Client: Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Type of works: supply and installation of around 4,000m2 of Tarkett’s Optima vinyl flooring.
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been undertaking a long-term refurbishment programme at Dorchester Hospital, including replacement of existing carpets throughout. Over the last five years, around 4,000m2 of Tarkett’s Optima vinyl flooring have been installed within the wards, and the latest project has involved replacing around 1,269m2 of carpet in the hospital streets with Tarkett’s Eminent vinyl flooring.
The Trust undertook a trial with three different manufacturers’ products before selecting Tarkett’s Eminent Range, as a hospital spokesperson explained: “All tested products were multi directional and our criteria included aesthetics and durability, acoustics, safety, ease of cleaning and installation and maintenance costs. We chose Tarkett’s Eminent range since not only did it meet all our performance criteria but the colour choice was far greater, allowing us to define different floor levels by colour.”
Another key aspect of the flooring at Dorchester Hospital is the inclusion of bespoke artwork, arranged through the Arts in Hospital charity and designed by Chris Tipping, Project Artist. Taking inspiration from the exposed Jurassic era geology along the Dorset coastline, Chris carried out extensive research and investigation into the various geological structures, fossils and land forms of the area. “I was interested in the idea that the floors in the hospital could be interpreted as the layers or strata of the coast, with fossil-like patterns embedded in them and fragments and elements emerging where different layers meet,” explained Chris. “The designs are not literal copies of fossils but draw on and combine different elements. They are inserted into the floor at key areas such as near lifts and at the top of staircases to help with way finding, while smaller patterns break up long expanses of corridor,” Chris continued.
The unusual artwork was realised with the help of Tarkett’s Floorcraft Design Service, who created the intricate patterns out of the Eminent flooring, which was then expertly installed by Alan Rendall Carpets of Dorchester.
As one of Tarkett’s highly successful iQ floorings, the Eminent range is ideal for hospital environments. Made of high quality raw materials, the homogeneous vinyl provides outstanding performance, even in heavy traffic areas. The 3rd generation PUR surface treatment means iQ Eminent needs no wax or polish for life, reducing maintenance costs by up to 30% compared to traditional cleaning methods. And the environment also benefits with a reduction in consumption of water, detergents and energy needed for cleaning.
Designed in four colour palettes - Natural, Cosmopolitan, Urban and Contemporary - Eminent offers wider creative possibilities, particularly for larger installations where colour differentiation is required.