When designing and constructing a building, elements of the interior fit out seldom receive the multifaceted considerations that foundational building structures like the façade do. In the past, ceilings have been viewed as a continuous aesthetic plane with the primary function of hiding building services routed through the interior. Over the years, however, numerous developments increased the complexity of the ceiling plane. During the 1950’s and 1960’s, suspended ceilings and concrete and steel floors were developed as a “multipurpose” power membrane in which “technical rationality” and “mechanized environment” emerged as new architectural objectives. By the 1970s, the ceiling plane was viewed as a critical component in building performance. Over the past two decades, buildings themselves have become more complex as awareness for energy efficiency, daylighting and acoustical properties has grown, requiring the ceiling plane to coordinate an increasing number of services.
The range of services is vast. Technical services include lighting, climate control, fire protection, data, speakers and security, while other penetrations and interactions with columns, wall and signage require design teams to take a new approach to development and coordination of the ceiling plane. By combining planning tools like building information modeling with new products and solutions, architects are drafting more involved and coordinated ceiling planes and contractors are able to integrate all of the services.