A Question of Color

Corridor Norament Crossline

Daycare Center St. Elisabeth, Kürnach (© Stefan Meyer)

Medicum Altenburg (© Oliver Heinemann)

The 1950s are the founding era of today's Federal Republic. A pioneering decade when the first rubber floor coverings from Weinheim hit the market. Black, gray, brown, and beige were the colors of early Noraplan products. These so-called technical colors dominated – even during the market entry of Norament several years later, when blue was still very popular. And today, more than half a century later? The use of color at your feet remains a topic – perhaps more than ever before. Because designers know: In terms of design and the effect of a space, colors serve important functions, even true all-rounders. They provide structure, create orientation, and set accents. They significantly shape the atmosphere of a room, making it appear larger or smaller. And demonstrably – with the keyword "Healing Environment" in healthcare – colors have a positive effect on mood and emotional state. The goal of most planners is to create an inviting ambiance in rooms through color and the structure of the flooring. 

Comfort and Homeliness Are Highly Valued

"A lot of emphasis is placed on homeliness. While in recent years, especially gentle beige, warm gray, and light brown tones have experienced a renaissance, today bold, sometimes very vibrant colors are also on our customers' wish lists," says Dieter Rischer, product developer at nora systems. Since joining the company in 1972, he has seen trends come and go. Recently, new shades of green and blue have been introduced – such as kiwi green or aquamarine. Yellow/orange, blue, red, yellow, green – with nora systems, all shades are possible on the floor and are increasingly in demand. What can be achieved with color is demonstrated by the architects of the Altenburger Klinikum MEDICUM. To facilitate orientation for patients within the building, they highlighted important functional areas such as reception and waiting zones with color accents. The vibrant colors of the rubber flooring are continued on the walls: creating a "room-in-room" effect. Different colors of Noraplan Sentica were specially developed for MEDICUM – another strength of the rubber specialists from Weinheim. The stairwells are designed in a bright yellow. Form stairs made of Norament Grano support the friendly, inviting atmosphere.

The decision-makers at Skyscanner, the leading flight search engine worldwide, relied on five shades. At the company's headquarters in Edinburgh, Norament 975 LL and Norament Serra with relief structure were installed. Rischer explains: "A very colorful project. Two colors come from our standard range. The other three are custom-made in pink, green, and violet. They were inspired by the Norament Crossline collection with its vibrant colors." 

No Changeability Like in Fashion

The courage for more color is certainly more prevalent today. However, if planners are looking for something timeless for their project, they often opt for a shade from the gray palette. Rischer does not see a changeability like in fashion, where new trend colors determine collections each spring/summer and fall/winter – but he does not shy away from a comparison: "Black in fashion is like gray in rubber floors. Both are and remain timeless classics in their fields." In Germany, gray, whether in Norament Grano, Norament Satura, or Norament Signa, is the best-selling color. But gray is not just gray – preferences vary, with shades ranging from stone gray or slate gray to platinum gray. Worldwide, besides gray, beige is currently especially popular. 

Custom-Made Special Solutions

More than 300 shades are currently available in nora systems' standard range. With various surface structures and design possibilities through inlays, creative room design has hardly any limits. "Every day, special colors are added to the project business, as customer-specific, individually manufactured solutions," says Rischer. This applies to all relevant market segments: educational institutions, healthcare, public construction, and industry. Sometimes, a special color developed and produced at customer request is even incorporated into the standard range. The most famous example: Ipswich Green, which in the mid-1970s literally brought nature into buildings, thanks to star architect Sir Norman Foster. The building in the English town remains a sought-after destination for architecture students worldwide. The color green is still very popular today, especially in education. When will the product range be expanded to include a new color or a color be discontinued? "We revise the collections every four years," says Dieter Rischer. "This is based on intensive market observations and analyses. Color is also a science in its own right."