Knauf Ceiling Solutions specialist acoustic products are installed throughout one of the largest leisure complexes in London, Waltham Forest Feel Good Centre. The flagship leisure centre is part of the council’s ambitious multi-million-pound sports venue investment programme and is the borough’s premier sport, health and fitness facility.
The 8,000m² Centre’s two-storey building had to meet stringent acoustic criteria set out by Sport England as Jason Griffiths at Space&Place architects explained: “Rooms within the centre needed to comply with strict reverberation and sound absorption levels. Knauf Ceiling Solutions worked closely with us to ensure we achieved the correct specification for each area.”
Space&Place and Knauf Ceiling Solutions had worked together successfully on previous leisure projects and were the obvious choice for the Feel Good Centre. “Our relationship with Knauf Ceiling Solutions is built on tried and tested products. Their ceiling systems deliver the technical performance requirements demanded by a multi-purpose centre. This was complemented by competitive pricing, fast sample turnarounds and friendly customer service, which made Knauf Ceiling Solutions stand out above the rest.”
The ceilings for the Centre’s teaching pool and changing rooms have to withstand a tough combination of extreme humidity and exposure to a tough corrosive atmosphere. The THERMATEX® Aquatec ceiling system was chosen because the tiles are humidity resistant up to 100% RH and can resist the wet and chlorinated conditions of the pool environment without deteriorating, even at temperatures as high as 40˚c.
High noise levels could have been a problem in the swimming pool area because it is built using highly sound reflective materials. So, potentially, the noise could build up the busier the space becomes. Thanks to the THERMATEX® Aquatec ceiling with its superior sound absorption and sound attenuation characteristics, reverberation is controlled creating an environment that’s fit not just for olympic swimmers but also aqua-classes and relaxing swims.
Knauf Ceiling Solutions MINERAL Sonic Elements are suspended from the corrugated metal ceiling in the 132-station fitness suite to absorb sound, help improve speech intelligibility and create a relaxed atmosphere. The rafts have a highly absorbent acoustic fleece that offers Class A sound absorption. Each canopy consists of individual white panels fitted to a concealed grid to give an almost monolithic appearance. The canopies are visually striking and enhance the suite’s contemporary interior design. They are fixed to the soffit using discreet wires, giving the impression that they are floating in the air. The suspension system is fully adjustable to allow precise positioning.
THERMATEX® Alpha HD plank ceiling system is installed in all the Feel Good Centre’s corridors and provides exceptional sound attenuation to prevent sound transferring through adjoining walls. The ceiling is fitted using a concealed grid which helps create a smooth, elegant finish. The grid and ceiling tiles are easy to remove and reinstate when access is required to the services above.
