The Challenge:
Leading national law firm Alston & Bird wanted to shed the traditional design that had defined its Atlanta offices for the past 25 years and replace it with a more modern look.
“They asked us for a contemporary, plus, plus space,” says President/Director of design Rita Guest of Carson Guest Interior Design of Atlanta.
As part of the redesign, the law firm, which occupies the top 16 floors of the 50-story One Atlantic Center building, decided to gut the top three floors and convert them to a signature space that would include a dining area, a video conference room, and other high-profile areas.
When designing the dining room and video conference room, Guest wanted to include ceilings that would control acoustics, be accessible, and add to the contemporary feel of the space. “We didn’t want flat white acoustical ceilings,” she explains. “These are high-profile areas where all the meetings take place. The ceilings needed to be interesting and create the illusion of height.”
The Solution:
Acoustical ceiling clouds made from custom METALWORKS Torsion Spring panels from Armstrong Ceiling Solutions were the answer for both spaces.
In the dining area, curved aluminum clouds in a wild cherry REFLECTIONS laminate finish add desired warmth to the 4,000 square foot space while providing excellent acoustical control. Seven of the nine clouds measure 12' x 22' in size, and two are 9' x 22' in size. The panels are manufactured in 36" x 7'-6" modules with a 1/2" reveal around each module. AXIOM perimeter trim frames each cloud.
In the video conference room, curved aluminum clouds in a bright, white METALWORKS finish provide both acoustical control and high light reflectance to the 1,400 square foot space. The five clouds average 8' x 23'-6" in size and are framed with AXIOM perimeter trim.
The aluminum panels in both sets of ceiling clouds are perforated and backed with both acoustical fleece and an acoustical infill panel, providing an NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient) of 0.90, which means they absorb 90 percent of the sound that strikes them.
The design team was pleased with the result, noting that the clouds add volume and height to the space. “They have acoustical value, they are accessible, and they work with the contemporary aesthetic of the design for the new space,” says Guest.
Project: Alston & Bird Law Firm
Location: Atlanta, GA
Architect: Carson Guest Interior Designer