Global modular flooring manufacturer, Interface, was enlisted by Air Space, Scotland’s first and Europe’s largest freestyle jumping arena, to bring its bold brand to life by providing a creative flooring solution for its Glasgow base.
When fitting out the main arena – which consists of 100 connected trampolines around an open, central space – the company wanted to create a vibrant interior that would strengthen its modern brand and reflect the urban and industrial environment outside the building. The designers leading the project, GVA James Barr, recommended a flooring system from Interface as the ideal solution.
“As a unique attraction in Glasgow, the client wanted to make a statement with the building interior, something quirky that helped to establish Air Space as an exciting and fresh brand,” explained Elaine Fleming, Associate at GVA James Barr. “At the same time, because of the size of the arena, we needed solutions that would help to break up the space into separate zones for different groups and activities.”
GVA James Barr worked closely with Interface’s Concept Designer, Amy Farn, to create the perfect floor design for the main arena with products selected from Interface’s nature-inspired Urban Retreat collection. The monochrome Urban Retreat 103 flooring tile was chosen alongside the Urban Retreat 101 Granite/Lichen tile, which transitions from dark to light grey, to create a stimulating, eye-catching pattern of light and dark grey shades.
By choosing modular flooring, GVA James Barr simplified the installation process for the contractors carrying out the work, Terra Firma, helping to keep project times to a minimum. It also allows individual tiles to be easily replaced once they are worn, rather than needing to fit a full new carpet. This is ideal for a busy public attraction, helping to cut maintenance costs, while minimising the impact of daily wear and tear on the look of the arena.
Alan Berry, Company Director at Terra Firma Flooring, added: “The tiles’ random design meant we could fit them in a non-directional pattern easily without worrying about matching colours or orientation with their neighbours. This didn’t just create a bold look that supported the client’s fresh brand, it made them straightforward and quick to install, and minimised the amount of wasted carpet to boost the sustainability of the project.”
Speaking about the results of the flooring, Peter Brown, Operations Manager at Air Space, concluded: “We didn’t want just one block colour for the floor, we wanted something exciting that would reflect our brand.”
“The flooring is very different from anything we’ve ever seen before. It not only creates the defined activity zones we requested, it also really stands out in images of the arena. It’s helped to establish Air Space as a fun destination for days out and events – exactly the result we were looking for.”
