Vitori is a multidisciplinary group practice that offers osteopathy, bike fitting, fitness training, personal training, medical consultations and physical therapy. Managers Alphonse Vermote and Egwin Ponette established Vitori five years ago and it is now a health centre where twelve specialists are based, including osteopaths, physical therapists and orthopaedists. It is also a popular choice for top athletes and professional cyclists.
The intention when designing Vitori was to make patients feel as if they were at home rather than in a medical practice and to create a welcoming place for them to visit for rehab or exercise. Staff work hard to get rid of any traces of a hospital atmosphere and greet everyone who comes through the door warmly.
The priority for the interior design was to create a sense of comfort and sociability. Alphonse says: "I spend more time here than I do at home, so I want to feel at home here." That made parquet the obvious choice. "We were looking for parquet that was unmistakeably durable, that had a high-quality look and that was produced sustainably." The choice came down to dark parquet: Pergo Lofoten Saddle Brown Oak and Prego Svalbard Whitewashed Oak. The dark parquet combines perfectly with the white walls to create a relaxed atmosphere.
The parquet runs through the waiting area, the sports area and all the cubicles. Alphonse's brother also came up with the idea of cladding the walls of the central block that houses the changing rooms and toilets with parquet. "That was a masterstroke that makes it feel more like a home than just parquet floors would."
The parquet floors have been treated with the StayClean technology. This unique coating on the bevels, ends and surface of the planks will ensure that the floor retains its authentic look of real natural wood for many years to come. And because liquids and dirt cannot penetrate the wood, it is also easier to maintain and will not discolour.
A smart choice, given the high level of daily footfall and the fact that people use sports equipment and even wheel bikes across the floor, so it needs to be able to handle the wear and tear.
Installing the floor is fast thanks to the PerfectFold click system, which also means that the planks can be removed quickly and reused elsewhere. Given the speed at which Vitori is growing, they may have to move premises earlier than they anticipated, so it's important that they can take the floor with them to their new location.
Last but definitely not least: "the Pergo representative gave us excellent advice and support when we were choosing the parquet, both technically and aesthetically. He was so enthusiastic and really knew his stuff."
