Making the Grade at Georgia State University
In August 2010, Georgia State University’s Alpharetta campus opened the newly constructed North Annex building to be used primarily for the executive MBA program. When it came to the design of the space, there was little disagreement that the flooring had to be both upscale with a sophisticated feel and complement the rest of the flooring on the campus. Parterre’s InGrained: Boardroom Oak plank turned out to be the perfect choice for the new building.
GSU had certain requirements when building the North Annex and the design firm CGLS Architects rose to the challenge. The design firm was required to use a commercial grade vinyl product that coordinated with the vinyl in other spaces on campus and the porcelain tile and carpet plus the stain on the wood doors. It was a tall request but CGLS pulled it off with skill and expertise and the help of Parterre.
“The luxury vinyl product we chose from Parterre matches so well with the existing building on campus, but with a much nicer finish,” says Frankie Ware, interior designer with CGLS Architects. “Plus with such a wide variety of colors, it was easy to match the flooring to the stain and grain of the word doors used in the building. In fact, everyone thinks the floor is made of real wood when they first see it.”
The versatility of Parterre’s InGrained product line made it a perfect choice for the new space. In addition to the wide variety of colors available, the commercial vinyl plank flooring is durable and easy to maintain which was another request from GSU. The resilient flooring hides scuff and heel marks, but also is a quiet alternative to an actual wood floor, which is extremely important in a university setting where there is a great deal of student traffic.
USG’s Planning and Facilities Architect Craig Wertz was happy with the choice as well saying: “Parterre Flooring provides a durable, but unique appearance for a space that represents the university and its students in an above average way.” He continues by saying that, “the natural wood look truly achieved the aesthetic we wanted, and we hope it will look great for years to come.”