Architect and Builder April 2017 | Page 72

Armstrong Ceilings Help with Sound and Sight in a New Teaching Block

Metal and mineral systems were used for a new Welsh Medium school building

A mixture of metal and mineral fibre systems from Armstrong Ceiling Solutions were specified for a new teaching block for several reasons at least .

Some 2,000m 2 of Armstrong ’ s D-H 700 microperforated metal Hook-On canopies , Axiom Knife Edge canopies with Ultima + tiles and MicroLook 8 wood-effect metal tiles were specified by Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council for the £ 12.5 million new secondary teaching block at Ystalyfera Welsh Medium Comprehensive School in the upper Swansea Valley in South Wales .
Used throughout the new 6,500m 2 building , the D-H 700 metal Hook-On canopies with acoustic fleece were installed in classrooms whilst the Axiom Knife Edge with Ultima + Vector tiles were used in other areas . Perla 600mm x 600mm mineral fibre tiles were also fitted in classrooms and toilet areas .
In addition , the 1,200mm x 300mm MicroLook 8 Lay-In tiles finished in an oak wood effect and featuring a 100mm Axiom Classic profile were used in spaces such as circulation and breakout areas and the three-storey atrium .
The two to three-storey steel-frame building replaces a 1970s three-storey CLASP-type teaching block to bring accommodation into the 21st Century and was designed to BREEAM “ Excellent ” and BIM Level 2 standards .
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council have used Armstrong systems before on numerous school projects , and at Ystalyfera school , Armstrong was specified for several reasons .
A spokesman for Neath Port Talbot Council said : “ They are aesthetically pleasing . The ceiling rafts in the classrooms complied with sound and visual requirements but also allowed us to use the exposed structural slab as thermal mass .”
The 19-month long build by main contractor Dawnus Construction as part of the South Wales Regional Contractors Framework was challenging due to the tight site and restricted working spaces .
A team of eight from specialist sub-contractor SAM Drylining installed the Armstrong Ceiling Solutions over five months .
SAM Drylining contracts manager Ian Bartlett said : “ This was a large extension to a comprehensive school and consisted of several different ceiling make-ups , including Armstrong ’ s metal acoustic rafts and Knife Edge canopies , all floating in different areas with no ceilings above , and then several thousand metres of Armstrong Lay-In grid ”.
“ The programme was a challenging one but was co-ordinated closely with all other subcontractors on site . If alterations to sequence or design were required Armstrong ’ s technical team attended to site to discuss and were able to agree changes at site level , making the installation as painless as you ’ d expect .”
Armstrong area specification manager Adam Mansell said : “ Armstrong ’ s portfolio of different product materials and finishes really came into its own on Ystalyfera . From the standard suspended ceilings to Axiom , metal and metal woodeffect canopies , these offered a greater flexibility in design for the architects . This was a team effort in which Armstrong ’ s architectural specialties team worked closely with the specifiers , main contractor and ceiling contractor .” www . armstrongceilings . co . za
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