13. January 2019 | Germany | Project References

From hospitals to nursery schools: noraplan signa is an all-round floor covering for all areas of application

Systemised flooring

Weinheim, Januar 2019 – noraplan signa is an all-round versatile floor covering and the most successful product in the history of nora systems. The reason for this: The system concept of this rubber flooring is its greatest selling point. The harmonious granular pattern, wide range of colours, comprehensive accessory range and versions with various functional properties plus the self-adhesive nTx variant make this floor covering incredibly versatile. Since being launched on the market in 2007, around 16 million square meters of noraplan signa have been sold, 7.3 million alone in Western Europe. The most popular colours are two shades of grey followed by a warm orange in third place. Most noraplan signa floor coverings are sold in the healthcare sector followed by education, public-sector construction and industry. Three examples:

The Bronovo hospital in The Hague: noraplan signa is an integral part of the colour scheme

The colourful mother and child centre in the Bronovo hospital in The Haguelooks more like a family hotel than a hospital. Following comprehensive renovation, the maternity ward and paediatric ward now provide a stylish and extremely comfortable atmosphere with ample privacy for parents and children. The owners and architects of the Amsterdam architectural practice of Koldeweij en S & D Ontwerpers wanted a floor covering of the highest quality that would emphasise the contemporary design of the mother and child center. A continuous colour scheme encompassing the fittings, walls and floors was used throughout both wards. Around 1300 square meters of noraplan signa were fitted in four different colours. Different shades of brown and beige create a homely ambiance in the corridors and patient's rooms. Brightly coloured stripes of noraplan uni add cheerful accents to the hallways. The colours used in the floor covering inlays are repeated on the walls. A further vital advantage for both architects and users: Rubber floor coverings contain no phthalate plasticizers or halogens (e.g. chlorine). This means that they guarantee healthy indoor air. In 2006, nora floorings were the first resilient floor coverings ever to be awarded the Blue Angel eco label for low-emission for precisely this reason. A healthy living environment using low-emission construction materials is a significant factor for well-being and recovery. This is particularly important for infants and ill children whose immune systems are either weakened or not yet fully developed.

Mobile nursery school in Sachsenheim: noraplan signa for playing and romping in safety

The Mobile nursery school in Sachsenheim, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, fosters the natural movement instincts of young children in many different ways. The educational staff also place great value on conveying sensory impressions as part of their work. Only natural, environmentally friendly materials were used when building the nursery. Therefore, an ecological yet robust floor covering was absolutely essential both for the architects and users. They found just what they were looking for at nora systems: Around 1500 square meters of non-slip and permanently elastic noraplan signa was laid throughout the entire facility to allow the children to run and play in safety. The rubber floor covering is also pleasantly warm for children playing on the floor. “We were immediately impressed by the outstanding comfort when walking and the pleasant feel of the nora flooring”, says nursery school head Simone Schäfer. “The natural appearance of the rubber material also fitted perfectly into the design concept”. The pale grey floor covering with its characteristic granule inclusions in three colour-coordinated components is timelessly elegant and also hides dirt effectively. Furthermore, it does not require any coating. This is a great advantage, both ecologically and economically, when compared to other resilient floor coverings whose coatings must be replaced on a regular basis.

Danone Innovation Centre Utrecht, Netherlands: noraplan signa for a quieter workplace

Danone is one of the largest food companies in the world. They specialise in the development and production of drinks and foodstuffs with medical benefits. In 2013, the company opened a new research and development site in Utrecht in the Netherlands: the Danone Innovation Centre. At the center, around 400 employees are engaged in the development of food recipes for particularly sensitive individuals, such as babies, pregnant women or people with medical conditions. The high innovation and quality standards that Danone demands of its products were also applied when building the new research facility – and with great success. The building was awarded a 4-star BREEAM certificate for sustainability. The nora systems low-emission rubber floor also contributed to the facility being awarded this certificate. An acoustic variant of noraplan signa with particularly good noise-reducing qualities was installed over 3600 square meters. One of the planners' major concerns was to create a pleasant working atmosphere in the Danone Innovation Centre. noraplan signa acoustic is particularly thick at four millimetres. This makes it extremely comfortable to walk or stand on. It also absorbs footfall noise perfectly and reduces background noise inside the building. “This was an especially important requirement for us because the Danone Innovation Centre has an open design. This makes optimum interior acoustics essential”, says interior designer Chris Pachen, planner of the Danone Innovation Centre. However, the rubber floor was not only selected for footfall sound absorption, but also due to its design. The pale beige shade of noraplan signa acoustic visually enhances the open atmosphere in the research facility: The floor makes the light-flooded interior appear even more friendly, open and modern.*

Photos:

Large picture: Bronovo hospital, The Hague, Copygight: Studio Csany / Imre Csany
photo 1+2: Kindergarten Mobile, Sachsenheim, Copyright: RALF DIETER BISCHOFF
photo 3+4: Danone Innovation Centre, Utrecht; Copyright: CR-BEELDWERKEN

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* The text can be freely used. Publication of images in connection with press releases of nora systems GmbH is free of charge if the source is quoted. The copyright can be found under Image Properties >> Details. The use for advertising purposes is not permitted. We ask for a specimen copy.

About nora

nora by Interface is the commercial rubber flooring brand of Interface, Inc. Produced in Germany for more than 70 years, nora premium rubber solutions help to support operations, efficiencies, health, safety and well-being with sustainable flooring that eases maintenance, reduces noise, and provides added comfort underfoot.

Interface, Inc., (NASDAQ: TILE) is a global flooring solutions enterprise with an integrated portfolio of carpet tile and resilient flooring products, where everything is third-party certified carbon neutral. With our design approach to flooring systems, we help our customers create high-performance interior spaces that have a positive impact on people’s lives and the planet. Our range includes Interface^® carpet tile and LVT, nora^® by Interface rubber flooring, and FLOR^® premium area rugs for commercial and residential spaces.

Interface is third-party certified as a Carbon Neutral Enterprise. We neutralized our carbon impact across our entire business, including all operations and our full value chain, marking an important milestone toward our objective to become a restorative and carbon negative enterprise by 2040.

Learn more about Interface at interface.com and blog.interface.com, nora by Interface at nora.com, FLOR at FLOR.com, and our sustainability journey at interface.com/sustainability.