Armitage Shanks for Bower Park school refurbish

Ideal Standard International, a leading provider of innovative, design-driven washroom solutions for schools has sponsored the recently renovated washroom block at Bower Park School in London.

The products came from their Ideal Standard and Armitage Shanks brands.

Bower Park, opened on 13th February, is the first of its kind in the UK to be completed under a new set of national guidelines for school washrooms.

The cutting edge pilot design by architects Walters and Cohen brings an innovative approach to the design of school washrooms and aims to bring a positive influence on pupils' welfare, attendance, behaviour and morale.

The government's standard specifications, layouts and dimensions on washroom design were launched in March 2007.

The guidance was informed by recommendations from the Bog Standard campaign which worked alongside key organisations, designers and members of the construction industry and followed extensive consultation among pupils and schools.

The pupils at the Bower Park secondary school chose the finishes as well as the colours and are keen to be fully involved in the daily monitoring and management of the new washrooms.

Armitage Shanks, major sponsor of the Bog Standard campaign, provided the sanitary-ware and fittings for Bower Park School.

"We are committed to improving the standards of school toilets".

"Our research shows that children are concerned about the quality of fixtures and fittings together with the environment of their washroom", says Tony Rheinberg, Marketing Manager for Armitage Shanks.

"Bower Park School follows the guidelines from the Government and is a good framework for other schools to follow.

The washrooms are designed and fitted out to a high standard of quality and aesthetic to encourage pupils' to respect and have pride in their washrooms.

The hand wash area is open to circulation space to facilitate supervision, make pupils feel safer and to deter ant-social behaviour or bullying.

Careful attention in the design has gone into protecting pupils' privacy.

The cubicles are a new design of top-to- bottom doors allowing complete privacy.

Wall hung WCs from Ideal Standard's White range, designed by leading designer David Chipperfield have been installed throughout.

Wall hung WCs are an ideal solution, avoiding the build up of germs and dirt around the base of the WC as well as providing easy cleaning.

Urinals, also installed inside a cubicle are Contour from the Armitage Shanks brand.

along with a Sensorflow built-in electronic urinal flush.

The new Sensorflow 21 range of electronic brassware offers every type of sensing brassware; basin or wall mounted basin spouts with remote sensors, showers and urinal flush controls.

Minimising the spread of bacteria and water wastage, with the option of mains or battery power, Sensorflow 21 is essential in any modern washroom.

Also installed into the washroom is an Armitage Shanks Firth wash trough.

These are preferable to individual wash basins - they are easier to clean, aesthetically more pleasing, and reduce the potential for pupils to flood the toilets.

On behalf of the Government, the Bog Standard campaign will be monitoring the new wash rooms over the first year to see whether the common sense assumptions - that well designed and high quality toilets benefit pupils - are borne out.

Only the boys will experience the benefits of the new toilets, however, the school is planning to create new toilets for the girls.

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