Monthly Archives: July 2020

Case study – Sir John Moore’s Primary School in Appleby Magna

When Sir John Moore’s Primary School in Appleby Magna, Leicestershire, required a new classroom for their Key Stage 1 children, architectural and construction consultancy YMD Boon were happy to assist.

The school was originally designed by Sir Christopher Wren, one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history. It opened in 1697 as a free school for boys and is now a Grade 1 Listed Building enhancing the picturesque village of Appleby Magna.

YMD Boon came up with an innovative design, respecting and reinforcing the significant heritage of the school. They incorporated a Twinfix canopy into the design and the team at Twinfix worked closely in collaboration with main contractor Ideal Building Systems Ltd to fulfil their part of the project.

The new building has been designed with features that reflect the Grade 1 listed main building. It is also timber-clad to blend into the surrounding woodland and natural environment. The external materials represent the modern-day opportunities to provide a green, low maintenance solution.

Twinfix, designed, manufactured and installed a free-standing mono pitch canopy with aluminium frame and timber posts to complement the new classroom. The roof comprises of our innovative Multi-Link-Panel NF system, the panels conform to the HSE’s recommended drop test for fragility ACR[M]001:2014 with a B designation, meaning they are classified as non-fragile.

The pupils are now enjoying lessons in a new state-of-the-art classroom, their new canopy measures 22.9m in length and has a 3m projection, providing shelter for a range of work and play activities.

Benefits of our Multi-Link-Panel NF – Non-Fragile Glazing Panels for Canopies, Walkways & Rooflights

A wide range of glazed canopies, walkways and rooflights are available from Twinfix, many of which are regularly installed in schools, railway stations and commercial properties. These include pitched roof designs, glazed with the modular Multi-Link-Panel NF (non fragile).

This is an innovative aluminium framed rooflight with a unique fix and link connection system that makes installation really quick and easy. The pre-assembled panels, manufactured to size in the Twinfix factory, are delivered to site on a ‘just in time’ basis ready for speedy fitting. The aluminium frames can be powder coated to any colour and may be fitted with various types and shades of glazing. This includes both multiwall and solid see through polycarbonate that looks like glass but has all the great benefits of polycarbonate.

This system is non-fragile, making it ideal for overhead glazing, benefits include:

  • Fast installation – The innovative fixing & linking method of these modular panels results in quick installation times
  • Factory pre-assembled – Means no costly and time-consuming mistakes on site
  • Safe in use – All Multi-Link-Panels NF are non fragile, in accordance with HSE recommendations
  • Long lasting – Low maintenance, durable glazing and non-rusting, aluminium frames that won’t need a repaint
  • Protection from UV – As polycarbonate does not transmit UV its use as overhead glazing in schools helps to protect children
    from the harmful effect of these rays
  • ‘Green’ products – Both the aluminium and the polycarbonate glazing may be recycled at the end of their long life span.
  • Incredibly light in weight
  • Easy to move on to a roof
  • Helps in extending the life of existing buildings/structures
  • Ideal for use in school canopies, walkways and rooflights

When fitted with solid, or our Georgian wired polycarbonate glazing, this system looks like glass, but has all the strength and durability of polycarbonate, is incredibly tough glazing – virtually unbreakable and floods areas underneath/adjacent with natural light, whilst protecting against UV.

The safety of people on roofs, is of paramount importance and is ignored at your peril. CDM regulations state that it is the responsibility of the designer/specifier of new or replacement roofing to design out any future possible dangers. Specifying Non-Fragile rooflights helps to do just that.

The HSE recommend a drop test (ACR[M]001:2014 Test for Fragility of Roofing Assemblies) to establish whether a roofing assembly can be
classified as Non-Fragile. Twinfix Multi-Link-Panels NF (Non-Fragile) pass this test with a ‘B’ designation – the highest classification polycarbonate can achieve.

Blackburn Station        Lots of play space                Case-Study-St Annes Primary School        story-contracting-stirling-railway-station-2-7-2016-small        story-contracting-stirling-railway-8650        MLP        Porthmadog Station Complete 001

Enhance your healthcare facility with a covered outdoor area

Twinfix is a family owned and managed company with over 30 years’ experience providing canopies and shelters to the healthcare industry.

Our design team enjoy creating attractive and useful outdoor shelters to suit our clients’ varying needs and understand the importance of protecting individuals who are ill and elderly from the elements and provide structures which could benefit healthcare facilities in several ways, including entrance canopies, walkways and ambulance or patient drop off shelters.

Allowing patients and residents access to natural daylight by providing roof lighting or shelter within gardens could also bring health and well-being benefits. A recent study suggests that in healthcare, access to daylight provides; a reduction in the average length of a hospital stay, quicker post-operative recovery, reduced requirements for pain relief, quicker recovery from depressive illness and disinfectant qualities. There is also a growing body of evidence that daylight plays a critically important role in the prevention and treatment of obesity, heart disease and other illnesses exacerbated by stress.

For those who are looking for an elegant, useful and functional outside glazed cover the Twinfix design team await the challenge!