That Ceiling Feeling: OWA

The rough industrial charm of bare concrete ceilings with exposed pipes, ventilation systems and cable trays is very much en vogue. This can be seen not just in cafés, restaurants and hotels, but also in shops, cultural buildings and open-space offices, where architects are forgoing the hung ceilings that otherwise hide mechanical installations. In addition to creating the desired raw, unfinished atmosphere, this approach opens up valuable extra headroom, giving spaces a much more generous feel. But the trend also has a disadvantage.

"This kind of architecture has an aesthetic appeal," says Ralf Hansen. "But people also have to be able to use it – so acoustics mustn't be forgotten." Many such projects entirely lack absorption surfaces for sound, resulting in spaces that can be unpleasant for dining or doing business. Hansen is product manager at OWA Odenwald Faserplattenwerk, specialists in acoustically effective ceiling systems. While OWA's core business lies in classic suspended ceilings, the company also wanted to offer comprehensive solutions suited to architecture with an industrial look.

The answer is Corpus, a new series of acoustic modules that seem to float beneath the ceiling. Comprising ten different models in two different height dimensions, Corpus is part of the OWAconsult® collection, developed by OWA in concert with the Hamburg architect Hadi Teherani. For a project in the Middle East, Teherani sought alternatives to conventional ceiling systems. Unsatisfied with what he found, he contacted OWA with the idea of developing something new. This gave rise to a collaboration that has been ongoing since 2012 – and to a range of unusual and high-quality acoustic products.

"What sets the Corpus modules apart is that they can be freely placed and combined," explains Hansen. "They can be hung very simply between the pipes. It isn't a finished system – we leave the actual ceiling design to the architect." And OWA has been thrilled with how architects have taken to the idea. Unlike more familiar ceiling sails, the Corpus modules are voluminous cuboids, 15 or 30 centimetres in height depending on the model. Their form yields a greater sound-absorption area while at the same time lending them a stronger spatial presence. "Architects can use them as a visual counterpoint to the height of the space," says Hansen. Incidentally, Corpus is especially effective not just in new buildings, but in conversions as well.

The modules employ simple wire suspension and consist of non-flammable glass wool panels laminated with white glass wool fleece. "It's a premium product with a fine surface, and 100 per cent recyclable," Hansen says. OWA is currently working with Teherani on a lamp to complement Corpus. "We want a complete solution, a design collection that far exceeds what is standard." To judge by the many prizes the series has garnered since its launch, OWA has already achieved this goal. Most recently, Corpus was selected for the iF Design Award 2018 and named a 2018 German Design Award Winner. Prior to that, OWA was honoured with the Iconic Award 2018 Best of Best and the French MIAW Design & Innovation Award 2017.

Good to know: OWA provides not just the modules but also planning assistance. "For every project, we offer a reverberation-time calculation," Hansen explains. "On the basis of this calculation, we recommend which elements should be used, and how many. We don't prescribe the configuration – the architect can arrange the modules as they like. But we can ensure that the design achieves the acoustic effect the client is looking for." On request, OWA will also review the architect's design and draw up a dimensioned plan for the contractor in which all suspension points are marked. With this, the unfinished industrial look can be brought to perfection.

© Architonic