Alief ISD New Early Childhood Center
Houston, TX
Category: 2023 Education, Unique Installation Challenge
Bronze Winner People's Choice, Honorable Mention Education
Architect: Huckabee
Starnet Member:
Quality Service Floor Covering
Starnet Preferred Vendors:
ARDEX, Johnsonite By Tarkett, MAPEI, Measure Square, Tarkett Collection Hard Surfaces, Tarkett LVT, Tarkett Soft Surface, Tarkett Sports - FieldTurf
Project Strategy
This extremely beautiful and integrated project was designed with three goals in mind: unique design, ease of maintenance, and selection of a product and installation team that will far exceed the estimated product lifetime. The design of this project was truly intended to stimulate the young child's mind. With Tarkett's digital printing capabilities, the design team was successful with their intent and used nature, adventure, and imagination as inspiration. Throughout the corridors and learning pods, young children see leaves blowing down hallways, dinosaurs, safaris, and outer space to name a few. What started as a planned design was brought to life with Tarkett's uniqueness and a talented installation team.
Unique Installation Challenge Strategy
When the talent and creativity of a leading A&D firm are freed to pour into a project, that project in return will present unique procurement and installation challenges for the installer. After going to contract on this project procurement became quite a hurdle but through the support of the Tarkett team, we were able to navigate through a shift in distributors and procure all specifications per the schedule. Leading the industry in heat-welded sheet vinyl and sheet vinyl not being common in most public school facilities, it only made sense that we would be sought after for the integrated corridors that consist of water jet cut patterns, heat welds, and free-handing pattern cuts. Moving on to the learning pods which consist of blending 27 different custom digital printed LVTs and sheet vinyl to bring together a designer's vision and excite a child’s mind to seek to dream and learn of all the things in this world that are marvelous.