the official ENDURATEX™ blog

During the 15th and 16th centuries, Nuremberg flourished under the German Renaissance. Among the leaders of this enlightening movement were versatile artist and theorist Albrecht Dürer and astronomer and geographer Martin Behaim. These native sons are the centerpieces of London- and Croatia-based Scott Brownrigg’s design narrative for the Park Plaza Nuremberg. A transformation of the historic Bavarian-American Hotel, this 177-room addition to the Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts portfolio is, according to Scott Brownrigg group director and project lead Una Barac, a celebration of Dürer and Behaim’s cultural, scientific, and academic achievements. Dürer’s paintings reveal a strong affinity for geometry, which is echoed throughout the hotel in various forms- the faceted façade of the front desk and low tables in the library area, for example. Celestial maps also underscore his fascination with star constellations, captured in paintings that Croatian artist Ivan Skrce reimagine with ...

They’re the first thing you notice upon approaching Cadillac’s racing-inspired V-Series line. But there is more to be discovered with the track-ready seats made by German manufacturer  Recaro . Cadillac V-Series.   Available for the first time this year, on both the sedan and coupe versions of the ATS model, as well as the CTS super sedan, the Recaro seats seamlessly blend form and function as well as, ultra-luxury and high performance. “That was the ‘“journey”’ from the start,” says Cadillac’s V-Series interior design manager Phil Kucero. “We wanted what racecar drivers call ‘seat of the pants’ feel, but there also needed to be comfort. We didn’t want a sofa in there, but it couldn’t be rock-hard either. So it’s a Jekyll and Hyde, or Beauty and the Beast. ”   Seats are designed by German manufacturer  Recaro . The front seats for the ATS-V and CTS-V feature sporty racecar seatbelt pass-throughs above hard-shell backs, which are heated and adj...

This week's Vinyl of the Week is PRIZM! The PRIZM collection is ideal for high-traffic areas where performance is critical.  Featuring FORBID, our proprietary topcoat, PRIZM makes for easy cleanups even when faced with tough stains.  PRIZM is available in 37 colors.   PRIZM is anti-bacterial and anti-microbial.  It has heavy duty Wyzenbeek abrasion resistance, a nominal weight of 36 oz. per linear yard, is 1.24 mm. thick, and contains our FORBID stain resistant topcoat. FORBID delivers a topcoat for enduring beauty and performance for vinyl products. Even though vinyl is inherently more cleanable than other fabrics and has long been known for superior performance, some stains are hard to repel or get out. That's where Forbid comes in! Twenty years in the making, Forbid topcoat dramatically increases stain resistance, while preserving the integrity of the fabric luster and softness. Traditionally difficult stains and spills like ink, paint, l...

  For imaginative restaurant designs, watch this space. 1. Designer: Hacin + Associates .  Project:  Glass House. Site:  Cambridge, Massachusetts. Standout:  Harking back to the era when glass was manufactured nearby, there’s a nostalgia to the photomurals, which mix with the green tones of a  grandmother’s kitchen. Drago Ristorante. Photography by Benny Chan/Fotoworks. 2. Designer: Felderman Keatinge & Associates . Project: Drago Ristorante. Site:  Los Angeles. Standout: The stripes of a mural, printed on linen, represent the energy of motion, as befits a location inside the Petersen Automotive Museum by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates.   STK Toronto. Photography by Nikolas Koenig. 3. Designer:   DesignAgency . Project:  STK Toronto. Site: Toronto, Canada. Standout:  Painted reinforced gypsum forms arches that sweep across the ceiling as well as down structural column...

The “river snake” pouf is usable both singularly and as modules where the single elements are joined together creating never ending combinations. An aluminum linking system prevents the new creations from unfastening. The “river snake” modular system impresses for its organic shape that has unlimited possibilities of realization, a wavy line, a circle, a flower, everything can be possible. The material called soft touch plus is a bi-component molded polyurethane. The product obtained in the mould is formed by a core in soft, flexible polyurethane and an external polyurethane skin, colored, compact and elastic. The material, besides being very soft, it is also weather resistant and fire retardant following the EU and CAL 117 rules. It is also a non-toxic and 100% hygienic material usable in every contest, both outdoor and indoor. Never ending are the possible destinations for such an unconventional product as “river snake”, at home but also in public spaces as hotel lobbies, shop...

It’s practically impossible to imagine a closer interdependency than that of medical patients, doctors and nurses, and researchers. In terms of physical space, however, the three groups are often in anything but close proximity. Either they’re spread throughout a huge hospital, or they’re at different locations entirely. Not so at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, renamed the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab after a gift from Shirley and Pat Ryan—he’s the one who founded the insurance behemoth Aon. The facility’s ground-up tower truly breaks the mold. For that, kudos go to the trifecta of HDR , Gensler , and Clive Wilkinson Architects as well as to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s visionary president and CEO, Joanne Smith , a physiatrist who holds an MD/MBA. The concept behind the project is known as translational medicine, which centers on physicians, therapists, and research scientists working with patients in an open setting called an ability lab. (Note the positivity of the wor...

This week’s Vinyl of the Week is ROBLE!   ROBLE is a part of our Vineyard Collection that includes Cranzia, Gran Reserva, and Rancio.   ROBLE was added in 2013 adding a deeper grain texture to the collection.  ROBLE delivers a leather-like fabric with rich, braided grain developed to the same performance as sister Vineyard collections Crianza, Rancio, and Gran Reserva. Developed to give the appearance of genuine leather from both front and back, the soft hand, micro-fiber backing and subtle grains emulate the finest leathers and have been developed to meet the performance needs of the hospitality, healthcare, contract and home furnishing markets.          (Zinfandel ROB-100; Muscatel ROB-800; Leaf ROB-600) ROBLE features a polyester and rayon mix baking, is anti-microbial and anti-bacterial, has heavy duty Wyzenbeek abrasion resistance of 100,000 cycles, a nominal weight of 34 oz. per linear yard, comes in 13 nature insp...