The new £15 million
headquarters for the Royal College of Pathologists features one of Hunter
Douglas Architectural’s dramatic Luxalon ceilings, adding a sense of drama to
the both the exterior and interior of this spectacular new space.
The
College’s purpose-built, environmentally friendly facility in Alie Street,
London, is an eight-storey 4500m2 building that has been designed by award-winning
architects Bennetts Associates.
A superb facility
for its global members, it marks the final step in the College’s move from a
Grade I listed building in St James to contemporary purpose-built premises.
The headquarters,
which has been shortlisted for the 2019 RIBA London award, is a flexible and
environmentally efficient building that will enable the College to represent
its growing membership, advance its research and provide public education
services and programming.
International
architectural products company Hunter Douglas Architectural was specified to
manufacture its Luxalon®V100 screen ceilings in RAL 7080 for the office floor
and exterior canopy, to create a seamless visual screen from the inside to the
exterior.
The V series is an
increasingly popular choice for architects and interior designers who seek to
maximise the original volume of the room, while visually reducing ceiling
height. The ceiling screens are engineered to define the ceiling plane and
consist of vertically hung, ‘floating’ panels.
For
this specific project, Hunter Douglas Architectural manufactured 250m2 of panels in
different lengths, each of which was designed to ensure easy access to
lighting, air conditioning and sprinkler systems.
The vertically
installed panels came in 100 module and are 101mm high. Designed for both
exterior and interior use, the fixing clips on the external panels are fitted
on the carriers between the panels, while the internal V system clips directly
into the carrier, providing a secure locking system. The installation
contractor, Delmond Construction Ltd, worked with Hunter Douglas Architectural
to ensure the angled layout was completed, as specified.
Juliette Halliday,
national sales manager of Hunter Douglas Architectural, said: “The V100/200
screen ceilings range has always been a popular choice but over the past few
months we have seen renewed interest in it for many commercial projects. Its
versatility means that there are multiple options for architects and designers
to create striking patterns and visual lines that add interest and drama to any
room or space.
“There are more than
40 design options within the metal linear ceilings range, which enable
designers to create unique interiors that are tailor-made for a specific
scheme.”
Rob Bearyman,
associate director for Bennetts Associates, said: “We chose this product as we
wanted a lightweight aesthetic that contrasted with the heavy in situ concrete
of the lower levels. The system allowed us to continue the soffit treatment
from inside to out. This helped accentuate the pavilion’s lightness and for it
to read as a floating element over the two terraces.”
