International Tower, Abu Dhabi
WRAPAROUND CEILING SERVICE FOR APPLE
SAS International has been supplying premium metal ceilings to every phase of the five-year development of Apple’s regional headquarters building in Dubai. Just as important as the product quality has been the on-hand support from the local team.
“Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this ongoing project has been its complete lack of drama”, comments Shaun Brecher, General Manager of SAS’s Dubai office. “We initially installed a small demonstration area to show how the product performs and since then it’s been a textbook project.”
The fit-out uses a standard SAS150 suspended ceiling incorporating 600x600mm tiles. The tiles provide convenient, hinge down access to the ceiling grid, giving easy and quick access to the ceiling void. This convenience is particularly important as Apple employees have no fixed working hours, so maintenance work needs to be fast, discreet and quiet.
Equally important for the large open-plan spaces is effective acoustic control. Tiles in the SAS150 ceiling system can be specified with a range of perforations in the surface and these, combined with an acoustic fleece situated behind the tiles, provides the acoustic control required.
Different perforation sizes and distribution provide for different acoustic performance. In this project, the 1820 perforation was chosen. This gives 100% sound absorption (NRC 1.0) and attenuation – ie reduction of transmitted sound – of db27.
Project designers and installers were reassured that the well-stocked Dubai operation of SAS International ensures immediate availability of this UK-manufactured product. The locally-based design team are also able to give detailed technical advice and on-site training for local contractors.
The HQ building, in Emaar Square, has been gradually fitted out as Apple’s Middle Eastern operation expanded. SAS’s involvement began in 2014 with the project completed in 2019, and the whole space now features an efficient, graceful and understated ceiling design from SAS.
Sector:
Commercial
Client:
Apple
Architect:
Chu Associates
Main Contractor / Installer:
Deco Emirates Company LLC
Completion year:
2019
System type:
Area:
1250m²
Region:
Middle East
