Hunter Douglas Architectural has launched a new, innovative carrier system for ceilings that promises to open up the design possibilities for architects.
Combi-Line’s unique system’s carrier rail is fitted with a variety of clips that fit a mix of metal, veneered wood linear and HeartFelt panels, enabling the three different materials to be fitted on to a single carrier. Endless combinations are possible: ceilings with ruptured lines, random patterns and open positions in the grid, non-standard modulation and the opportunity to mix and match ceiling panels of different material.
Combi-Line was first created as a bespoke carrier system that was installed at the Schiphol Airport Lounge in Amsterdam in 2015. Hunter Douglas Architectural’s Research and Development team worked with the architects to produce a carrier with clips that allowed them to install ceiling panels in random patterns and with wide open spaces that revealed the plenum.
The team realised this bespoke carrier system had potential, and decided to develop it further.
The result is the new Combi-Line.Combi-Line, developed by Michiel Langeveld, Manager of the Research and Development team at Hunter Douglas Architectural. He said: “Developing a system with clips inside the rail was a solution to a design problem we had for one major project and we knew this had the potential to develop further into a new flexible system.
“We realised there was an exciting innovation if we made several clips for the different panel types and allowed any modulation. I had some discussions with architects about it and asked if they would be interested in combining different ceiling panels and the feedback was positive. As part of the development process, we also created a machine that is programmed to mark the rail, indicating exactly where each panel should be inserted.”
This new carrier system is available with variable modulation. For the second phase of Schiphol Airport, the module Hunter Douglas Architectural created is 135.5mm, demonstrating that the global architectural products company can create a bespoke solution for any scheme. The flexibility of the product enables custom modulation, which provides additional opportunities for design freedom.
“Combi-Line is a wonderful product that provides architect full design freedom. It not only allows randomisation in the panel position, it also is an aesthetic solution for the open parts of the carrier because it is neater where there is no panel fitted,” said Pieter van Rees, Business Development Manager Hunter Douglas Architectural.
As with all of Hunter Douglas Architectural’s ceiling systems, the plenum is easily accessible for maintenance and the panels can be dismounted individually. The specially designed clips for HeartFelt, veneered wood linear and metal linear panels, fit in the steel carrier rail and fix in the pre-determined positions.
Designers have the possibility to create a unique pattern with more than one ceiling panel type.
Combi-Line is available with HeartFelt 30HL60, metal 30 BD/BXD and veneered wood 30WL60 linear panels.
