Sureset Resin Bound Surfacing news 5-260106

Subscribe to newsletter

Editor's Note: Sureset provide:-

Resin Bound Surfacing

Links
Request Information
Terms of use
Contact

Sureset Resin Bound Surfacing enhances Portsmouth Community Centre Project

Named after a local Victorian benefactor, the new John Pounds Community Centre in Portsmouth incorporates a number of innovative design concepts within an over all theme depicting the area’s history and its long associations with the sea. Created by landscape and sculpture artist, Pete Codling, the theme also includes his visual interpretation of ‘healthy living and well being’ - this being a prerequisite in his brief from Portsmouth City Council. Other than that Pete was given a ‘free hand’ but right from the start he took into account this was fundamentally a community project and welcomed in-put from those likely to be using it. The end result reflects that contribution and helps to really identify this as a facility for the local inhabitants.

Approaching the building and linking the centre with an adjacent medical centre there is now an eye-catching walkway incorporating images of fish combined with 250 footprints produced from traces provided by users of the two facilities. To achieve the desired outcome Pete Codling called on the services of resin bound surfacing specialist, SureSet. Having worked with them on previous projects he was confident their wide range of materials and finishes would provide the desired results and, being resin bound, there should be no problems with loose or crumbling surfaces. For the ‘beach effect’ background he specified a gravel mix with the fish and footprints being created from Atlantic Blue, Pacific Blue and Clear Frost recycled glass. The walkway has become more than just functional and decorative, as those using both the medical and community centres can often be seen trying to identify their own footprint, which confirms the original brief has been successfully met in an inter-active manner. The same ‘beach effect’ finish allows the theme to be extended to outside seating as well.

A major design feature within the community centre’s reception area is based on Pete Codling’s interpretation of a slipway leading down to the sea and incorporates both large boulders and small pebbles, graduated in size as would be in reality. SureSet’s Silver Pearl mix in sizes graduated from 10mm down to 3mm plays a major part within the feature.

As a separate but related exercise Pete Codling has also used a SureSet Blue glass finish to create a feeling of puddles around the site’s tree bases. Pete Codling comments: ‘ I have used SureSet products before and could see the system would lend itself to these applications. Dramatic effects can be achieved within the extensive range of raw materials and textures and the fact of being a cold lay system made it ideal for use whilst other activity had to continue on the site. The final result is exactly as envisaged and matches the original concept perfectly.’

The John Pounds Community Centre project is part of a much larger redevelopment of the area in partnership with the Portsea Action Group and The Community Trust. The building itself being designed by Capita Symonds and Pete Codling worked in collaboration with their landscape architect.

Other notable projects where Pete Codling has specified SureSet include the award winning Arundel Street precinct, also in Portsmouth, where Blue and Mixed Buff finishes have been used to represent the flow of water through the original but now defunct canal basin.

As illustrated here the application possibilities for SureSet are endless but the system has also been used extensively elsewhere for access roads and car parks, driveways, pedestrian areas, footpaths and cycleways, tree pits, patios and pool surrounds. SureSet believe the features their system offers are second to none and come with a guarantee recently extended to seven years.

SureSet provides a nationwide supply and lay service for the larger contract and for designers and specifiers comprehensive data in PDF format available by emailing

Email: mail@sureset.co.uk