The architect
behind a new Girlguiding activity centre in Cheshire was so pleased with the
performance of Hunter Douglas Architectural’s innovative felt ceiling that he
recommended it for the second phase of the development.
John
Piercy Holroyd, Associate Director of Walker Simpson Architects, specified
Heartfelt® for the ceiling in the activity hall and dining room for Pettypool,
the activity centre in a woodland area in Sandiway, Cheshire, commissioned by
Girlguiding Cheshire Forest.
When it came to
overseeing the construction of the second phase of the development, he and his
clients were so impressed with its acoustic performance and aesthetic qualities
that it was decided to use it in the common areas of the bedroom block instead of
a gypsum plank, which had been originally specified.
“We
really wanted to have a commonality of material language between the two
phases, so we decided to have the Heartfelt®
ceiling in all the circulation spaces,”
said John.
“It helped us to
transform the idea of what is basically a circulation space to somewhere that
feels quite special. It raised the profile of how that area would feel.”
The
architect developed new graphics and colourways on the flooring to complement
the 35m2 of Heartfelt
ceiling in ‘Off-white’ (7595), ‘Light Grey’ (7596), ‘Middle Grey’ (7597), and
also adapted the lighting system so that it better complemented the first
phase.
John
said unlike phase one, the ceiling in the common areas of phase two building
had to cover a large amount of servicing, such as duct pipework, but it had to
be easily accessible. Heartfelt® accommodates those
needs easily, thanks to its simple demountable system, which demonstrates its
versatility, he said.
“The
client was more than happy to change to Heartfelt® for the continuity of
materials as well as the inherent acoustic properties as well as ease of future
maintenance,” added John.
The second phase of
Pettypool, which has a striking steel portal frame with insulated metal-faced
cladding panels and feature timber finish, accommodates eight en-suite
bedrooms, each of which sleeps six occupants, as well as two leaders’ bedrooms,
each of which sleeps four. There is also an accessible room for one person and
a carer and includes a wet room.
David
Harris, general manager of Hunter Douglas Architectural, said: “We were very
pleased to have been recommended for the second phase at Pettypool, thanks to
the overwhelmingly positive response to the Heartfelt® ceiling in
the leisure area of the building.
“Architects and
specifiers have told us how much they like the ceiling, not just for its
aesthetic qualities, but also because it is cost-effective and recyclable.”
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 are
available in: five earth tones, five shades of grey, plus black and white.
