High Demand in Glasgow

Faced with the challenge of sub-dividing a multi-purpose school hall at the new Clyde campus, Style was required to address potential health and safety risks associated with manoeuvring moveable wall panels that would need to be over seven metres high and weighing in excess of half a metric tonne.

Style demonstrated their commitment to the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015 and recommended combining a DORMA Variflex 100 SE moveable wall, which can be safely assembled on site, with the new DORMA programmable I-track. Removing 90-degree corners, a key point of impact with such tall panels, the I-track consists of switches and curves which uses the kinetic energy from the panel itself to assist in moving it into and out of its parking pocket.

Style Scotland, regional arm of UK partitioning experts Style, has achieved phenomenal growth since its incorporation ten years ago. In that time, over 1300 operable walls have been installed with a sales value of over £10m. Last month alone, Style Scotland secured business to the value of £700K - a record figure that demonstrates just how far the business has grown.

“The Clyde campus project demanded our highest level of expertise,” comments David Louden, Style’s director for Scotland. “CDM responsibilities dictated that the system specified could be installed, operated and maintained safely for many years to come.”

Style, nine times winner of the FIS Gold Contractors Award, specified the Variflex system which offers outstanding 57dB acoustic integrity. An incredibly adaptable solution that is suitable for high ceilings, it is assembled on site, reducing the risk of injuries through manual handling.

Looking to the lifecycle of the partitioning wall, Style utilised DORMA’s new I-track. “Moveable wall systems often run on aluminium track featuring 90-degree corners,” explains Louden. “However, sliding such tall, heavy panels into closed corners could easily lead to damage, resulting in structural failure with catastrophic consequences. The programmable steel I-track replaces corners with curves, removing the point of impact and therefore the risk of damage.” In addition to the curved track the Variflex system was specified with semi-automatic seals, reducing effort and speeding up space reconfiguration whilst maximising acoustic integrity every time.

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