Specials Swiss Re Headquarters in London - Spittler

368 SPITTLER
©Peter Durant / arcblue. com

Swiss Re Headquarters in London
Specials
Architect: Foster + Partners, London
Lighting Design: Speirs and Major Associates
The new office building developed for the insurance company Swiss Re
has become a major London landmark. Sir Norman Foster's design has 41
storeys and an overall height of 180 m. The unique shape of the building,
the technology used to create the facade and the environmentally friendly
system of ventilation all set new standards for future office buildings.
The glazed facade allows daylight to flood into the 2,75 m high rooms,
which feature a total floor-to-floor height of 4,15 m. The tapered
low-pressure ceiling system has a unit grid size of 0,75 x 0,75 m.
An installation depth of 150 mm and elimination of glare at 60º were
just two of the rigorous requirements that were enforced for this special
project. Principal air flow is conducted below the bulbs (2 x 32 W)
between two reflectors in the ceiling void. The distance between the
mirror head and the cross louvre reflector is set in such a way that the
designated air flow rate does not exceed the required pressure drop or
sound power level. The specially developed air-handling luminaires fully
satisfy the architectural, photometric and climate control requirements.
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