old building into a home for hi-tech industries demanded a significant transformation. Workshops needed to be practical, hard-wearing spaces capable of housing heavy machinery, while new skylights flooded the central circulation hub creating lots of natural daylight which was an issue for the existing light-coloured quartz floor.
A specialist version of Altro Screed 4mm variant with non-standard seal coats was created to offer UV stability and slip resistance to meet the needs of the specification. It was considered the best for areas potentially exposed to spillages such as the coffee area and circulation hub, plus the main access route from the entrance to the hub. Within the rentable workshops a durable, easy clean finish was required with the ability to withstand the demands imposed by machinery and equipment, and Altro Tect high-build epoxy coating was specified. For the storage and possible spillage of liquid nitrogen within another area, Altro Crete 6mm slip-resistant variant was used as having the best resistance. Finally, Altro Flexiflow 2mm classic standard variant was used in laboratory areas with exisitng floors requiring a product flexible enough to withstand building movement.
Altro Flexiflow is a polyurethane resin and couldn’t be easier to install. It’s self-smoothing, giving a seamless and uniform finish with uninterrupted lines and can be laid over green concrete with Altro Proof™ damp-proof membrane, to speed up installation. It features a PUR topcoat for UV colour stability, durability and ease of cleaning, and is available in 27 pastel, solid and bright colours with an eggshell-like finish.
Altro Screed 4mm variant has different decorative options including natural-looking designs evoking tones of concrete and stone.
Altro Crete offers seven polyurethane variants to choose from. It provides durability, slip resistance and excellent resistance to a wide range of chemicals.
Altro Tect is a solvent-free high-build epoxy resin and offers the most robust coating. A great flooring solution for medium duty industrial areas. Available in a wide variety of colours and with a gloss finish, Altro Tect gives good chemical and abrasion resistance. It has a nominal thickness of 350-500 microns and it should be applied in two coats directly to the substrate.
We felt, as designers, that a standard resin or vinyl floor finish would look bland in such a large space, so we started to explore the options of using a feature resin and we are exceptionally happy with the results of the final product.
