Medical treatment areas

Special glazes for operating areas: high-tech tiles

The pressure on costs in the healthcare sector changes capacities in the various medical treatment area. Operation theatres, for example, are now used more frequently than in the past as the number of medical procedures in hospitals has been steadily rising for years. A special product supporting this changing trend is represented by tiles with a Hytect coating. Their surfaces have an antibacterial effect, making a valuable contribution towards preventing the spread of pathogens. This antibacterial effect does not apply standard methods but rather regenerates itself repeatedly via the chemical reaction of photocatalysis. Hytect makes tile surfaces hydrophilic and therefore extremely easy to care for.

Laser-diffusing surfaces for floors and walls have also proven their worth, whereby laser beams are broken so diffusely as to prevent risks caused by uncontrolled reflections. Ideal surfaces for operating areas* are represented by tiles with the special KerAion® OP glazes but also the matt glazes offered by the Chroma and Plural series. These are perfectly rounded off by electrostatically conductive floor tiles from the KerAion® ELA 10.6 series.

Hospital, Berlin-Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany / Architects: Architekturbüro Höhne, Berlin / Photo: H.-G. Trimborn, Berlin

Therapy pools: maximum function, elegant design

New design trends and ever more stringent demands on hygiene as well as extensive technical specifications easily transform swimming pools in new or modernised buildings into a “project within a project”. Such cases require expertise. Agrob Buchtal has realised tens of thousands of different types of pools, both nationally and internationally, and has evolved to become the world market leader in swimming pool ceramics. The In-house Planning Department offers architects or building owners optimum planning support in the form of tailored products for realising feasible solutions even in this special area of application. The Wiesbaden pool edge system developed for the therapy pool sector, for example, complies with the requirements prevailing in this area. Combined with a raised pool edge, this effect is good for personnel’s backs, enabling them to work with patients without constantly having to maintain a bent-over position.

Aesthetically-convincing concepts are provided by the ChromaPlural color system which permits the application of various tile formats of the same color and design across different areas. 6 mm joints are the dimension of choice in the Chroma Pool series specially developed for pool design as they eminently comply with the requisite load-bearing capacity. This width and stability also make it possible to achieve a more consistent connection to special large moulded pool parts, for example. This way, swimming pools and therapy pools can be realised which are effective against fungus and bacteria, easy to clean and representing wellness highlights which promote the healing process.

Hospital of the Brothers of Charity, Munich, Germany / Architect: H. Kochta & Partner, Schirmer & Schrader / Photo: Monika Custodis

Left: 3D rendering, pool edge system Wiesbaden, therapeutic pool, right: Therapiebad, Langen-Debstedt, Germany / Architect: Westphal u. Partner Architekten, Bremerhaven, Germany / Photo: Veit S. Müller, Hamburg

Integrationszentrum für Cerebralparesen, Palsy, Munich, Germany / Architect: Mann+Partner Freie Architekten und Stadtplaner

Knappschaftsklinik, Soden-Salmünster, Germany / Architect: BZM Architekten