Corkcomfort in South Africa’s First Green Hotel

Cape Town, South Africa – 

Hollow on the Square Hotel

Located in the beautiful city of Cape Town, Hollow on The Square is a 4 star city hotel designed by M&B Architects & Interiors offering 114 luxuriously appointed rooms and suites, all designed for comfort and tranquility.  The newly added eco-friendly rooms were conceived using nature as inspiration and incorporate materials that reflect natural comfort.

M&B chose Wicanders Corkcomfort products as an innate fit for this project.  Over 8,600 square feet of Wicanders Cork flooring cover the guest rooms, hallways and elevators, earning praise from a number of visiting guests.  Products used include Corkcomfort HPS Identity Spice, HPS Identity Chestnut and WRT Linn Sepia.  

The elegance of these materials and others used at the Hollow on The Square, M&B House, as well as the suave colors and distinctive décor, bring in a sense of total serenity, persuading visitors to enjoy an unforgettable stay.

View more projects using Wicanders Cork Flooring by visiting our Press Room.

Amorim’s ReCORK America and SOLE Footware to Upcycle Millions of Cork Stoppers

Napa, CA– ReCORK America has added another partner to support its cork recycling program.  SOLE, the manufacturer of premium footbeds, socks and sandals, will use a blend of recycled cork wine bottle closures in its line of 2010 footwear products.

SOLE joins the many restaurants, resorts, organizations, wine retailers, and wineries who help collect and find use for used natural corks.

To read the full article on this new partnership, please follow this link

Amorim Flooring partners with Architectural Systems, Inc.

Amorim Flooring North America, Inc. has appointed Architectural Systems, Inc. (ASI, www.archsystems.com) as its distributor in the commercial segment of Wicanders cork flooring.   ASI will cover the  Metro New York and New Jersey areas.

Founded in 1990, ASI has been known from the start for its fresh, innovative solutions for commercial interiors.  Today, the company’s products are confidently specified by the foremost architecture & design firms and installed globally in major retail, entertainment, hospitality, corporate, healthcare, education and institutional projects.

ASI’s clients return again and again for ASI’s extensive product expertise, professionalism, commitment to service, and collective eye for what’s next®, and the ability to find it all in one place.  Founders Nancy Jackson (President) and Ron Jackson (CEO) are design advocates who help their clients materialize their vision and have worked with the most prestige clientele.  ASI’s team of experts has been recognized for their involvement in every part of the contract project process from concept to installation.  Their innovative style and established relationships in the A& D community distinguish them from the rest.  Their exceptional knowledge of the industry is known globally and sets trends before anyone recognizes them as trends.

 Architectural Systems, Inc. (ASI), a family business, is acclaimed by the industry as a leading provider of architectural materials including sustainable products.

Amorim’s international flooring portfolio is known for its unique ecological properties, aesthetic design and technical attributes. 

This new strategic partnership reinforces the demand for high quality eco-efficient flooring solutions, and will strengthen Wicanders’ presence in the New York and New Jersey markets.

We welcome ASI to our family.

Team WIcanders

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Frank Lloyd Wright Chose Cork Floors too!

“Organic architecture seeks superior sense of use and a finer sense of comfort, expressed in organic simplicity.”

–Frank Lloyd Wright

We are all familiar with Frank Lloyd Wrights‘ most famous architectural designs like Fallingwater and the Guggenheim. He designed hundreds of famous structures and enabled the evolution of modern architecture.

What does Frank Lloyd Wright’s legacy have to do with Wicanders Cork Oak Flooring you ask? Well, one of the most famous concepts he developed was Organic Architecture.  This idea of promoting harmony between people and nature sounds pretty familiar doesn’t it?

Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Organic Architecture reminds us (surprisingly enough!) of Wicanders Cork Oak Flooring. Combining nature with sustainable design is what Wicanders does so effortlessly. Not only does the design of Wicanders flooring feel pure and natural, but it is beneficial to two environments; the natural environment in which the Cork is harvested, and the environment in which Wicanders’ flooring is installed. In Portugal, the generations of families who have nurtured the cork oak trees in the Montado forests rely on them for their livelihood, and never harm the trees during the harvest process. And by choosing Cork Oak floors, we are providing a safe, healthy, comfortable, and sustainable environment for those we love. Frank Lloyd Wright would be proud.

Oh, and the best part…Frank Lloyd Wright was a fan of cork- not only did he use cork in his home and studio, but he also used Cork Floors in his most famous design, Fallingwater.

We believe Nature’s architect would be proud…both of Frank Lloyd Wrights’ vision, and other architects who have been pioneers in Organic Architecture. It’s just what nature intended!

Born of nature, and fashioned for living. What a unique idea…

Team Wicanders

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Wicanders Cork Oak Floors are Perfect for Kids Rooms & Play Areas!

When different and unique things complement each other, we all feel balanced and harmonious.

That’s what Wicanders Cork Oak Flooring is all about. If you are a frequent visitor here, you know we can’t blog enough about our floors…because we love the pairing of sustainable design and art, and the benefits of green building working hand-in-hand with modern design.

One of our favorite relationships is between Wicanders Cork Oak Floors and Children.  As we all know, kids love to run, jump, and play hard on floors. Our floors are soft and absorb shock, so the little ones are less likely to get hurt doing what they naturally love to do.  Kids also are more likely than adults to pick up germs and viruses. Our cork oak floors are naturally anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and hypoallergenic. Kids can be loud. Our floors dramatically reduce impact sound and reflected noise.  In fact, our cork oak floors are often used to diminish the echo effect in large corridors and hallways, as well as specialty rooms such as libraries (like the Library of Congress), classrooms, theaters and children’s museums.

Amazement Square Children's Museum & Wicanders Cork Oak Floors

Want to check out some real life examples of harmony in action?  Amazement Square, a hands-on children’s museum and interactive learning playground in Lynchburg, VA, chose our Series 1000 Originals Collection in Natural to cover approximately 5,000 square feet of the museum’s high traffic areas.  The Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital, in Brighton, UK, chose our Series 4000 for their central atrium area where lots of kids play, so they don’t disturb the other little kids trying to get well. This busy pediatrics hospital won an International Health Care Award, in recognition of its innovative design and promotion of health and well being.

Award-Winning Children's Hospital Chose Wicanders Cork Oak Floors

So when you think about it, installing Wicanders Cork Oak Flooring in places where little kids play (and big kids, too!) is a pretty good idea.

Here’s to keeping our little ones safe, healthy, and happy! Cheers!

Team Wicanders

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Tate Access Floors and Wicanders Cork Oak Floors Join Forces!

Tate Access Floors is the largest access flooring company in North America, so needless to say…we’re excited about our recent affiliation!! We have joined forces with another world leader in sustainable building solutions. Tate will supply Wicanders’ new line of access floors; Wicanders UP. Check out our News Release to learn more.

Tate Access Floors, Inc. has over 45 years of experience. The company is a recognized worldwide leader in the research, design, manufacture, distribution, sales, and installation of raised access floors. We can’t wait to see what happens when a world-renowned distributor like Tate, and Wicanders combine forces…we’re partial of course!

Wicanders UP Access Flooring

Wicanders UP is 3.2 mm thick and has HPS, our High Performance Surface, with a 15 year commercial warranty. Wicanders UP was created specifically for high traffic areas. It is protected from scratches, scuff marks, dents, abrasions, stains and UV damage, and the low gloss level of the HPS prevents slipping! Like our other flooring, Wicanders UP still provides thermal insulation, acoustic dampening, health benefits, resiliency, and is free from allergens and hidden germs, and well as being naturally anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, and hypoallergenic. Long story short, it is a GREAT option for your commercial places and spaces with high and unforgiving foot traffic!

We hope you join Tate Access Floors and Wicanders Cork Oak Flooring in the effort to promote green design and green building. With your help, we can create more sustainable and eco-friendly places for all of us.

Until next time,

Team Wicanders

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A Portuguese Treasure Hunt

A Portuguese Gold Coin

A 16th century Portuguese trading ship was found off the coast of Namibia recently. It is “the most exciting archaeological discovery on the African continent in the past 100 years” according to Webber Ndoro, the project manager of the excavation. The excavation has lead to the discovery of priceless artifacts like gold and silver coins, elephant tusks, and cannon balls from Portugal. You can read more here.

Portugal has had an exciting month. Not only have 16th century Portuguese treasures been discovered, but the countries’ capital, Lisbon, is home to a modern day treasure! Cork, from the Cork Oak Tree, is one of Portugal’s very own natural treasures, and is being displayed at the Berardo Museum in Lisbon.

“Design Cork for Future, Innovation, and Sustainability” is the exhibition that displays 37 original Cork designs. But our “treasure” has been re-vamped! This exhibition is home to new and creative ways to use cork. Products like lamps, furniture and even handbags are on display!

Cork is an incredibly sustainable material. It can be used for so many things, and as we can see in the exhibition, we are just starting to use Cork to its full potential. The designers who have created the products on display are like the archaeologists who discovered the Portuguese shipwreck. They are pulling one great design after another out of their own ocean of creativity. And although the sunken treasure cannot be reused, cork can!

Innovative Cork Products

That is why we are so proud of Amorim for partnering with government and other organizations like APCOR, and INETI to develop and support this project. And as always, we love our Wicanders Cork Oak Floors. Cork flooring is just one of the great uses for Cork. Wicanders offers a healthy, sustainable, environmentally friendly option for green home design. Let us know what your next cork discovery is… we are ready to dive in!

Until the next treasure hunt…Team Wicanders.

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