Archwood House, a new purpose-built student accommodation scheme in Peckham, was commissioned by the University of the Arts London (UAL) to house its students.
Tasked with creating proactive and forward-thinking spaces for residents to live and study in, architects Nelson and Long specified an array of solutions from Forbo Flooring Systems’ contemporary portfolio to make this happen. Forbo’s Coral entrance flooring, Allura Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT), Tessera carpet tiles, Eternal de Luxe Decibel general purpose vinyl and Surestep and Safestep safety floor coverings were all installed throughout the building. Comprising 343 bedrooms and 50 studios, Archwood House, which opened in September 2022, provides students with accommodation close to UAL buildings. Alicia Nelson, Co-founder of Nelson and Long, comments: “Our client’s brief was to create innovative and inspiring spaces for UAL’s creative students to learn and grow in.
It was also important that the spaces equipped students with the tools they needed to have a successful time at university, from studying to socialising. Sustainability was top of the agenda too, so we needed to carefully consider the materials we specified to ensure we met the requirements. “Because of the variety of high-quality and sustainable products available within Forbo’s portfolio, as well as its reliable customer service, we opted for a variety of Forbo floor coverings for Archwood House, including its Allura LVT and Tessera carpet tiles. “We specified Forbo’s Allura LVT in a variety of colourways for a few different areas of the student accommodation, including the games room and common room which are situated in the main building.
The warm colours that Forbo’s Allura LVT are available in helped to provide a stunning backdrop for each space which then enabled us to build out, incorporating different textures and colours to the overall design. “We then opted for various designs from Forbo’s Tessera collection, because they are durable, textural and give a residential feel to a commercial space. Forbo’s Tessera Layout in the Graphine colourway was the perfect solution for the stairs, cluster corridors and other high traffic areas, thanks to its hard-wearing nature. The understated grey shade also complemented the neutral colour palette we were using for these areas.” Alicia also specified Forbo’s Tessera Chroma carpet tiles in the Pathway and Tuxedo colourways, which were installed in the bedrooms and the cinema room respectively to give the spaces a more homely feel. Not only this, but Forbo’s Tessera Chroma carpet tiles are made with 62% recycled content by weight, aiding in creating a more sustainable scheme.
This was combined with Forbo’s Eternal de Luxe Decibel vinyl floor covering in the communal and studio kitchens. This solution served a double purpose: It reduced impact sound by 17 dB and provided an R10 slip rating, both of which were key to creating healthier and safer spaces for residents to live in. With safety in mind, Alicia also specified a range of Forbo’s safety flooring. And to maintain the condition of the interior floor coverings, Alicia opted to use Forbo’s Coral Classic entrance flooring system in the Mouse Grey colourway. Alicia explains more here: “We wanted a solid barrier matting, that would reduce the walked-in dirt that you’d expect to see in a city centre university accommodation. With students coming and going all day, it was key to install an effective entrance flooring system to reduce cleaning and maintenance”