Commercial Architecture September 2017 - 36

PROJECT

interiors
Left. The chevron ceilings above the observation deck on the 70th floor of the US
Bank Tower evoke the magic of the Los Angeles Golden Hour.
Below left. Ceiling panels are angled upward to create a louvered look and painted gold to reflect the sun.

the 70th floor. "It probably took as much time to load the material on the floor as it did to install the ceiling system itself,"
said Marty Hovivian, president, Martin Integrated Systems.
Building the support system needed to suspend the clouds
was the most challenging part of the installation, according to
Hovivian. "At first glance, it looks quite simple, but it was
very complex. There were a lot of obstructions above the ceiling that we had to work around-a lot of metal framing and
joisting-to ensure the installation would be seismically safe
and carry the ceiling well."
The design team recommended that the exposed ceiling
and mechanical elements above the clouds be painted black
and that black drywall grid be used to blend in with the background. "We created a mockup, looking at gold paint swathed
against white and black ceilings, and we convinced (the building owner) that the black backdrop would best accentuate the
gold chevrons and make them appear to float," explained Wu.
Once the support system was built, the ceiling was easily
installed by securing the louvered panels horizontally inside
the slots of the vertical framing panels. "What's unique about
these ceilings is that the louvered pieces are gradually rising,"
explained Hovivian. "They probably rise about 12 inches
from top to bottom. All the slots in the framing tubes are cut
in at an angle to allow for the elevation change."
MEETING THE DEADLINE

Working with the 3D drawings Armstrong Ceilings technicians provided, the contractor completed the installation
in time for the construction deadline. "We worked day and
night six days a week to complete the installation in time for
the opening event," said Hovivian. The ceiling installation
also came in under budget. "What we did cost less than the
drywall ceiling option," he added. "They got something that
was more successful for less money."
Wu was impressed at how well the ceiling installation
achieved the design vision. "It's quite amazing how close to
the original vision they turned out," she said. "The chevron
ceilings evoke the magic of the Los Angeles Golden Hour-
that time of day when the light takes on a golden tone-and
they reference the Hollywood glamour and Art Deco style of
an earlier era."
Wu was also pleased with how quickly the chevron ceiling
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tion deadline and have the Skyspace area open on time. "It is
amazing what can be done in a short amount of time," she
added. "We had some really tight parameters to work with and
I really can't think of a smoother process, given all the challenges we were facing with both schedule and cost." The Gold-

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design became a reality, enabling Gensler to meet its construc-

en Hour now glows accordingly. CA

SEPTEMBER 2017

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture September 2017