Acoustical or purely decorative, recently introduced ceiling systems and components come in a wide variety of materials and styles.
Products Focus: Ceilings
Hygienic Plus
Ideal for controlled environments such as laboratories and food prep areas, Hygienic Plus ceiling tiles are composed of water-repellent stone wool, which prevents the growth of bacteria due to its lack of nutritional value for microorganisms. The material's inherent properties also contribute to a high fire–resistance rating and sound absorption. Available in 2' square or 2' x 4' units.
InteGrille
InteGrille panels feature tegular edges that enable architects to easily install the units onto new or existing suspended grid systems. Each 2' square, 2' x 4', or 2' x 6' panel consists of maple, ash, poplar, red oak, or cherrywood, finished in a variety of light to dark stains. Three slat depths are offered: ¾” deep slats are wood-backed, while 1⅜” and 2” deep slats are connected via dowels.
Cellular Resin Ceiling Clouds
Customized or ready-to-ship cellular resin ceiling clouds from Seeyond can be used as a decorative, lighting, or concealing element— or all of the above. For a corridor inside the recently completed Baystate Children's Hospital Specialty Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, Steffian Bradley Architecture designed a cloud with integrated LED lighting to add visual impact. The 102' long, 4' to 5' wide sinuous tessellated installation is made up of 16” x 18” modules, while its color-changing LEDs are programmable and remote-controlled. Architects can also specify Seeyond's cellular resin—which has a high strength-to-weight ratio—for wall facings, non-load-bearing walls and room enclosures, and column covers.
Serpentina Waves with Corrugated Panels
Armstrong has added a corrugated-aluminum panel option to its Serpentina Waves curved ceiling system. The panels measure 4' square or 12' square and can be specified in a hill, valley, or hill-valley combination shape, with a plain or perforated face. The panels are backed in acoustical fleece and finished in 13 standard colors including platinum, gun metal, white, or tech black. Custom colors are also available.
LightFrame
LightFrame combines a slim aluminum frame with a stretched fluoropolymer textile-membrane front and translucent film on its back to evenly diffuse light from any source above, as well as optimize sound absorption below it. Available in a standard size of 98½” x 59”, the modules can also be custom-sized and installed to cover large swaths or to create ceiling clouds, such as these inside St. Edwards University Library in Austin, Texas.
Cellular Resin Modules
For the lobby of an apartment complex in Sugar Land, Texas, RC Interior Design Group specified cellular resin modules to create a decorative light installation that wraps the wall and ceiling. Programmable color-changing LEDs are embedded within the quadrilateral units. A total of 96 modules were used to create a 14' x 20' ceiling cloud.
Granary Plank Antique
The wood in these panels is reclaimed from decommissioned granaries in Washington state and given a combination smooth-face and rough-sawn look. The ⅝”-thick planks come in 24” to 96” lengths and natural, amber, candlelight, ebony, walnut, or custom stains. The firm DL English Design specified the material to wrap beams and cover ceiling areas within a Whole Foods Market in La Jolla, California.
Celebration Torsion Spring System
Eliminating the visible grid of typical suspension systems, the Celebration ceiling series utilizes torsion springs and cross tees to align and hold the panels in place, resulting in a more monolithic plane. The Class A fire-rated panels are constructed of moisture- and mold-resistant aluminum, 90% of which is recyclable, and offered in 2' square and 2' x 4' formats with a flat-white finish.
Revelation SkyCeiling
According to studies, access to views, nature, and light can positively impact the wellbeing of a building's occupants, particularly recovering patients in health-care facilities. Yet many existing buildings in the U.S. have deep interior spaces devoid of daylight. This virtual skylight provides a solution for such closed-off environments, realistically depicting sky and tree branches via LED backlit acrylic panels with high-resolution photo reproductions.
TechZone Ceiling System
An acoustical ceiling system that incorporates lighting, ventilation, and sprinklers via channels, TechZone was expanded to offer more panel options and slimmer 4” channels. The system, which previously only worked with Armstrong's Optima ceilings, now takes Ultima, drywall-like Calla or Lyra, WoodWorks, and MetalWorks panels to suit a range of projects, from institutional and office to hospitality.
Direct Mount Ceiling
This new product offering from WoodTrac by Sauder is a quick-install, direct-mount system that provides an elegant coffered ceiling effect for residential or commercial spaces. The MDF-core panels are available in five finishes'oak, cherry, alder, light maple, or white (which is paintable)'while moldings come in three profiles to suit traditional to modern settings. The ceiling can be installed over joists, drywall, or plaster.
