Tailor-made solution for Essex University’s new £26 million Student Centre ..

Creative solutions for the ceiling of the impressive, new £26 million Student Centre at the University of Essex demonstrates how far Hunter Douglas will go to keep true to an architect’s vision. The design for the ceiling at the new Silberrad Student Centre at the university’s Colchester campus saw the team devise a creative solution to accommodate the 70m2 solid wood open linear European oak wood ceiling. As well using a patented clip used to secure the panels to the sendzimir galvanised steel suspension rails, the panels, which appear to float, required specially made metal fixings to accommodate the non-standard width. The original design called for a panel width that was narrower than the metal fixing clip, so Hunter Douglas suggested a wider panel with a deep groove in the front to give the appearance of very narrow boards.