Cork Flooring Used Across Australian Health Club

Cork flooring has been installed in several communal areas of The Commons Health Club in Richmond, Australia. DesignOffice selected Originals Natural flooring from Wicanders’ Cork Essence collection for the entrance, café, lounge and co-working spaces.

The material was chosen as part of an interior concept that combines spaces for exercise with areas for relaxation, socialising and work. Its visible cork structure adds natural colour and texture to the otherwise muted material palette.

A Renewable Raw Material

Cork comes from the bark of the cork oak tree. The bark can be harvested without cutting down the tree and grows back over time, making cork a renewable and biobased raw material.

Its cellular structure gives cork a degree of elasticity and thermal insulation. In flooring applications, these properties can create a resilient surface with a different underfoot feel from harder materials such as ceramic tiles or concrete. The insulating properties of cork can also affect how warm the floor feels to the touch.

According to manufacturer Amorim Cork Solutions, the flooring has low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. The collection holds several certifications and declarations related to emissions, environmental criteria and material transparency. These include GREENGUARD Gold, Blue Angel, the French VOC Label A+, Finland’s M1 classification, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, Declare and a Health Product Declaration.

Acoustic Properties

The flooring also contributes to the acoustic design of the communal spaces. According to the manufacturer, products in the Cork Essence range can reduce walking sound within a room by up to 38 per cent. This figure is based on a comparison with the European Producers of Laminate Flooring Association requirement for radiated walking sound.

Amorim also reports a reduction in impact sound on the floor below of up to 16 dB or 21 ΔIIC. Actual acoustic performance depends on factors including the selected product, subfloor, installation method, room layout and surrounding materials.

Cork As An Interior Finish

At The Commons Health Club, the cork flooring functions as both a surface material and a visual element. The natural variation in its texture is used across areas with different functions, creating continuity between the entrance, hospitality spaces and work areas.

The project provides an example of cork flooring applied in a mixed-use commercial interior. Its renewable origin, material texture and reported thermal and acoustic properties were considered alongside the practical requirements of spaces used for movement, meetings and everyday activities.

Source & photos: Amorim Cork Solutions