Interior Crafts
Client:
Harrow Green Design and Build
Year of Completion:
2006
Main Contractor/Customer: Interior Crafts
Main Contractor/Customer: Interior Crafts
After being inspired by the curved screens installed at BT’s call centre in Leavesden Park in Watford, Harrow Green Design and Build were compelled to approach Architen to see if they could adapt the original project for their office space.
The screens were installed to separate the ‘breakout areas’ – spaces devoted to eating, drinking and socialising in break times – from the corridor to create a more intimate and self contained space for employees to relax in. Architectural lighting, designed and installed by others, was directed onto the canopies for extra effect.
The overall design of the scheme meant that there had to be a very detailed layout of fixings which had to go through a suspended ceiling. A Unistrut grid was built above the suspended ceiling to allow the installers to fix the top of the screens to a tangible beam.
While similar structures had been previously completed, they had always been fabricated using Natte, a PVC glass mesh. Decisions were made this time to try a different approach, using a stretch fabric to create a smooth and even finish. This approach was a roaring success, the stretch fabric created the smooth curves effortlessly in a way that previous fabrics had not. The result is a series of beautifully curved screens which ensure the two spaces are divided in a practical but also artistic way.
