Cisca 2012 Silver award for Fellert at University of South Carolina Medical Centre
This 5,000 square foot ceiling project required the ultimate in ceiling materials and craftsmanship given the multiple penetrations of lights, returns and audio visual equipment. In some areas of the project, three dimensional ceiling design was both required and desired by the architect. Note the three dimensional “stepped and layered” cloud ceiling design in the lecture room that incorporates special lighting, projection equipment and monitors. The cloud module detailing had to be perfect given the incorporation of special lighting into the modules which would illuminate and expose any substandard work. Other parts of the ceiling project were exposed to raking natural daylight…the most difficult condition to perform under for both the material and the material installation. A jointed or grid-lined or seamed ceiling solution would have complicated the installation and ruined the design intent of the architect so an acoustical plaster system was chosen.
In addition, and just as important as the expert craftsmanship, was the demand for LEED accreditation and materials that would satisfy the requirement for high sound absorption and a noise reduction coefficient of .85. The acoustically transparent plaster is made of recycled cotton, bentonite and perlite…all natural materials. The plaster was sprayed and trowelled over a high sound absorbing acoustical fiberglass substrate. Care had to be taken with the acoustical substrate and with the applied acoustical plaster to insure that a perfectly level, smooth, monolithic final appearance was achieved. Targetted sound absorption was critical to meeting the objective of the owner and architect since certain areas had to be conducive to quiet study or to discussion groups where reverberation needed to be minimized for maximum speech clarity and understanding.
This project is extraordinary in that it addresses every challenge…a design-forward installation that is pleasing to the eye; an installation that uses natural, sustainable materials; and an installation that achieves the ultimate in function accommodating lighting, HVAC, teaching aids plus provides high sound absorption so extraneous noise is not allowed to interrupt clear communication and thoughtful study.
Designed by CO Architects in Los Angeles, the Fellert installation was done by Warco Construction Inc., Charlotte NC.
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