OWA UK’s metal ceilings get to work at new Assembly Bristol development

Leading acoustic ceiling systems manufacturer OWA UK has fulfilled its largest contract to date for its OWAtecta S80 demountable metal ceiling raft, with the innovative system being used on two of the buildings that form part of Assembly – a landmark riverside commercial office development in Bristol.

Designed by AHMM Architects and constructed by Galliford Try, Assembly Bristol comprises three multistorey buildings, the first of which was completed in 2021.The last two phases, known as Building B and Building C, have now been delivered and OWA UK worked closely with its approved sub-contractor Morrissey to design and install the trapezium and rectangular shaped mesh rafts throughout the open Cat A floors.

The project is the company’s largest ever order for its OWAtecta S80 mesh rafts, with dozens of different configurations supplied for each floor. They can be viewed on nine floors at Assembly C and six floors at Assembly B, with the trapezium shaped ceiling rafts blending into the footprint of the kite shaped building to provide a flexible and stylish acoustic ceiling solution.

Balancing aesthetic appeal with acoustic performance, OWA UK’s OWAtecta S80 demountable metal ceiling rafts help disguise M&E installations while providing improved sound absorption and limiting noise pollution from floor to floor. With wellbeing a key part of the overall design of both Building B and C, OWA UK’s acoustic ceiling solutions have been tailored to create comfortable communal collaborative spaces and ensure speech privacy in others.

As the new S80 demountable ceiling raft is a bespoke solution, OWA UK was able to design the varying shaped ceiling rafts to meet the specific requirements of each building’s unique footprint. OWA UK’s approved sub-contractor Morrissey developed a smart process of constructing the supporting frames on the floor and raising them via a board lift to the ceiling soffit for attachment to the threaded rod hangers.

OWAtecta S80 can be designed in almost any size, created by abutting framed or trapezium metal panels to form a series of isolated rafts. Each panel hooks onto the concealed suspension system and are easily demountable to give access for maintenance and cleaning.

As the system requires fewer soffit fixings than comparable traditional fleece or fabric acoustic absorbers, it is easy to install using M6 threaded rods and is available as a kit of machined parts or standard length profiles. The low profile, hidden hanging system is ideally suited for open soffit interiors as the rafts can float below the soffit without any unsightly profiles being visible. Thanks to its full metal construction, S80 is durable and offers scope for RAL colour customisation.

More information on the new OWAtecta S80 demountable ceiling raft can be requested from OWA UK’s regional sales team or by emailing enquiries@owa-ceilings.co.uk To view the full range of products please visit www.owa-ceilings.co.uk