Article published 17-Nov-2010 on World Interior Design Network (WIDN)

http://education.worldinteriordesignnetwork.com/news/forbos_marmoleum_floor_covering_employed_in_london_primary_school_101117/’

Forbo’s Marmoleum floor covering employed in London primary school.  UK-based flooring solutions specialist Forbo Flooring Systems’ Marmoleum floor covering has been used in the main reception and welcome area of Kobi Nazrul Primary School in Tower Hamlets, London.

The chosen flooring design consisted of three themes reflected in a combination of circles: where we live, who we are and what we do. The three panels are personal to the school, depicting the area around them through the welcoming artwork. Each Marmoleum design pattern was cut using Forbo’s unique Aquajet water cutting system, which enables reproduction of the most intricate designs. The sophisticated technology allows for endless creativity in creating bespoke patterns, to company logos, with each section of the design supplied in pre-assembled pieces to be fitted together on the floor.

Designer Sarah Hammond stated that Marmoleum was an obvious choice as there was no limit on designs or colours. The design team chose bright and strong colours, from peacock green to rich cardinal red, to convey a vivid and visual representation of school and community life for the pupils. The main floor area into which the designs are set, is Marmoleum Real Azurro, a vibrant turquoise green.

Pupils of Kobi Nazrul Primary School aged between 3 and 11 years were encouraged to take part in the refurbishment project with local designer Sarah Hammond for creating the school’s main reception and welcome area.

The complete Marmoleum collection offers a wide choice of structures across a vast colour palette, ensuring variety of options for colour combinations, statement areas and for creating particular moods. The ‘where we live’ circle shows various landmarks that the children see in the community, from Tower Bridge to the world famous Gherkin, with the ‘who we are’ section based on portraits of local people and highlighting the five human senses we all share. The ‘what we do’ motif shows how important the creative elements of singing, music, sport and drama are to the ethos of the school and thriving community.

Made predominantly from natural and renewable raw materials, Marmoleum has achieved the lowest environmental impact according to Life Cycle Assessment criteria and is naturally biodegradable. Marmoleum incorporates a water based Topshield finish for easy and cost efficient cleaning and maintenance, suitable for the reception area of a school that is subject to frequent heavy footfall.

The production process of Marmoleum, which uses natural jute as a backing for the floor covering, created a lot of interest in the product itself amongst the children, as many either come from or have family in Bangladesh where a high proportion of jute originates.

Forbo Flooring Systems is a global player in high-quality commercial and residential floor coverings. The company is part of the Swiss Forbo Group and owns 14 manufacturing plants and branches in 32 countries worldwide.