To see how carefully designed chaos serves the architect’s vision, take a look at the top of the atrium of Jabil’s new global headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida.
You will see how a little vandalism can add unexpected charm and artistry to stunning rooms.
Jabil’s $56.6 million 170,000-square-foot world headquarters was designed by Gensler’s Tampa office. The radial design, lined with glass and metal panels, looks monochrome. “Popular colors and geometric shapes consistent with the Jabil brand continue the soft look inside,” explained Gensler project architect Chuck Berg.
For example, a cascading chandelier of luminous triangles (Jabil’s signature element) serves as a fun mobile phone. “The floating triangle drops from a 50-foot-high ceiling to about 12 feet above the ground,” says Berg. “These lights are designed to grab the attention of passengers on all four atrium footbridges.”
The triangular matrix transports the viewer to its companion, the ceiling system, in complex chaos. “The suspended ceiling system was proposed very early,” recalls Berger. “The Jabil team really liked this concept.”
Multi-body solid metal ceiling system by CertainTeed Architectural. To support the idea of ​​carefully crafted chaos, the panel system features a random arrangement of metal panels two and six inches wide. Recycled aluminum construction (up to 92%) certified GREENGUARD Gold. Multi-Box Continuous supports an unlimited number of panel depth and width combinations, as well as a variety of finishes, including wood veneer cladding. “The Jabil Atrium ceiling system was custom built, as are all CertainTeed Architectural ceiling systems,” said Jason Wisniewski, CertainTeed Architectural’s spokesperson for the project.
“The line system works with the shape of the space, leading you to the lake from behind,” says Berg. “We wanted a suspended ceiling system, not a frame. The atrium smoke extraction system needed free space around the panels. We also didn’t want to have sprinklers above and below the panels. The random arrangement of the panels avoids predictable repeating patterns. The ceiling system needs to do many things at the same time The acoustics of the ceiling are controlled by perforations that create a 23% open area on the face of the line boards, and an acoustic underlay behind the panels.
One area of ​​discussion for ceilings is color. “Because of the gap between the panels, we knew the underlay would be black. As for the panels themselves, we kept going from white to colored stripes or warmer colors and even wood grain. We ended up going back to white because it fits with the overall design aesthetic,” Berger said.
Today, the choreographic chaos of the Jabil headquarters contrasts dynamically with the clarity of structure and engineering rigor. “We didn’t need a linear ceiling,” says Berg. “It has to be a pattern… a playful pattern. Nothing boring. It must also be economical. We need different ways to express design with available materials. Textures, patterns and geometry helped us with this.”
Learn more about how the variety, quality, and affordability of CertainTeed Architectural ceiling systems can enhance your next project.
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