Gilberts: Victorian baroque grandeur at iconic hotel

One of only three Radisson RED hotels in the UK is due to open this month after a £20m refurbishment of an iconic 150-years old Grade II listed building. Helping create the perfect atmosphere for the brand’s target guest base of millennials are ventilation diffusers designed and manufactured by Gilberts Blackpool. 

Gilberts worked closely with building services specialist Briggs & Forrester Group in the design and specification of the diverse options, developing bespoke versions alongside standard grilles, to achieve the interior design brief devised by Koncept ID supporting main contractor Deansgate Contractors.

Now, a combination of LG linear bar grilles, GECA egg crate grilles and GSJA swirl diffusers deliver effective ventilation throughout the seven-storey former North Western Hall Hotel in Liverpool’s iconic Lime St.

Finished in either matt black or pure white with a 20% gloss finish, some 400+ LG fine line linear bar grilles fitted with TCB top entry plenums to deliver a balanced, continuous airflow have been fitted predominantly in the 201 bedrooms. 

LG grilles in runs up to 3m long, and including a couple of bespoke versions, have been fitted to supply air to public areas; Gilberts’ GECA egg crate grilles with side entry plenums fulfil air extract. 

In the double-height atrium reception area and restaurant, Gilberts’ thermally-actuated GSJA swirl diffusers deliver omni-directional, rotating warm air in the vertical, and cool air in a horizontal direction, thereby eliminating draughts whilst providing rapid and efficient initial warm up and eliminating potential cold spots at low level.

The swirls are completely self-contained and self-adjusting; there is no need for external connection to a control or building management system, nor human intervention.

The challenge

Rob Griffiths, Briggs & Forrester project manager, observes: “The challenge was to achieve modern standards of ventilation, discreetly, in a historic building where original period features were retained and which complimented the interior design concepts.

“Gilberts’ design and manufacturing capability was extremely useful, facilitating bespoke solutions to help address the constraints imposed when bringing any retained period features into modern building design.”

Nathan Hooper, Director at Deansgate Contractors, says: “North Western Hall is a project thwart with technical difficulties. The brief at Radisson RED Liverpool provided that we needed to create a hotel with all the components of a modern-day facility whilst maintaining the RED brand and sensitivity to the building’s heritage.

“Therefore, clever, and bespoke design initiatives have been essential to delivering this fantastic product to the Liverpool hospitality market.”

The Radisson RED builds on Gilberts’ proven track record in hospitality and heritage air movement, which includes Gleneagles’ Townhouse, Buxton Spa, Carden Park Hotel, and Virgin’s first UK hotel.

Contact:

Gilberts of Blackpool,
Gilair Works,
Clifton Road,
Blackpool,
FY4 40T

Phone: 01253 766911
Fax: 01253 767941

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