A 14-month refurbishment masterminded by Gordon Murray + Alan Dunlop Architects has transformed a 1960s concrete-framed office block in the heart of Glasgow into a 104-bedroom three-star hotel.
The hotel has been designed to pioneer the concept of long-stay accommodation with self-contained one- and two-bedroom apartments for guests who want to stay in the city for several weeks.
As part of the £3.3m refurbishment, the front elevation was removed and replaced with a saw-toothed facade that slopes outwards at an angle of 70° on each of the hotel's eight floors to add interest to the elevation. The building has been crowned with a 6 m deep canopy.
Easy-to-clean floor finish
Sealocrete has introduced Epoxycote, a floor finish for the food, pharmaceutical and electronics industries that is said to be easy to clean. The solvent-free, two-component, epoxy resin-based flooring is applied by roller in two applications and can be finished with either a smooth or slip-resistant finish in a range of colours. A thickness of up to 300 microns can be applied to give a compressive strength of 80 N/mm2. Sealocrete
Low-maintenance domestic boilers
Vokèra has redesigned its Mynute range of domestic boilers to reduce maintenance time. The boilers now have electronic temperature sensing, an anti-cycling device to reduce rapid on/off switching and the facility for plug-in time clocks. The boilers can be coupled for larger properties or small commercial applications. Vokèra
Pipe fittings
Wavin Plastics has added three fittings to its OsmaGold range of polybutylene pipes: a white plastic collar to cover the hole where 10 or 15 mm pipes pass through a wall, a clip spacer that holds pipework clear of the wall to allow increased levels of insulation to be fitted, and a conduit pipe to allow pipework to be ducted through concrete floors. Wavin Plastics
Traditional-look window arch
Window supplier Permacell Finesse has introduced an arch head insert that can be attached to its Legend 70 window using adhesive pads. The pads allow the unit to be installed with the windows or afterwards to create the look of a traditional arched window. Permacell Finesse
Steel-backed brick cladding
Baggeridge Brick has launched a brick cladding system that uses profiled brick tiles fixed to a steel backing. The system has been developed in conjunction with system-builder Terrapin International and steel manufacturer Corus to help speed up construction time and reduce the need for skilled labour on site. Baggeridge Brick
1920s-style radiator valves
Tuscan has introduced a range of hand-made radiator valves copied from 1920s and 1930s originals. Called the Britannia Range, the valves have a stained and lacquered beechwood handle, and can be manufactured in solid brass or with a nickel plate finish. They are suitable for both new and reclaimed radiators. Tuscan
Rubber-lined roof gutter
Bailey has launched Monsoon, an insulated gutter lined with EPDM rubber for roof valleys or eaves installations. The gutter is installed in phases: first, a lower carrier tray is fitted, then the roof covering is positioned and, finally, the insulation and gutter liner are put into place. The liner sections are then sealed at their joints using EPDM to waterproof the gutter. Bailey
Flaming logs for electric fire
Dimplex has added the Optiflame Deep Bed fire to its range of electric heaters. The unit, designed to resemble a bed of flaming logs, will be added to the company's Shaftesbury and Somerley inset fires for 400 and 460 mm fireplaces. Both models are available with 1 and 2 kW settings and feature a thermostat for economy of use. Dimplex
Fan-powered ventilator
Dantherm has produced the Elite heat-recovery and ventilation unit for the housebuilding market. The fan-powered ventilator is available in two sizes, 400 and 800 m3/hour, and has an anodised aluminium heat-exchanger. Dantherm
Tubular skylight
Cox Building Products has launched a tubular skylight to transmit natural light through a roof. The 240 mm diameter unit, called the Skytube, has a domed transparent rooflight mounted above a highly reflective tube that directs daylight into a room up to 6 m below. The tube is said to fit between standard rafters and joists. Cox Building Products
Tape for sandblasting
Scapa has developed a tape for sandblasting on stone, marble, granite, glass and metal. The 6830 tape is made from thick plasticised PVC with an acrylic adhesive film on a single clay-coated paper. The tape is 0.28 mm thick, 20 m long, and available in widths of 300 and 400 mm. Scapa Tapes
Credits
client Spanli architect Gordon Murray + Alan Dunlop Architects structural engineer Thorburn Colquhoun services engineer Henderson Warnock quantity surveyor Doig and Smith main contractor Elland Construction curtain walling fabricator Systems Aluminium
