Open ceilings are all the rage in office design today. Also referred to as \u201cexposed structure\u201d or \u201copen plenum\u201d ceilings, this architectural trend lends a hip, industrial look to any space, and increases the height of the room to make it feel more spacious. It\u2019s no surprise that more and more tenants are going after the open ceiling look as they undertake tenant improvements.<\/p>\n
However, open ceilings can introduce a host of problems in your project if construction isn\u2019t planned with precision. The results of a poorly designed or constructed ceiling may include shoddy acoustics and a look that leaves much to be desired if the overhead mechanical, electrical, and plumbing features aren\u2019t handled properly.<\/p>\n
Indeed, exposed ceilings definitely have the potential to look cool, but you\u2019ll need to make sure you spend plenty of time in the planning stages to avoid a headache or an eyesore later. Here are items that absolutely must be considered when designing an open ceiling office.<\/p>\n
First and foremost, the entire team will need to agree on what the end product should look like before you start your project. You, your architect, and your general contractor all must understand the anticipated look of the overhead space, including exactly what will be visible in the open ceiling. That means you\u2019ll need to plan for what will be stripped or abandoned prior to demolition in order to ensure a clean and smooth look. You won\u2019t want abandoned piping or supports cluttering the newly open ceiling.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll want to select a paint that does not show dust in the exposed ceiling (because it\u2019s tough to dust on top of a duct that\u2019s 20 feet overhead).<\/p>\n
Any cables that can be painted need to be, and all cables that cannot be painted because of code requirements or because doing so would void the warranty need to be recognized and accepted by all parties ahead of time; this includes the architect, tenant, general contractor, and subcontractors.<\/p>\n
To achieve an uncluttered overhead appearance, all thread supports for mechanical units need to be cut at a uniform elevation after installation, and duct work may need to be insulated or wrapped if ugly flex ducting is prevalent. All structured cabling and free cables should have crisp, sharp turns, and be neatly bundled.<\/p>\n
One of the primary concerns you\u2019ll need to address if you\u2019re planning to have an open ceiling is the issue of acoustics. If not strategically designed, your office could become incredibly noisy, which will lead to distracted employees. Here are a few ways to resolve noise concerns.<\/p>\n
Acoustical Ceiling Tile (ACT)<\/strong> provides a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC), which is the amount of sound energy absorbed by the ceiling. ACT plays two active roles in the acoustics of a space. First, it acts as a barrier between the loud mechanical units in the ceiling and the people below. Secondly, it reduces noise and echoing by blocking the sound created by employees from traveling to the deck above and bouncing back.<\/p>\n In a space with open ceilings there is no dropped ACT ceiling, which means noise from mechanical equipment overhead will be transmitted throughout the space. In turn, noise created within the space will echo as it bounces off rigid ductwork and the concrete deck above. Therefore, if you decide to leave the ceiling open it is crucial that you add products with sound absorbing qualities in other locations to reduce the excess sound that ACT would have quieted. Soft materials like carpet, acoustical wall panels, and fabric paneled systems furniture (cubicles) will increase sound absorption in the space.<\/p>\n Sound masking systems,<\/strong> also known as white noise systems, while costly, can be well worth the investment. These systems jumble sound as it travels, which increases speech privacy so that staff in open office settings aren\u2019t distracted by their coworkers\u2019 conversations in neighboring workstations. Depending on the deck height, sound masking systems usually cost from $1 per square foot to $2 per square foot.<\/p>\n