Fabric ducting for university library and meeting space

Sector

Education

Project type

New build

Services provided

Design

Project location

London

Consultant

Mendick Waring

Contractor

M&E Contractor: JSMS Ltd

Context

The new library at Queen Mary University, London is also designed for use as a space for meeting and working, with areas in which to relax and socialise, and tables for eating from the library food bar. The ground floor area runs deep within the building and lighting has been provided that creates an interesting and relaxing envinronment by regularly changing colours with deep reds, purples and greens.

Work undertaken

Alongside services consultant Mendick Waring, Prihoda has designed several textile diffuser systems to provide tempered fresh air to all of the ground floor library spaces. The bright red textile diffusers are either exposed against a stark black ceiling, or partially exposed between different styles of ceiling furniture - mainly open slats allowing air to filter through into the occupied zone.

Prihoda supplied a flame-retardant, anti-microbial material to prevent any microbial build up directly on the interior of the ducts caused by water carry over from the AHUs. The air is diffused through tiny laster-cut 0.4mm micro-perforations positioned all over the diffuser circumference. This specially designed method of delivery (unique to Prihoda) ensures that little or no dust becomes trapped by squeezing the air through the weave of the material in the traditional way, resulting in much less maintenance being required over the lifetime of the system.

Prihoda worked with the mechanical contractor JSMS to ensure the smooth delivery of this complex project. There were many plenums, branches and bends of different angles. The programme and fast manufacturing time allowed for most of the suspension to be installed prior to the textile diffusers being cut and sewn at the factory; final measurements for complex sets were then measured in situ and the diffusers, once made, were simply slid into place and zipped together, just prior to commissioning.