In transit
Whether it’s an airport, train station or bus terminus, transport hubs are usually places that travellers want to pass through with ease and speed, with little time or interest to notice their design, let alone the decorative solutions that conceal structural steelwork and protect internal walls. However, for architects, specifiers and casing specialist, Encasement, these are key considerations.
By default, and definition, transport hubs need to process large numbers of people through foyers, waiting areas and embarkation, whether that’s 150,000 per year for a regional bus terminus, or more than 46 million for Gatwick Airport in 2019.
These figures are key influencing factors on the way the various transport solutions are designed – from fundamental decisions concerning public safety, facilities and passenger flow management, through to more practical considerations, such as signage, choice of materials and potential long term maintenance planning.
As large numbers of people have a significant impact, often literally, on building interiors, durability and the ability to resist damage, as well as retaining aesthetics, are common specification demands made on Encasement’s column casings and building linings products.
However, as the casing specifications can differ considerably, depending on their location and end use, the most practical way of illustrating this diversity is by focusing on some selected transport projects where Encasement bespoke casings have been installed.
Gatwick Airport South Terminal
London Gatwick Airport’s South Terminal departure lounge and retail area is using 27 Circa column casings to conceal structural steelwork while integrating with the interior design and providing a damage resistant finish.
Constructed from durable and tough 12 mm thick pre-formed plywood, the 800mm diameter casings are located throughout the departure lounge area and range in height from 3300mm to 7500mm. The upper section of each column casing is finished in Formica® FR grade real wood laminate, while the lower 1200 mm uses brushed stainless steel, which also incorporates flush fitting aluminium feature joints.
Oakham Transport Interchange – Rutland
Vecta wall linings are being used in the waiting room to provide a highly durable and low maintenance solution. The 2400mm high Vecta panels are finished in ‘Stone beige’ to help create a comfortable and light interior for passengers.
Each wall panel is manufactured from 8mm thick compact laminate and are fixed to an aluminium and timber supporting framework, which allows precise positioning of the panels and allows them to be effectively secured while maintaining the contrasting shadow-gap design when installed.
Coventry Train Station – Concourse display screen
As part of the £82million transformation of Coventry train station, which was opened in March this year, the main concourse train information display gantry is using Forma metal column casings to conceal its steel supports, standing 3800mm high.
Manufactured from 2mm thick aluminium, the two 350mm diameter column casings are coated with a white RAL 9010 PPC finish, each of which also incorporate two red colour contrasting stripes around the circumference and aluminium skirting collars at the base.
Worksop Bus Station
Quadra square and rectangular column casings are being used to conceal interior structural steelwork at Worksop’s main bus station to help provide a durable and decorative environment for the one million passengers that use the station each year.
Standing 5150mm high, the 12 Quadra casings are manufactured from pre-formed plywood and finished with a hard-wearing Formica® F6305 ‘Limed Strand’ high pressure laminated surface. Located around the perimeter the casings stand 5150mm high and were precisely cut and fitted to accommodate low level bulkheads, structural beams and M&E services in the building.
London Underground – King’s Cross – Petit Prêt
Although, technically, a retail application, to comply with London Underground fire and safety regulations, the refurbishment of Prêt a Manger’s Petit Prêt store at King’s Cross station called for the use of non-combustible interior wall linings, which was addressed using Encasement’s Vecta wall linings.
Within the Petit Prêt store, Vecta aluminium panels were used to fully line the shop interior from floor to ceiling, which also included the installation of the system’s fixing rails, as well as edge and door trims together with a 100mm high mirror polished aluminium skirting. To help keep the shop bright in its underground location, the Vecta panels were finished with a white RAL 9010 PPC coating.
Salford Crescent Train Station
Four 350mm diameter circular Forma casings are used to conceal external structural steelwork at the station’s ticket office and are designed to fit flush with the adjacent walls. This is achieved by manufacturing the casings as ‘three-quarter’ circles spanning only 270 degrees of their circumference.
Standing 3000mm high, the 2mm thick aluminium casings are finished in with a RAL 9010 PPC coating and incorporate a 300mm high top section, which was measured and fitted on site to match the building’s roof profile to create a virtually seamless blend into the roofline.
