The project consisted of 90,000 square feet (8,361 m2) of office space spread over multiple contiguous floors of a building. “The DAI’s business is centered on assisting developing countries around the globe. The lifeblood of the villages and towns it supports is the local water source. Therefore, a major theme was ‘The River,’” said Project Architect Rob Jacobsen, AIA, vice president of Interplan Inc.
“We needed a unique design element to give identity to each of the individual floor elevator lobbies, while also giving identity to the whole so visitors would immediately realize they were on a DAI floor,” Jacobsen explained. “The chosen material also needed to transfer smoothly from the elevator lobby to the main reception area.”
The architects chose to go with Armstrong Ceiling Systems’ MetalWorks RH200 Custom Curved Ceiling System in White. The ceiling panels are made up of extra microperforated 0.021-inch- (0.5-mm-) thick electrogalvanized steel. Perforations are 0.028-inch (7/10-mm) in diameter, allowing the metal panels to achieve a Noise Reduction Coefficient of 0.70, meaning they absorb 70 percent of the sound that strikes them.
“The undulating curves of the MetalWorks ceiling gave us that identity and continuity,” Jacobsen said. “The smooth rhythm of the ceiling suggested a flowing river bringing the visitor—or returning traveler—into the space. The fact that MetalWorks ceiling panels are perforated and provide excellent acoustics to these high traffic areas made the selection that much easier.”
General contractor: HITT Contracting,Baltimore
Architect: Interplan Inc., Washington, D.C.
Metal ceiling panels: Armstrong Ceiling Systems, Lancaster, Pa., www.armstrong.com
