Bold use of colour and inspiring sustainability imperatives were hallmarks across the entries in the 2012 Fly Forbo Awards, leaving judges in awe of the designers’ creativity and the commitment from clients to exceed their social and environmental responsibilities.
Australian Winner
Overall Australian winner WMK Architecture of Sydney and Melbourne was chosen for its Yum! ‘Delicious Space’ office fit-out.
The inspiring ‘marketplace’ concept for Yum! (the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell), incorporated a graphic depiction of a town plan as part of the floor design, denoting the area as a gathering space for the whole company - a hub where staff can relax, work, meet together and eat together.
"All the finish choices made throughout the fitout had sustainability at the forefront and that’s why Marmoleum was an excellent choice," said Petra Bonamy, Senior Designer.
"Considering the rigorous demands placed on the area, Yum’s focus on sustainability and the importance of creating a visually descriptive identity for the space, the use of Forbo Marmoleum was a natural choice," she said.
"The project uses tangible design elements combined with material choice to communicate to Yum’s employees in a positive and symbolic manner that they are there to make a change for the better," said Wayne Donovan, managing director of
Forbo Flooring Systems .
"It is a wonderful example of clever and stylish sustainable design in action."
New Zealand Winner
According to judges, the spectacular atrium of the Waikato Hospital Acute Services Building in New Zealand was ‘a stand-out’ to win the Fly Forbo Award 2012 for CJM (a joint venture between Chow:Hill, Jasmax Limited and McConnel Smith & Johnson).
"Bold swathes of vivid colour and dramatic shapes create a visually exciting interior landscape that is so much more welcoming and uplifting than traditional institutional surroundings," said Bruhn.
"This monolithic design brings character, warmth and life to the space, as well as providing some comforting privacy to visitors during their very stressful time. Choosing permanently anti-bacterial, easy clean and sustainable Marmoleum as the surface material just adds to the design’s value and functionality. It is a knock-out combination," said Donovan.
CJM’s client, the Waikato District Health Board wanted an inviting, relaxing space with strong identity that related back to the local environment, to give people a sense of comfort and ownership.
Marko den Breems of Jasmax Limited, joint CJM project director who led the design for the atrium (which is part of the bigger Waikato Hospital campus redevelopment) reported –
"Usually atriums are large spaces that people feel quite threatened to enter, but the Acute Services atrium is welcoming. Our design expresses the colours and undulations of farmland and rolling hills central to the Waikato area’s identity. A palette was created from greens, orange/yellow and slatey warm dark greys."
“Naturally the client imperative was for finishes that are low maintenance, economical and easy-to-keep over the long term. Marmoleum was chosen for its durability, affordability and its appropriateness for a hospital environment. Sustainability was also a factor in the selection of this surface," adds Chow:Hill and CJM’s project director, Darryl Carey.
Application of Marmoleum, with its permanent, built-in anti-bacterial properties that kill MRSA and Norovirus, was a smart choice.
