Cork flooring a part of revamped museum

Cork flooring is one of the new features of a museum in Japan that has been closed for a major refurbishment project.

The Nezu Museum in Tokyo has new cork flooring tiles made by Portuguese firm Amorim, after tests showed that these were more eco-friendly than other materials that were considered, Eco Composites reports.

Writing about the ambiance of the freshly-opened facilility, the publication noted that the cork flooring "perfectly complements the acoustic and visual tranquillity sought by the architect and the museum's manager".

Architect Kuma Kengo had been seeking a material that fitted in with the Japanese concept of harmony, in which the materials would be in balance with nature.

Eco Composites noted that the product was also free of harmful chemicals such as phenol and formaldehyde.

Last month, the Boston Globe reported on how a house built in 1937 had been revamped to make it greener, with cork flooring being one of the elements.

The move was part of Bertil and Tracy Jean-Chronberg's efforts to make the residence more energy efficient.

For more information on cork flooring tiles click here