When architect John
Piercy Holroyd of Walker Simpson Architects was looking for a suitable ceiling
to complement a new Girlguiding activity centre, he was struck by the potential
of Hunter Douglas Architectural’s latest innovation, Heartfelt.
Commissioned by
Girlguiding Cheshire Forest, Pettypool is a new 5,166ft2 (480m2) activity
centre in a woodland area in Sandiway, Cheshire, about four miles south-west of
Northwich.
Manchester-based
Walker Simpson Architects developed the design, which comprises eight en-suite
bedrooms, activity hall, kitchen, ancillary accommodation and a large
accessible external terrace.
A far cry from the
usual “huts” that are associated with young people’s activity centres, this
steel portal frame with insulated metalfaced cladding panels and feature timber
finish is fit for the 21st century and echoes the dramatic woodland setting.
The ceiling in the
activity hall and dining room had to both complement the striking façade design
in its aesthetic quality and be cost-effective.
Hunter Douglas
Architectural’s award-winning Heartfelt®, the world’s first modular and linear
felt ceiling system manufactured from 100% recyclable material, fitted the
brief perfectly.
John, who is
Associate Director at Walker Simpson Architects, said: “We were originally
looking at a timber ceiling but this needed a secondary acoustic application.
Ideally, I wanted an integrated solution and when I saw Heartfelt® I was
confident this would be ideal because it has the inherent fire resistance and
acoustics needs.
“The suspension
system also looked fairly simple, so it answered a lot of my questions. The
fact it comes in various colours available was also attractive.”
Hunter Douglas was
specified to provide 1,253 linear metres of Heartfelt in ‘Off-white’ (7595),
‘Light Grey’ (7596), ‘Middle Grey’ (7597).
“We’re very pleased
with it and for where large ceilings are needed, it is very effective,” added
John.
David Harris,
general manager of Hunter Douglas Architectural UK, said: “Since we introduced
Heartfelt® in 2017, we have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback from
architects and specifiers for this new ceiling system.
“It’s not just
budget-friendly, it is the first ceiling product to be manufactured from cradle
to cradle-certified felt – everything is 100% recyclable, including the carrier
system.
“The ceiling system
fits in perfectly in a woodland setting such as Pettypool, where the architect
has balanced sustainability with a material that is natural, soft and warm.”
Heartfelt®, which
won the prestigious Red Dot award for product design in 2017, complies with
regulations for use in non-polluting buildings, is resistant to dirt and dust,
meets the indoor European standard EN 15251, and EN 13501 Class B, S1, d0 fire
certification.
The panels are
manufactured using thermoformed polyester fibres, which are 100% recyclable –
earning the system C2C Bronze certificate from the Cradle to Cradle Products
Innovation Institute. The panels are available in up to 6m lengths and are
fixed via a special carrier system. They are available in a range of panel
size, joint width and mounting height.
The panels in cream,
light brown, medium brown, dark brown and umber blend in seamlessly with other
materials, such as wood, and complement the five grey shades that launched the
Hunter Douglas system, plus black and white, which were also added to the palette.
It was first used in
Europe at the £15 million headquarters of Moneypenny, the outsourced
switchboard and telephone answering service, in Wrexham, Wales.
