The Process
MIW’s work for Wimbledon AELTC began with a site visit. The complete tournament ground was assessed to find locations both suitable for installation and most likely to generate high usage, thus most dramatically impacting on potential plastic waste reduction. 7 locations were identified, and an initial 2 sites selected for installation totalling 13 water stations.
Given the extremely high footfall at Wimbledon during the annual tournament, MIW recommended Halsey Taylor bottle fillers for both indoor & outdoor locations. The Halsey Taylor units are durable, weather-proof and vandal-resistant. Selected models allow for hands-free use, helping to maintain unit hygiene, while working quickly with a laminar flow to reduce potential splash-back, spillage and waste. WRAS-approved (Water Regulation Advisory Scheme), both sets of units were also fully compliant with the stringent water authority guidelines MIW obtained from the club’s Technical Division. BIM (Building Information Modelling) files were provided so Wimbledon’s Project Management Team were able to fully appreciate both the technical specifications and the eventual aesthetic impact of the installations.
MIW worked closely with the Wimbledon Project Management Team throughout the contract to understand the special requirements of the site, organise any necessary equipment upgrades and ensure that the equipment would be able to withstand the enormous footfall and potential use during peak times.
Once the locations and models had been selected, the most challenging part of the brief was to ensure that the bottle fillers adhered with Wimbledon’s dress code – a prerequisite RAL 6005 green – without reducing the outdoor filler’s weather-proofing. MIW arranged for each unit to be hand-painted with a specially prepared RAL 6005 textured powder-coat finish prior to installation. E-coat emersion ensured that the units maintained their durability.
Once installation began, MIW worked to – and updated – a location map for the site.
A venue as prestigious and internationally recognised as Wimbledon demands exacting standards. Having secured the contract, MIW had to ensure that all work undertaken not only answered the brief but met with the requirements of the venue.
