A combination of advanced Revit modeling and a versatile Woodwright Box Series metal ceiling system from Hunter Douglas, Norcross, Ga., helped create an eye-catching aesthetic for Shake Shack Las Vegas. The restaurant helps anchor an open-air promenade between the New York-New York and Monte Carlo casinos, and becomes the Manhattan, N.Y.-based brand’s first location west of the Mississippi.
The 9,135-square-foot restaurant features FSC-certified lumber and tabletops created using wood reclaimed from bowling alleys. To echo the look of wood planking, Las Vegas-based Marnell Architecture and New York City-based art and design consultancy Studio SSMC LLC specified Hunter Douglas’ Woodwright Box Series metal ceiling for both interior and exterior applications. In addition to providing the desired aesthetic, the Woodwright Box Series metal ceiling is GREENGUARD Gold certified and contains no VOCs.
Unexpected Undertakings
During early construction, it quickly became clear that the intended remodel space included obstacles that were not known when the initial design was created.
“We found early in the project that the ceiling was not a level plane,” says Andrew Price, Hunter Douglas project designer. “We discovered multiple pitches and curves that needed to be compensated for. Fortunately, we had the right team and the right materials to help keep the project on track.”
Mapping New Directions
With 3-D modeling, the team from Hunter Douglas mapped 15 different points across various elevations in the existing ceiling, charting a curve with multiple pitches across the same plane.
Las Vegas-based Team Construction served as the project’s general contractor and Grani Installation Inc., also located in Las Vegas, was selected to coordinate and install the ceiling system. Grani Installation superintendent Mike Morgan notes: “Every pitch was like starting over. The varying elevations throughout the space as well as the custom angles of the ceiling required the team to work more like surgeons as the smallest details mattered.”
A tight project timeline did not allow for the consideration of a wide range of solutions. Because the one-month schedule allowed only three weeks for the interior and one week for the exterior, the project’s designers, contractors and manufacturer worked together quickly to disseminate information about the ceiling irregularities and created a plan to keep the project on schedule.
Using information discovered with 3-D modeling, Hunter Douglas created custom-angled components to fit the inconsistent curvature of the ceiling. By altering the ceiling’s original single-slope design to include two different planes, the team helped create an appealing design element to accommodate the building’s structural irregularities and completed the project on time.
Complementary Products
The Woodwright Box Series metal ceiling system maintains a clean, sleek appearance that fits the personality of the restaurant. Available in 2-inch, 4-inch, 6-inch and 8-inch panel widths with built-in provisions for acoustics, HVAC and lighting, the Woodwright Box Series system provided flexibility in design of Shake Shack Las Vegas. The system also requires no fasteners, helping ease installation. The ability to utilize Woodwright for the exterior applications not only provided consistency throughout the space, but also helped keep the project on time and under budget.
Shake Shack’s appealing menu and equally attractive exterior has quickly become a favorite Las Vegas gathering place. “The design and materials catch your eye and invite you to explore the space,” says Tim Michaels, project estimator for Grani Installation. “The dramatic exterior lighting highlights the detail of the outdoor Woodwright Box Series system and makes the design stand out from other buildings on the Vegas strip.”
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Ron Rice is the general manager of Hunter Douglas Ceilings, Norcross, Ga. For more information, please visit www.hunterdouglasceilings.com or call (800) 727-8953.