6.3 Suspended Ceiling Design Process - Bilkent University

plenum. Several different schemes may be applied; for example, main
ducts can run parallel to the structural members, they can be placed
below, or they can pass through the structure where necessary. No
matter which scheme is chosen, the decision should be based on
coordination of HVAC, structural and architectural designs.
While the first group of overlapping cycles represents many problematic
situations in suspended ceiling design, the second group (beginning
with lighting fixture weight and ending with hanger spacings) is based
on a single problem: carrying lighting fixtures and air diffusers by the
suspended ceiling structure. The load carrying capacity of suspended
ceiling structure system puts limitations on lighting fixture and air
diffuser weights. If the weights of these elements exceed the allowed
limits they should be carried independently by additional hangers.
When the initial and partitioned matrices of suspended ceiling design at
system level are compared, it is observed that in the parameter list of
the initial system interface matrix, there are large monochrome bands
(Figures 6.12 and 6.14). However, in the partitioned matrix such large
bands are broken. Since each color shows a system which is in the
domain of a different design professional, the large bands in the initial
DSM suggest that decisions related to building systems are made
sequentially without considering interdisciplinary information. The
partitioned DSM, thus, recommends closer communication and
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