Penn State University's new Information Sciences and Technology Building demonstrates that metal ceiling panels can deliver unprecedented precision and customization yet still remain affordable. An S-curve in the building's plan requires panels that appear to curve, an effect heightened by cantilevered, sloping soffits. The shimmering metal soffit and ceiling panels are contiguous, creating a visually continuous sweep across the 102 foot width of the building. Designed by Rafael Vinoly Architects, the 680 foot long sinusoidal ribbon of ceiling is the building's dominant visual element.

Exterior from End: Photo Credit Rafael Vinoly Architects Custom fabricated ceiling and soffit panels appear to flow around curves of building and to form a "hull" from one side of the building to the other.

As the building houses an incubator for the advancement of computerization, it is only appropriate that the ceilings in the project were produced with newly hatched computerized design and manufacturing techniques. Each of the project's 7,500 panels had to be fabricated in a different size. Calculating the dimensions of the system was "intensely mathematical" says Al Kiechle, senior project engineer at Ceilings Plus, the Los Angeles-based ceiling fabricator. Panels are tapered on both ends and the dimensions of the inclined soffit panels had to be calculated in three dimensions. They vary from 72.6037" in length at the outside curves of the building to 63.2844" on the inside edge of the building's curves. Kiechle says, "With conventional metal forming techniques, we couldn't even measure panels with this degree of precision." Instead, Ceilings Plus used automated high-speed, precision CAD/CAM punch presses and brake forms. "This enabled us to fabricate components with a tolerance measured in ten-thousandths of an inch. The differences were minute, but an error in even one panel would have appeared as a flaw in the geometry of the building." Kiechle says.

Exterior from Side: Photo Credit Rafael Vinoly Architects Metal exterior soffits required were individually fabricated to meet the building's geometry and resist strong winds and thermal movement.

For acoustical control, interior panels have perforations and a non-woven acoustical fabric to create a noise reduction coefficient (NRC) of .75. The factory installed acoustical fabric is gray to match the panel color and reinforce the monolithic appearance of the "inside-outside" plane. Stainless steel torsion springs allow 100% access to the cavity above the ceiling to permit easy access to cables and ductwork serving the computer labs located on the top level.

Reflected Ceiling Plan: Photo Credit Ceilings Plus Special software was used to convert the architects' digital drawing files into a format that could be read by numerically-controlled perforating and metal-forming equipment, significantly reducing the time and costs required for CAD/CAM fabrication of panels for the project.