Micro-perforated metal tiles from Armstrong Ceilings have played a pivotal role in the aesthetics and acoustics of Birmingham City Council’s new workplace, 10 Woodcock Street.
Specified by Associated Architects, some 3,200sq m of Armstrong’s metal 1200x300mm tiles featuring 71% light reflectance and a fleece backing for additional acoustic insulation were installed by specialist sub-contractor CG Reynolds for the principal contractor Thomas Vale Construction.
CG Reynolds had a team of 15 to 20 ceiling fixers working over four months to install the metal white ‘swing down’ planks, which can be folded down to allow access to services above, throughout the open plan offices, meeting rooms and break out areas.
In the open plan office area they were used as rafts with plasterboard perimeters and in larger occupancy meeting rooms as suspended ceilings under a natural ventilation system of ceiling-mounted fan coil units.
The £38million project, built on a hectare of vacant land next to Aston University, has achieved an Excellent BREEAM rating through its use of natural ventilation, roof-mounted photovoltaic panels, grey water recycling and a brown roof.