The client brief was clear: create a strikingly visual ceiling to welcome travellers, while providing the acoustic comfort needed in such a busy space. Lastly, it had to be durable and easy to clean, resisting the strict maintenance programs normally found in airport terminals.

Initially, a traditional fabric-wrapped soft fibre acoustic baffle was considered, but concerns with durability and difficulty with cleaning meant it was soon passed as unsuitable for the application. Jasmax's experience and knowledge of overseas airport projects was crucial, and advised the client in exploring a metal solution. Forman Building Systems was then approached to turn the design brief into a tangible solution through their partnership with Armstrong World Industries and their extensive reputation as a leading provider of acoustic metal solutions.

Forman and Armstrong quickly assembled a specific design team to oversee the concept stages of the project and provided Jasmax with a range of potential solutions that fitted the design brief. Ultimately, two custom designed and manufactured perforated metal baffles (one 275mm deep, the other 400mm deep) were selected to screen the ceiling of the baggage claim area. The perforated baffles were designed to work with the Armstrong UNIGRID suspension system, a proprietry suspension system used across numerous metal solutions that is easy and cost effective to install.

Forman Building Systems' partner – seismic engineering firm KCL Engineering – was brought into the project at an early stage, and worked alongside BECA to develop an integrated seismic design solution that encompassed all bracing requirements of the mechanical services and the baffles. More conventional seismic designs were then provided for all of the staff and office areas of the project, giving peace of mind of a fully code compliant installation to the client and ultimately the building occupants.

A great level of cooperation between Hawkins Construction and Forman Commercial Interiors ensured that the installation process ran smoothly and safely, ultimately delivering the project on time to the client.