ceiling in an office

Case Study: Ceiling Improves Acoustics and Indoor Air Quality

Five Guys international headquarters installs wool and metal ceiling in 'chili red' to match brand identity   May 17, 2024


By FacilitiesNet Staff


Returning to the same city where the Murrell brothers opened their original restaurant, Five Guys Enterprises’ new international headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, is located on the fifth floor of Carlyle Crescent’s 220,000-square-foot Class A office building. 

Designed by OTJ Architects, the interior space reflects Five Guys’ red, gray, black and white brand identity standards. In its group collaboration and training room, Rockfon Cubegrid Open Plenum 15/16-inch metal ceilings were finished in a chili red. Rockfon Color-all Charcoal and bright white Rockfon Sonar acoustic stone wool ceiling panels were selected for the enclosed meeting rooms and offices. 

Working closely with the general contractor, HITT, the ceiling specialists at Anning-Johnson Company installed both the Rockfon Cubegrid Open Plenum metal ceiling systems and 17,500 square feet of Rockfon’s acoustic ceiling tiles in Chicago Metallic 4000 Tempra 9/16-inch ceiling suspension system. HITT completed the 22-week, 37,000-square-foot tenant fit-out in May 2023. 

In addition to employees’ acoustic comfort, Rockfon stone wool ceiling panels contribute to their well-being. Rockfon Sonar and Color-all products are UL GREENGUARD Gold certified for office and educational environments. Products with this certification are recognized as supporting indoor air quality. 

Five Guys has been a Washington, D.C., area favorite since 1986, when Jerry and Janie Murrell offered sage advice to their four sons: “Start a business or go to college.” The business route won, and the Murrell family opened a carry-out burger joint in Arlington, Virginia. A fifth brother was born and, as the family grew, so did their business. Four more restaurants with sit-down seating were added to accommodate the growing clientele. 

Promoting the company’s on-brand message, Five Guys’ corporate training area showcases a colorful chili finish on Rockfon Cubegrid Open Plenum ceiling systems. 

Related Content: Case Study: A Ceiling That Meets LEED Platinum Standards

The ceiling’s metal grid design incorporates lighting and other acoustic baffle elements without fully concealing the mechanical equipment above. In the adjacent kitchen and meeting room, the HVAC equipment is painted red, and the plenum is fully exposed. 

Meanwhile, in the enclosed offices and meeting rooms, Rockfon Color-all in Charcoal and white stone wool ceiling panels were selected in three sizes: two-by-two, two-by-four and four-by-four feet.  

All of the Rockfon acoustic ceiling tiles installed in Five Guys’ headquarters have a square tegular narrow edge that minimizes the ceiling suspension system’s visible grid lines while adding depth and texture to the ceiling plane. Within the enclosed areas, employees concentrate on productive focused taskwork and have private conversations. 

Optimizing acoustics in these spaces, Rockfon Sonar and Rockfon Color-all stone wool ceiling panels deliver the best level of sound absorption with a very high noise reduction coefficient of up to 0.95. 

To assist design professionals with their product and material selections, Rockfon offers Environmental Product Declarations, Health Product Declarations and other documentation. Important for workers’ health and attractive interiors, Rockfon’s stone wool and metal ceiling systems do not support the growth of mold, mildew or microorganisms. They are also easy to clean. 

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