More than just a surface to walk on: Amtico Signature at Heriot-Watt University

Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, is the eighth oldest higher education institute in the UK and Scotland’s most international university. When it set about refurbishing Café Brio, which sits at the heart of the campus, the university chose the Amtico Signature collection. The vibrant colours and laying patterns proved the ideal way to give the space a much-needed makeover.

Bold and beautiful
Durability was a priority in order to withstand the heavy footfall from the 10,500 students and staff based at the Edinburgh campus. Thomas Day, Head of Hospitality Services, had previously specified Amtico Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) in another café area and was pleased with how hardwearing that floor was. The brief was to create a feature seating area and vibrant corridor-style walkway to celebrate today’s diverse society, with a nod to the university’s international status and the LGBTQ+ flag.

Statement colours
The versatility of the Signature collection, with its vivid hues and vast laying patterns, was of immediate appeal. Spectrum products – named after iconic cities, such as royal blue Paris and fuchsia-toned Marrakech  ­–were chosen for their bold hues to create the rainbow walkway and bespoke Pleat seating area. As Café Brio is such a high traffic area, the durability of Signature products was also a significant factor and made it a logical choice for the project.

Bespoke design
The university envisioned a colourful feature floor for the seating area and opted to use Amtico’s Design Service to achieve this. Gemma Passantino, from the in-house design team, then produced three designs based on the university’s vision, taking into consideration who would be using the café, and how they would interact with, and move through, the space.

The final design features a bespoke Pleat laying pattern, to create a sense of movement, in 13 lively Signature colours, surrounded by Modernist Spire laid in Broken Bond to connect the design to the rainbow walkway. While the Pleat laying pattern is simple in essence, it enabled the university and Amtico’s in-house team to get truly creative when it came to the café seating area and walkway. 13 Signature colours were incorporated in a dynamic composition, as the tones blended through a rainbow palette mirroring the walkway. The result is an exceptional example of the advanced cutting capabilities that allow a perfect fit and define Amtico’s innovative laying patterns.

“Amtico’s design and sales teams were very supportive and made the installation, in partnership with the flooring company, stress free and seamless,” commented Thomas Day, Head of Hospitality Services at Heriot-Watt University. “The ease, the acclimation and projected longevity of this project means that we are actively looking for the next area to refresh and revitalise, while making flooring something more than just a surface to walk on. Amtico enabled us to make the floor part of the destination.”

Gemma Passantino, Floor Design Specialist at Amtico said, “We are really pleased with the outcome and the response to the new flooring. The overall appearance is striking and eye-catching, it remains youthful and contemporary, which is important with it being a university café. It perfectly showcases what is possible with product and pattern combinations in a large, multifunctional space.”

Amtico Signature
Begin with product, begin with pattern or begin with your imagination. 217 products across 23 laying patterns, Amtico Signature is a unique palette of colours and shapes to create inspiring flooring design. This sophisticated collection combines original palettes, distinctive patterns and stunning details. The design-led, high-performance LVT products have a total thickness of 2.5mm and a 1mm wear layer. Signature products are designed and made in Britain and carry a 20-year warranty.

Let’s work together
Bold, creative and beautiful, a bespoke floor can be tailored to your project requirements.  Bring a full specification, or just your creative ideas and inspiration, and Amtico’s dedicated in-house design specialists will work with you to create a completely bespoke floor. From one-off brand colour palettes to intricate logos and fabulous feature floors – we’re here to help you create unique and memorable customer experiences.

Contact Details
For further information please call Amtico on 0121 745 0800, email or visit the website.