Armstrong Commercial Flooring is pleased to announce its products were used in eight award-winning projects in the 2013 Starnet Design Awards, helping Starnet members achieve top honors with five gold, one silver, and two bronze awards.

“We are so proud that the commercial industry sees Armstrong as the trusted go-to resource when it comes to new construction and renovation projects,” said Richard K. Born, vice president, Commercial Sales. “It is an honor that our partners were recognized for these amazing projects and we are glad to be able to provide them with targeted solutions for their flooring needs.”

The 114 submissions were divided among  multiple categories including Healthcare, Education, Retail, Corporate, Hospitality, Environmental Achievement and Unique Installation. This year a new category, People’s Choice was added to the voting by Starnet members, vendors, and industry (press).

Bostik Inc.’s installation, done by Starnet member Lippert Tile Company, was given three awards: Gold in People’s Choice; Silver in Corporate, and Bronze in Unique Installation.

Cecelia Valentine, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Associate at Lippert Tile Company, said, “the colors matched up quite nicely with the carpet selected.  The same design used to install the Armstrong floor also was used to install the carpet. [It’s] pretty amazing looking in person.  The work our installers do never ceases to impress me,” she said.

Tara Lopez, an interior designer that worked on the project from Uihlein/Wilson Architects, also explained that Armstrong was the perfect solution for their flooring requirements. “We specified Armstrong linoleum — Marmorette with NATURCote — for several reasons. We have continually found linoleum to be a very durable, sustainable, maintainable and beautiful flooring product,” she said.  “Armstrong’s Marmorette with NATURCote was a great solution for Bostik’s ‘Commons Area’ because we needed the flooring to be multi-functional, as there were numerous uses within the high-traffic space; from dining to conference. Marmorette also had the right colors. Color selection was paramount in staying true to the Bostik brand. Overall, Marmorette was an aesthetic and functional flooring solution for the Bostik project.”

Armstrong’s MARMORETTE Commercial Linoleum is a multi-award winning offering – combining durability, performance and beautiful, on-trend styles with manufacturing processes that include renewable resources, such as cork and linseed oil. This sustainable product was developed with durability and design in mind including Continuum, a system that encourages designers, architects and specifiers to mix and match flooring selections across categories and collections. NATURCote, a high-performance coating exclusive to Armstrong, provides low maintenance and a beautiful finish that improves scuff resistance and reduces damage from scratching.

Additional award-winning projects featuring Armstrong flooring include:

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago: A Gold winner in Healthcare, Mr. David’s Flooring was in charge of making this installation successful. Positive distractions and familiarity for children were critical in achieving the client’s design objectives; for example, imaging rooms may have checkerboard, picnic-like floors, and strategically placed colorful geometric shapes are found on the floors to improve way-finding throughout the hospital.

Kaiser Bellflower Pediatrics Relocation: Brought to life by Starnet Member JJJ Floor Covering, this installation was awarded Gold in Unique Installation and Bronze for Healthcare. The goal for the new Pediatrics department was to create an atmosphere that would appeal to the young, compartmentalize without institutionalizing, make the area flow and do it all in about two months.  Over 1/2 an acre of Armstrong MARMORETTE was hand-cut and installed in as small as 2-inch sections (the ribbon down the main corridor). 

Puma North America: Designed by Allegheny Contract Flooring, this installation was awarded Gold in Retail, and Bronze in Environmental Achievement. Puma’s long-term mission of becoming the most desirable and sustainable sports lifestyle company called for the use of earth friendly and rapidly renewable finish selections.

Berkshire School: Bellas/Dixon Math and Science Center: Starnet member M. Frank Higgins & Co. was awarded Gold  for Environmental Achievement for this educational project. The goals for the Berkshire School Bellas/Dixon Math and Science Center were twofold: create a unique, high-tech building in the center of campus, and provide inspired spaces for learning. Armstrong Granette Linoleum was installed with inlaid text lettering of English and metricsystems. Granette Linoleum is a NSF332 Gold certified product containing 35% pre-consumer recycled content.

Memorial Care: Headed by Universal Metro, Memorial Care was named the Silver winner in Environmental Achievement. Extensive use of open space combined with the elements of environment-friendly biobased floor covering materials like Armstrong’s STRIATIONS BBT were used to achieve the design focus of “Live Healthy”; to promote healing through nurturing spaces; and to empower patients through information and education. Using the product in over 13,000 sf (3/4) of the project, the BioBased Tile allowed for the project to incorporate sustainable design into the construction. BBT with BioStride contains rapidly renewable resources, contains 10% recycled content, meets the standards of California Section 01350 for low VOC emissions, and contributes to LEED credits EQ4.3, MR4.0, MR5.0, MR6.0.

Swinomish Lodge: The People’s Choice Bronze winner, Rubenstein’s Contract Carpet was the Starnet member in charge of this beautiful installation. The goals for the expansion of the hotel and convention center were to continue the flow of the Pacific Northwest theme. The design team selected natural textures and colors that are complimented by bolder accents to create the desired environment.

Flint Hills Discovery Center: Given the Bronze award for Hospitality public space, Armstrong BioBased Tile was one of the main flooring products used in this Image Flooring project. On the 2nd level of the museum there is an Activity Area where 73 circles and rings of Armstrong Migrations BBT were water jet cut and installed into a pattern that highlights the bright furniture and interactive play areas.

For more information on Armstrong Commercial Flooring, visit http://www.armstrong.com/commercialflooring/.