Regular Armstrong specifiers Leach Rhodes Walker, who were the architects for the shell construction and internal fit-out, working alongside main contractor Interserve, have partnered with Booths supermarkets to develop café concepts for their stores.
The 37,000 sq ft "Heyhouses" project took 20 months to complete and a total of 3,210 sq ft of Armstrong ceilings systems were specified to meet a tight timescale. To help with acoustic issues in the back of house area, Armstrong’s Ultima+ mineral tiles, the first in Europe to gain Cradle to Cradle® certification, were used. While in the main areas, to help the upmarket chain move away from more traditional ceiling designs and comply with new brand standards and guidance, Mesh metal was the ceiling
of choice.
Armstrong’s dark grey Mesh Board metal tiles with Axiom Profile and grid in RAL 9007 feature in plasterboard margins in the lower sales area of the new £4.5million Booths supermarket and are laid on the diagonal to lead customers’ eyes through the 23,000 sq ft main sales area to the state-of-the art deli counter at the rear of the store.
LRW architectural technician Rebecca Kenny said "The main sales area ceiling was in response to the new brand standards/guidance from Booths for a new approach to the ceilings. They wanted to move away from a lay-in ceiling and introduced a more industrial feel that also met the access requirement for the services above. The open mesh design also helped with the flexibility of the locations for the feature lighting."
With regards to any special requirements or challenges, she added: "On the fit out, the time scale was an issue to meet the deadline to handover to Booths for their store fittings/merchandising works, also acoustics within the double-height spaces including the café, the ceiling design and approval to café interior design concept."
"The client was very pleased with the overall appearance. It meets the original brief and as the mesh panels were combined with perimeter details, and plasterboard margins to help break up the large area, it created a really striking design feature. It was always preferred to keep all the ceilings with one manufacturer. The ceiling is one of the most successful areas on the project, it was really well received. The fact that it was a proprietary product was particularly appealing."
LRW Architectural Technician, Rebecca Kenny
ARCHITECT
Leach Rhodes Walker
MAIN CONTRACTOR
Interserve
SPECIALIST SUB-CONTRACTOR
GWN Contracts
PRODUCTS USED
– 1200mm x 600mm Dark grey Mesh Board metal tiles with Axiom profile and grid in RAL 9007
– Ultima+ MicroLook mineral tiles