At The May Fair Hotel, planners required the original appearance of the building to be preserved, while the client wanted a more modern solution that improved cleaning, maintenance and day-to-day operation. West Port specified its Dual Swing timber window, combining the appearance of a traditional sash window with the practical benefits of a modern system. At St Elphins Park, conservation considerations, curved stone bays and the character of the original Victorian building all influenced the final design. West Port produced detailed manufacturing drawings to ensure the windows matched the original architecture while delivering modern performance standards and significantly improved thermal efficiency. Success depends on understanding the unique demands of the building and translating them into a practical solution. Flexibility at Scale While bespoke manufacturing is often associated with heritage and conservation projects, the same principles apply to large developments. On the Center Parcs Woburn Forest development, West Port supplied approximately 4,000 timber windows, 2,000 entrance doors and sliding patio
doors across the 625-lodge holiday village. Products were manufactured in a specific colour to suit the woodland setting, and the architect visited the factory to review samples, finishes and completed products during manufacture. The scheme demonstrates that bespoke manufacturing can support projects of every size, from complex refurbishments through to major multi- phase construction programmes. The Compliance Challenge: Fire Safety Ultimately, the value of bespoke manufacturing lies in its ability to respond to project-specific requirements without compromising performance. This is particularly important within the fire doorset sector, where fire safety, certification and long-term compliance requirements must all be considered together. West Port’s FD30 and FD60 fire doorsets are supported by a large primary test evidence catalogue, UKAS-accredited third-party certification through BlueSky, approved ironmongery options and Secured by Design accreditation. However, compliance does not end at manufacture alone. Increasingly, building owners and Responsible Persons require access to accurate product information throughout the life of the building.
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