In a call centre for a major internet banking company, staff were complaining that the solar glare was hindering their work. Architen Landrell was approached to install some skylight diffusers to control the glare and blend into the industrial style of the open plan office.

A tensile fabric solution was sought to combat a solar glare problem at this large new-build call centre in the Midlands. Architen Landrell was commissioned to develop the design in conjunction with Arup Associates and Chetwood Associates.

Arup modelled the solar path analysis and it became apparent that the ideal solution did not lend itself well to construction using tensile fabric. We therefore investigated alternative materials and eventually prototyped a bespoke modular system using semi-opaque cellular polycarbonate sheeting in a suspended egg-box configuration.

This final design was successful on many levels, offering the correct amount of diffusion in an interesting and sculptural format that glows at different intensities according to external lighting conditions.