A Visual Gem
Marcy Marro, Managing Editor,
Posted
07/02/2012
It only took 12 months for Bradley
Central High School in Cleveland, Tenn., to open its new Fine Arts
Center. By relying on a team of design and construction partners,
the project met all of its aesthetic and acoustic goals while
staying on schedule and budget.
"Our goal was to create a little gem for the high school campus.
We wanted this to be a showpiece, with lots of natural light and
upgraded finishes," says Angie Lyon, project architect with KBJM
Architects, Mount Juliet, Tenn. "I didn't want a traditional flat
ceiling. My vision was for a feeling of movement, something that
would draw the eye. CurvGrid is fluid and dynamic."
For the project, KBJM utilized Chicago-based Chicago Metallic
Corp.'s CurvGrid Two-Directional Aluminum Suspension System with
flexible metal panels in Morning Dew. The panels' soft, metallic
gold color complements the Fine Arts Center's interior palette of
warm golds and yellows. Wallace Tile Inc., Chattanooga, Tenn.,
installed Chicago Metallic's 1200 Seismic Suspension System to help
create the center's floating ceiling sections that house the
acoustic panels. The sections have a stepped perimeter for visual
effect and Infinity Perimeter Trim for a crisp, clean look.
"We had a very tight frame for completing this project," notes
Cason Conn, project manager for Cleveland-based general contractor
TRI-CON Inc. "We had to condense the schedule and that meant the
auditorium seats needed to be installed prior to the ceiling system
going in. As a result, scaffolding could not be erected for the
ceiling installation. That presented quite a challenge for Wallace
Tile."
Seth Bussey, vice president of Wallace Tile, worked with Carlo
Grohovac, Chicago Metallic's district sales manager, to develop an
alternate installation plan, which required the CurvGrid sections
to be assembled on the ground, connected into pods, hoisted to the
ceiling by a lift and then connected in the air. In all, five 8- by
25-foot pods were assembled and installed.
"Once we got the idea of how the puzzle went together, it was
very easy to install," says Bussey. "We got faster all the time.
The system is very user-friendly, and Chicago Metallic did a great
job in helping us work this out."
"The innovative assembly process, and CurvGrid's combination of
rigidity and light weight, made this possible," Grohovac says.
"Everyone was pleased with the results," adds Grohovac. "The
ceiling's beautifully curved clouds seem to float and dance in a
performance of their own."
The 25,000-square-foot Fine Arts Center houses a 600-seat
auditorium with new lighting and sound systems, dressing rooms,
separate band and choral rooms and classrooms, plus a lobby and
gathering space. The school was able to celebrate the $3.3 million
center's grand opening on schedule with a baccalaureate service for
the glass of 2011's graduating seniors.
Fine Arts Center, Bradley Central High School, Cleveland,
Tenn.
Award: 2011 Construction Excellence Gold Award from
the Ceilings & Interior Systems Construction Association
Owner: Bradley County Schools, Cleveland
Architect: KBJM Architects Inc., Mount Juliet,
Tenn.
General contractor: TRI-CON Inc., Cleveland
Installer: Wallace Tile Inc., Chattanooga,
Tenn.
Metal ceiling tiles: Chicago Metallic Corp.,
Chicago, www.chicagometallic.com