Hunter Douglas Linear Metal Ceiling - Hey, somebody has to do it.
New products come on the market all the time. Designers have to have a fearless approach when experimenting with new products in order to discover their possibilities.
Here at DM+A, we wanted to try using the Linear Metal Ceiling systems; Box & Deep Box Series. It’s a very straight forward approach. Linear planks lay in one direction within a soffit. But what if you use different plank sizes and depths with a random pattern? On top of two types of lighting, different soffit connections, and a recessed projector screen? Well it takes a lot of planning and preparation.
One of the biggest challenges was how the perpendicular end of the panels would meet the soffit. Typical details would have you use a wall angle, but since we are using different depths of panels, only some of the panels would actually be touching the angle (See Image 1B). This is not a look we wanted. Our answer … hold the panels off the wall 2”.
Another challenge is when the panel runs parallel and how it would meet the soffit. Since there is always room for error between AutoCAD drawings and actual field conditions, we had to be flexible in the design. So we decided to allow the panel to run past the soffit. This will allow any width to be along the soffit. We did decide to limit the depth at this condition.
So now the tricky one…What happens once the two conditions meet at a corner? Not exactly a happy one, but we must make the best of what we have. The only question is the open space at the 2” along the long side of the panel. It will be left open and one can potentially see duct work, pipes, etc. After further discussions, we conclude that the potential to see the HVAC will be minimized by the perspective. But to be on the safe side, in the end we decided to include a 2” wall angle mounted higher than the panels which would hide any exposed ductwork (click here, then click on 2nd square from the right).
There will always be hiccups in the process, but if no one took the risks, what would our built world look like?
Click here to see the final product and tell us what you think.