Case Study – Municipal Buildings

Project: Civic Centre, Gateshead
Client: Gateshead Metropolitan Council
Architect: Gateshead Council Design Services
Main Contractor: Gateshead Local Environment Services

Orbis Timber Doorsets and Dual Combination levers for refurbished Gateshead Civic Centre

Laidlaw Solutions Orbis Timber Doorsets and Orbis Premier ironmongery have been specified for the upgrading of Gateshead Civic Centre’s restaurant, café, bar and access areas. The newly refurbished facility, now named ‘Bewicks,’ was officially opened by Lord Kinnock and provides enhanced facilities for members of the public as well as Civic Centre employees. It boasts upgraded seating and wireless internet access, extended opening hours and availability for meetings, seminars, weddings and parties.
 
The interior design specification was drawn up by Gateshead Council’s own Design Services with 20 veneered Orbis Timber Doorsets and factory-fitted Orbis Premier hardware being installed by the Council’s Local Environment Services (LES) department. 'Dual' Satin Polished levers, with a Satin centre and Polished ends, were fitted to these doors and a number of others.

The four ‘Dual’ combinations utilise levers pre-fixed to a rose insert and matching lever end, providing contemporary styling backed by a 15-year guarantee. All offer an improved 3 point fixing method, levers being pre-fixed to the rose with secure bolt-through rose fixings and break-through grub screw fixing into the spindle.

With doors being the most likely cause of early refurbishment in commercial environments, use of Orbis veneered doorsets has found increasing specification due to their use of either crown cut or quarter cut hardwood with factory finished matching or contrasting hardwood lippings and glazing beads. Crown cut veneers are book-matched to provide an attractive and carefully balanced pattern across the width of the door.

Laidlaw Project Manager Tony Kears commented, “Factory finished doorsets make installation very straightforward in situations where refurbishment windows are tight. The specification required doors and ironmongery to be fit for an extended service life as the restaurant is now being used by the public”. The Orbis Doorsets and Premier hardware met this need while the Dual Finish levers provided an extremely eye catching point of focus”.

The extensive Orbis Premier range also includes straight and ‘return to door’ handles, backplate roses and inserts, concealed fixings, escutcheons, push plates, closers, lock cylinders, hinges and signage. Its 15-year guarantee stems from the use predominantly of the highest grade 316 stainless steel, making it ideal in an environment where doorsets can expect intensive usage.