Design Aesthetics

When designing for any project, different options can affect the aesthetic finish of a suspended ceiling, complimenting and reflecting other architectural features.

Ceiling systems either have a concealed or exposed grid. Exposed grids can be flush with the ceiling plane or recessed, tiles can be modular or manufactured to planning modules. Concealed grids design can produce a monolithic ceiling plane.

Client requirements can play a large part of the process, some have international corporate styles while others require office flexibility.

In addition to the overall aesthetic ‘look' of a ceiling system, different design options are available that incorporate the integration details.

Perforations

- play the most important role in providing acoustic comfort, there are many different perforation patterns available, with varying degrees of open area from 2% to 50%. Larger perforations can allow heating and cooling products to be installed behind the ceiling leaving a clean flush finish, see perforation details.

Size of Tile

- tiles can be modular in traditional sizes of 500 x 500mm, 600 x 600mm or 750 x 750mm, other sizes are available.

System 330 can be manufactured in any size to match building module sizes. Mega panels can be manufactured in sizes up to 1500 x 1500mm.

Shape of Tile

- in addition to square and rectangular ceiling tiles other design options are available. Triangular and trapezoidal tiles can be manufactured in addition to curved and waveform panels.

Building Module Size

- the module size of a building and shape can impact upon the design of the ceiling. Tiles can be manufactured to work with standard and non-standard module sizes.

Borders and Trims

- to ‘finish' the ceiling the design of borders and trims answer many aesthetics questions including: how the ceiling plane integrates with the surrounding building components? Will the suspended ceiling be surrounded by a plasterboard margin? Will it have a shadow gap or floating edge detail? If the ceiling is run to the edge of the building it may be necessary to have a trim to hold any cut tiles, see trims and perimeters.

Finish

- metal ceilings cmay have various finishes. The ceiling does not necessarily have to be white, it could be coloured, finished with a clear lacquer, have a textured finish or anti bacterial coating, see paint finish options.

Apertures

- are formed during manufacturing for luminaires and other M&E services leaving a flush ceiling line. They do not have to be integrated into tiles. System 330 can allow service apertures to be formed in the suspension profile see integration and prefabrication demands.

Heating and Cooling Products

- If the ceiling needs to incorporate air conditioning and air handling, how will these be integrated? SAS systems allow chilled elements to be installed behind the tile removing the need for separate modular heating and cooling units. Multi-service tiles using differing SAS perforation patterns allow for swirl diffussers to be installed within the ceiling void, see SAS Room Comfort products.