Metal Ceiling Makes Waves at Student Center

Metal Ceiling

A wave-shaped metal ceiling controls noise and adds visual interest to the dining area in the new Student Center at Miami University.

When students at Miami University of Ohio want to grab a bite to eat or catch up between classes, they head to the Commons, a large, open dining and gathering space in the new Student Center.

When designing the space, an acoustical ceiling that would both control noise in the busy dining area and add visual interest to the space was a key consideration. “Acoustics was important because we wanted to keep noise from bouncing around, but we also wanted something that would create interest in a place where people wanted to be,” says Samantha Delabar of BHDP Architecture, Columbus, OH.

In addition, a metal ceiling was desired because of its durability and longevity. “Due to the high volume of the space, we wanted something that would last a long time and require very little maintenance,” she says. The ceiling also had to be 100 percent downward accessible to provide access to the mechanicals in the plenum.

The eventual design concept called for a metal ceiling that resembled a cascade of wave-shaped ribbons. Working with the You Inspire Solutions Center at Armstrong Ceilings, the design team was able specify a MetalWorks RH215 Faceted Custom Ceiling System that met its design criteria.

The wave-shaped ribbons were created by installing rows of 12-inch-by-56-inch white steel ceiling panels with matching trim on a faceted suspension system. All the panels are micro-perforated and backed with an acoustical fleece to control noise. “We wanted the ceiling to complement the activity going on in the space,” explains Delabar, “and the visual impact of the waves accomplishes that.”

www.armstrong.com/commceilings

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Springfield Breaks Ground on $53.7M Pipkin Middle School Rebuild

    Construction is underway on a new, state-of-the-art Pipkin Middle School in Springfield, Mo., a major step in Springfield Public Schools’ (SPS) long-term facility improvement plan, according to local news. The $53.7-million project officially broke ground in early June, following years of planning and community input aimed at modernizing aging infrastructure and addressing student capacity concerns.

  • ProTeam Launches GoFit 6 HEPA Backpack Vacuum

    Technology leader Emerson recently introduced the new ProTeam GoFit 6 HEPA backpack vacuum, according to a news release. The vacuum was designed to capture 99.97% of particulates down to 0.3 microns—including atmospheric hazards like lead dust, mold spores, and other particulates—through an advanced filtration system.

  • California High School Starts Construction on New CTE Building

    Analy High School, part of the West Sonoma County Union High School District (WSCUHSD) in Sebastopol, Calif., recently broke ground on a new Career Technical Education (CTE) Building, according to a news release. The 15,000-square-foot facility will offer specialized facilities for students in engineering, welding, culinary arts, agricultural sciences, and design thinking.

  • modern college building with circuit and brain motifs

    Anthropic Introduces Claude for Education

    Anthropic has launched a version of its Claude AI assistant tailored for higher education institutions. Claude for Education "gives academic institutions secure, reliable AI access for their entire community," the company said, to enable colleges and universities to develop and implement AI-enabled approaches across teaching, learning, and administration.

Digital Edition