University of British Columbia Okanagan

Altro refreshes university café with wood-look flooring

University of British Columbia Okanagan campus is located in the scenic Okanagan Valley of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. UBC gives bold thinking a place to develop into ideas that can change the world. These values have certainly been recognized by being consistently ranked among the top 40 best universities in the world.

UBC’s Okanagan campus was originally the site of Okanagan College The Sunshine Café, built over 20 years ago, was the center of student gatherings and the only food service location on campus. They have different stations which offer home-style meals, as well as many grab-and-go options.

As the campus evolved and became the Okanagan extension of UBC, residences and new buildings were added. With enrollment over the past few years surpassing 8,000 students, UBC Okanagan has become the destination of choice for young students. Due to the amount of students using this space, there was a desire to renew the Sunshine Café, making it a warmer, more comfortable place for students to gather.

Shannon Dunn of UBC Okanagan engaged Robyn Sherwood of Sage Interior Design to create a space for students to come and relax; a place that would create a culture of conversation and collaboration. Robyn’s desire was to create a sophisticated space that emulated the natural surroundings. Robyn needed a floor that was hygienic, durable and easy to maintain but wanted a natural look that would blend in with the pine forest that makes up the backdrop of the window lined sitting area.

Robyn was able to find what her design was looking for with Altro Wood Smooth in Mellow Maple. The sheets of vinyl flooring are heat welded together to make a hygienic, seamless surface that’s easy to clean. Altro Wood also integrates Altro Easyclean Maxis PUR™ technology for superior cleanability and stain resistance. Altro’s resilient surfaces meet the demands of heavily trafficked areas. In this installation, Altro Wood was straight laid under baseboard for a more residential look. Modern Paint & Floors of Kelowna, BC did a fantastic job installing the flooring. This project was sourced and supplied through Erv Parent, Altro’s distributor and partner in Western Canada.

Just one part of the Altro Wood Collection, this wood-look smooth flooring brings warmth to any environment. Altro Wood shares its palette with most of the Altro Wood Safety range and has been designed to work in conjunction with it in those areas where you require different levels of slip resistance without compromising on aesthetics. It is easy to maintain and can be welded to provide a hygienic surface, making it ideal for areas where high standards of cleanliness and food safety are required.