case st u d y

P r o j e c t ������ B o t a n i c a l R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e
of Texas
L o c a t i o n ���� F o r t W o r t h , T X
A r c h i t e c t ��� H 3 H a r d y C o l l a b o r a t i o n
Architecture, New York, NY; and
C o r g a n A s s o c i a t e s , D a l l a s ,  T X
P r o d u c t ����� W o o d W o r k s ® A c c e s s C u s t o m
Ceilings

the challenge:
In order to reflect its mission, the Botanical Research Institute
of Texas wanted to use the natural properties of the earth and
plants in the construction of the new headquarters. It was also
the Institute’s desire to be as green as possible and to achieve
LEED® Gold certification or better.

the solution:
To help reflect that mission, over 11,000 square feet of
WoodWorks Access Custom ceilings in a Bamboo Patina
finish from Armstrong were selected for use in the facility.
H3 interior designer, Lauren Davino, explains that bamboo
ceiling panels were selected for a number of reasons. The first
was sustainability. “The bamboo is FSC®-certified and rapidly
renewable,” she says. “From a sustainable point of view, it was
the obvious choice.”
Aesthetics were another consideration. “The color and texture
of the bamboo ceiling worked well in the space and with the
other woods used in the building,” Davino notes. “We needed
one more wood to tie everything together, and the bamboo
allowed us to achieve our goal.”
She also notes that five different panel sizes were used in the
ceilings. “As designers, this provided us with a fun way to play
with the ceiling,” she says. “And, instead of one continuous
ceiling, we installed the panels in a series of large clouds with
a reveal every ten feet.”
In addition, accessibility was a factor. The building uses a
geothermal HVAC system, so no large air handling units were
needed. Instead, numerous air handlers, much smaller in size,
are installed above the ceiling. The WoodWorks Access Ceiling
System hook-on panels provide the accessibility maintenance
crews need to get to the units.
Finally, Davino notes that the Institute more than met its
goals. It recently received LEED-NC Platinum certification.
1 87 7 AR MST R ONG LEED® is a registered trademark
of the U.S. Green Building Council
a r m str o n g ce ilin g s.co m /w o o d w ork s
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Ceiling Sys t e ms
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