Ceiling Design Evokes L.A. Magic

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The chevron-shaped ceiling clouds follow the geometry of the tower crown.

Inspired by a gold bangle bracelet, chevron ceiling plays off the sun.

The OUE Skyspace at the iconic US Bank Tower, Los Angeles, offers visitors panoramic 360- deg. views. When designing the interior of the observation deck, which encircles the 70th floor of the 72-story office building, the architect imagined a space that celebrated the romance, glamour, thrill, and optimism that is unique to Los Angeles. Designed as a floor to accommodate banquets, presentations, and other events, the observation deck is also the entrance to the Skyslide attraction, a glass slide attached to the outside of the building that offers a thrill ride down to the outdoor terrace on the floor below.

“The overriding design principle for the observation deck is based on the Los Angeles Golden Hour, the ‘magic hour’ of cinematography, fractured light, Hollywood glamour, and Art Deco opulence,” said project architect Audrey Wu, of Gensler, Los Angeles.

Reflecting this theme are golden chevron ceilings created for the observation-deck lobby. Following the geometry of the tower crown, eight chevron-shaped ceiling clouds were to be made from drywall, covered with gold foil, and installed in the lobby on the 70th floor. Prior to installation, it was discovered that the drywall material would not work with the mechanicals in the plenum and a more flexible ceiling approach was needed.

Using a gold Art-Deco-style bangle bracelet for in

Left. A gold Art Deco bangle bracelet was the inspiration for the chevron ceiling design.

Below left. The final ceiling design was created using custom MetalWorks ceiling panels.

spiration, Gensler developed a new design for the chevron ceilings that featured louver-like planks canted at an angle to create a layered look and painted gold to reflect the sun.

REALIZING THE VISION With the opening date for the SkySpace fast approaching, Gensler turned to the You Inspire Solutions Center at Armstrong Ceilings, Lancaster, PA, to make the new ceiling design a reality with a quick turnaround. Working with Gensler and specialty ceiling contractor Martin Integrated Systems, Orange, CA, the design team at the You Inspire Solutions Center realized Gensler’s vision using custom MetalWorks ceiling panels attached and angled upward to create a louvered look. “They almost look like Venetian blinds in appearance,” said design engineer Dan Holdridge.

Ranging in size from 20- to 34-ft.-wide by 13- to 15-ft.- deep, each cloud has unique dimensions, depending on where in the circular lobby it is installed. The ceiling panels are made from rectangular-shaped, 1/8-in.-thick extrudedaluminum tubes that vary in length, depending on the size of the cloud. “Each ceiling pod is unique, consisting of uniquely cut extruded-aluminum tubes,” said Holdridge. “With the shape of the building being so odd, every one of them had to be different.”

To make sure the 1 1/2-in. by 6-in. louvered panels fit together at the correct angles with the 1 1/2-in. by 4-in. framing panels, the tubes were CNC milled and water jetted to create the exact shapes needed to secure each panel. “There was a lot of machine work on these tubes to get all the different angles just right so the louvers fit perfectly into the slots in the outer tubes and you would end up with a seamless look underneath,” he explained.

All of the components were drawn in 3D to make sure they would fit together correctly when assembled in the field. “Everything we provided was drawn in 3D—including the nuts, bolts, and screws—so we knew it was all going to work together,” Holdridge added. “Everything was numbered and had its own position in the design. There was no other way to know that everything was going to be the right size and shape and fit together.”

The team from Armstrong Ceilings worked with Gensler to develop the custom gold finish desired for the ceiling panels. “We wanted a metallic sparkle,” said Wu.

CEILING INSTALLATION Within six months, the ceiling components were delivered and the ceiling contractor began the time-consuming task of transporting the materials—one crate at a time—up two different sets of freight elevators to the observation deck on

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Find out about ceiling possibilities. Left. The chevron ceilings above the observation deck on the 70th fl oor 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 refl ect the sun.

the 70th fl oor. “It probably took as much time to load the material on the fl oor 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 design became a reality, enabling Gensler to meet its construction 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 Golden Hour now glows accordingly. CA