The embodiment design of Prop panels, a ceiling solution for Graypants

Abstract

This graduation project has been executed together with the company Graypants. Graypants is a Unites-stated based design label, well-known for their signature Scraplights collection: A series of pendant light fixtures constructed from recycled corrugated cardboard. Graypants has a clear focus on sustainability and the use of recycled materials. This project has been focusing on a new concept that Graypants is introducing to the market: Prop panels. Prop panels is a ceiling product that replaces traditional ceiling solutions. The Props are suspended 3-pointed stars, constructed from perforated steel. The panels overlap each other and form a beautiful ceiling solution. The concept -like existing ceiling products- features two main functions; lighting and sound absorption. The objective of this project has been to determine the context in which the panels will perform best, the embodiment design of the acoustic function of the ceiling panels and the design of an addition to the concept to extend the product line. After performing an internal and external analysis into Graypants, Prop panels and the market for traditional ceiling panels, an extended test set-up has been drafted to verify the acoustic performance of a range of natural and sustainable materials. The test results verified that the test samples, expanded cork sheets and coco-husk fibre sheets, perform as well or better than their synthetic counterparts. On top of that, the materials also perform well when looking at other important material properties like fire retardancy and maintenance. Therefore, a proposal has been drafted on how to construct acoustic inlays for the Prop panels from these materials. After the embodiment design of the acoustic inlays and verifying the viability of the entire concept, an addition to the existing idea has been designed as a proposal for a potential future Graypants product. The additional product to the Prop product line is based on the analysis that the original Prop panels are too busy and distracting to be installed in every office environment as a full ceiling solution. The tranquil work environment would be disturbed by a product that is too extravagant. Therefore, an additional product has been tried to come up with that extends the intended Prop panel styling, but in a milder form. By doing so, an entire office complex can be outfitted with the Prop panel range. The additional product is a range of modular lighting products, to be installed on either the wall or ceiling: The Prop lighting system. The base shape of the product is a hexagonal light fixture, fitted with an LED module. The hexagonal light fixture can be complemented with acoustic tiles in the same size and shape, featuring the expanded cork and coco-husk sheets that were used for the Prop panels as well. The acoustic tiles come in several sizes and colours, providing endless possibilities to cover a wall. The product will be sold with the Prop panels as a product line, mainly as a business-to-business product. This means that project developers and architects can incorporate the system into their projects, covering large walls with the Prop lighting system.