St John’s Primary School in Kent has a bold and colourful new entrance area and corridor created using Altro XpressLay safety flooring, originally laid at Olympics venues for London 2012.
As the supplier of flooring to the London 2012 Games, Altro was the only PVC manufacturer of safety floor approved for use at the Games and supplied flooring for 33 Olympic venues, not just in London.
London 2012 was the most sustainable Olympic Games in history and Altro supplied a total of 50,000m2 of safety flooring to the Games – enough to completely wrap the Olympic Stadium.
Re-use of the flooring has been possible as Altro XpressLay is the world’s first ever adhesive-free safety floor that can be taken up easily post-installation for re-use or recycling, making it ideal for temporary installations and the Olympics was the first time it had been reused on a large scale.
The entrance to St John’s Primary now features coloured circles that replicate the famous Olympic rings with the words ‘Corridor of Champions’ in the centre.
In an area used as a dropping-off point by parents, the flooring has been inlaid with a compass image and a barometer created using Altro Suprema IITM which sits alongside coloured weather symbols inserted into the corridor floor.
The project began when Architectural Technician at IBI Nightingale, Suat Yasar, noticed the condition of the corridors during a personal visit to the school and decided to approach manufacturers to discuss the donation of new material.
Suat Yasar said: “The corridor refurbishment has given the school a fresh new look that will appeal to the children and the teachers. Our design uses colourful imagery inspired by the world map which has been applied to the floors and walls. The Altro flooring, which once supported our Olympic heroes, has been re-used to provide a robust platform for a dynamic learning environment.”
Altro XpressLay safety flooring has a unique underside emboss that forms tiny air channels that allow any moisture in the subfloor to escape, which makes it possible to install over existing sound and secure flooring surfaces such as vinyl tiles.
Supplied with free Altro Looselay double sided tape specifically formulated to work with the underside of the flooring, Altro XpressLay can also be installed in situations where adhered safety flooring is inappropriate, such as historical and listed buildings.
With a thickness of 2.2mm and a slip resistance rating of equal to or over 36 TRRL, the flooring is very durable and practical, perfect for areas of general circulation such as school corridors, classrooms, hospital streets and shops.
Being 100% recyclable, Altro XpressLay also contributes to reducing the environmental impact of a flooring specification with an A+ BRE Generic Green Guide Rating for Safety Flooring.
Head Teacher at St John’s Primary School, Sally Quirk, said: “The installation has changed the school beyond recognition and has given the pupils the opportunity to tread the same floor as the Olympians trod, which is so inspirational for them.
“We are really grateful to Altro for donating such a unique gift and can’t express how delighted and thankful we are to have been able to inject a new lease of life into the school with the refurbishment.”
In addition to the flooring, Altro Whiterock Chameleon wall cladding has been used in the reception area. Perfect for feature walls, it provides a water-tight, wipe clean, smooth surface and is highly durable.
St John’s Primary has made the most of the bold colour palette by having the school’s badge digitally printed onto walls along with a map of the world and an image of the solar system.
