Mayo Clinic

The 12,000 square feet (sq. ft.) two-story lobby at the new 228,000 sq. ft. facility at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville was designed to do more than welcome. It needed to set the tone for numerous patient visits each year.

Perkins&Will and Fickling Construction were inspired by the building’s curved lines and “yin-yang” relationship to its neighboring structure when they set out to create a space that felt anything but clinical.

Bringing that vision to life required one of Rockfon’s most customized ceiling systems to date: combining Rockfon Spanair® Torsion Spring System (White and Rockfon Metalwood® Maple finishes) and Rockfon® Infinity™ Standard Perimeter Trim. Close design collaboration and precise execution ensured the final solution unites sophisticated design, lasting durability, and high-performance acoustics.

The result is more than a ceiling, it’s a proof point: bold design and high-performance can thrive together, redefining what’s possible in healthcare spaces.

This ceiling  showcases innovation, precision, and craftsmanship at the highest level. The project is earning industry recognition and already being considered for major design awards.

The Goal

The project’s overall design intent was to establish a warm, comfortable environment that would help occupants feel more at home and less like they were in a clinical setting.

The goal of the two-story lobby space specifically was to visually captivate and welcome patients, staff, and visitors.The atrium ceiling was envisioned as a focal point, drawing the eye upward to highlight the building’s scale and flowing curves.

The design team was also seeking to ensure there was integrated lighting between ceiling layers for a dynamic appeal. At the same time the space needed to harmonize with the adjacent building to create a complementary architectural relationship and cohesive design. It also needed to blend with the building’s exterior, maintaining a natural flow between outside and in.

The Challenge

The project had a fixed grand opening deadline and COVID-19 pandemic-era constraints so the team had to prioritize solutions that could be delivered efficiently without compromising design intent. It required a natural aesthetic with an inviting look of wood alongside a clean, light feel. Design leaders sought to balance the soft wood tone with crisp white elements without relying on traditional drywall.

The lobby ceiling introduced a complex design challenge, centered on achieving a flowing, curved form through a radial geometric pattern. Each panel needed to be carefully positioned, angled, and suspended appropriately to collectively create the desired curve. Every panel required precise installation to ensure the overall form maintained consistent elevations across bands because the ceiling clouds sat on an inclined plane, where one side of each panel was higher than the other.

The design had to carefully balance the practical demands of a healthcare environment with the openness of the space, using high-performance acoustic ceilings to create an atmosphere that is comfortable, restful, and supportive for all occupants.

The Solution

The design team specified Rockfon Torsion Spring in Metalwood® Maple wood-look finish panels to bring the warm, natural aesthetic of wood to the radial ceiling while delivering the durability of metal. Rockfon metal ceiling solutions are crafted from aluminum, providing inherent resistance to humidity and corrosion for long-lasting performance in challenging environments.

To provide clean modern lines, accentuate the geometric design, and support acoustic performance in the open space, project leaders also specified Rockfon® Spanair® Torsion Spring System in white perforated panels with an Acoutex™ Backer.

The complex design required a custom hanging solution to not only simplify the installation but ensure consistent and precise angles. The design team at Rockfon developed a unique solution incorporating 2" curved Rockfon® Infinity Standard Perimeter Trim and custom bracketry. The Infinity is installed at one elevation and sets the curvature throughout the entire space. From these curves custom bracketry creates the angle for the suspension ensuring uniformity throughout the space. Additional 4" Infinity creates the curved light cove feature, ensuring alignment with the design and vision for the space.

The team at Rockfon (including the Project Manager, Sales Manager, and Applications Design Team) collaborated extensively with project stakeholders to ensure that the design could be accurately produced and installed on schedule, providing on-demand support for any issues during assembly. This level of collaboration demonstrated best practices at their best, fully expressed, and celebrated on site.

Detailed manufacturer coding ensured that every material could be quickly identified and installed in the correct location, minimizing errors and keeping the project on schedule.To translate design intent into seamless installation, the team relied on a highly coordinated system of custom labeling and CAD-driven layouts.The final result not only made it possible to complete the project on-time, but created a visually striking focal point for the lobby space and delivered an acoustical performance of NRC of 0.70.