Every time I look at a ceiling, the first thing I see is opportunity. Opportunity to help define a space. To assert brand identity. To make a bold statement or warmly welcome occupants. To infuse energy or facilitate quiet connections.
Ceilings are a fundamental element of any space’s design, with potential to help shape both aesthetics and functionality. Today’s advanced ceiling technologies and design options offer exciting opportunities to define the dynamic environments within modern airports.
 Sean Browne is senior manager of the Research and Development Group at Armstrong World Industries, a leader in the design and manufacture of innovative ceiling and wall solutions. In addition to leading a team of engineers and scientists, he is responsible for the company’s Codes and Standards Program. |
Tapping into everything ceilings have to offer comes down to one rule: Don’t be afraid to challenge your architect to create a ceiling that functions—visually and acoustically—as you need it to. The product options exist; it’s just a matter of communicating your vision and bringing it to life.
The architectural team on your project will bring the knowledge, resources and partners to engineer a ceiling that achieves the proper acoustics and meets the design intent. Airport facility managers can help assure success by answering two key questions.
How Should the Space Feel and Function?
When answering the first question, consider the wide range of areas within your airport: holdrooms, restaurants, lounges, wellness areas, retail shops, libraries, places for worship and more. Each of these spaces has distinct acoustical needs, from maintaining speech privacy in executive lounges to ensuring clear announcements at gates; from creating a lively ambiance in retail areas to providing quiet zones for relaxation.
No matter how you want guests to feel in a given space, or what they need to do there, ceiling design can support it. For example, in gate areas, warm colors or nature-inspired finishes provide a relaxing atmosphere before boarding and upon arrival. Within busy concourses, geometric patterns and integrated lighting can help direct traffic flow and support intuitive wayfinding. At check-in lobbies and baggage claim areas—those crucial first and last touchpoints with travelers—ceiling style and color selection can showcase your brand and culture, instill confidence in service and excite guests about traveling through your airport.
In terms of acoustics, two basic attributes of ceiling panels are NRC (noise reduction coefficient), which measures how well a ceiling absorbs sound, and CAC (ceiling attenuation class), which indicates its ability to block sound between two enclosed adjacent spaces. Products with NRCs of 0.60 to 0.65 and CACs of 35 and higher provide some sound absorption and blocking to maintain privacy between adjacent areas, such as lounges and restaurants. Moving up the acoustic dampening continuum, ceiling panels with an NRC of 0.70 to 0.75 and a CAC of 35+ offer stronger sound absorption and blocking, which makes them ideal in areas designated for business travelers to make phone/video calls. For maximum sound absorption and blocking in high-traffic or multi-purpose spaces—concourses and gates where passengers need to hear boarding calls—you’ll need an NRC of at least 0.80 and a CAC of 35 or higher.
Achieving the right acoustical balance requires thoughtful integration of soundscaping, speech intelligibility, background noise control and space planning. Ceilings can play a critical role in this equation by helping managing acoustics while also contributing to the overall aesthetic and brand identity of an airport. With advanced ceiling technologies and design flexibility, it’s possible to create environments that support both functionality and passenger well-being.
What’s Your Design Statement?
Acoustical ceiling products have evolved far beyond traditional white rectangular mineral-fiber panels. These days, bolder designs can be considered, including metal, wood, fiberglass and others. In addition, sound absorption isn’t limited to solid ceiling designs. Exposed structural elements, including blades, clouds and virtually any other shape can add a modern look and open feel, while also allowing natural skylight illumination. And even custom shapes, sizes and colors can be engineered for strong acoustical performance. Whether in a small community airport, major international hub, or anywhere in between, ceilings can make an impactful design statement.
While this article is not meant to make you an acoustical ceiling expert, it does provide a starting point for thoughtful conversations with your architect or designer. Integrating art and science, ceilings can be key to achieving the right acoustics and aesthetics in every airport space. From your boldest design statements to your quietest respite spaces, the right ceilings can help make it happen.
