We recently tasked our design team to not only create a new smoking shelter for use on our site, but also to install it. This novel assignment had a serious objective: to see if they found the information they usually supply to our installation teams was easy to follow and sufficiently clear to enable them (the designers) to easily erect this fabricated shelter. It took our four designers one and a half days to complete the install – and along the way they found several items that were not clear enough to make for quick and easy fitting.
The shelter itself is an elegant shape, made from aluminium with lots of gentle curves and glazed with 6mm clear polycarbonate. In order to fit the space available it was designed for entry from one side.  The back consists of 3mm aluminium sheets powder coated in two shades of grey, curved from top to bottom, preventing any view into the shelter from the adjacent car park, whilst a gap at the top enables air circulation. The roof is clear 6mm solid polycarbonate that was cold-curved during fitting, as is the vertical panel on the side opposite to the entrance. The glazing was fitted using our P226 screw-down glazing bar and in line with current legislation 50% of the shelter sides are open to the elements.
So, we now have a smart new smoking shelter and a team of designers who will approach their fixing instructions with more of an expert eye. Win, win all round!
