Hunter Douglas, a Dutch architectural products manufacturer, will be showcasing its innovative ceiling and façade panels, window coverings and sun control systems at the Big 5 show in Dubai, UAE.

With the GCC region hosting $115 billion worth of rail projects, comfortable stations that absorb sound and provide light will be vital for growing ridership, said industry experts at the top construction event which opened in Dubai, today (November 23).

The GCC hosts rail, tram, light rail, metro, and monorail projects, with Saudi Arabia leading at $45 billion, followed by Qatar at $35 billion, the UAE and Kuwait at $15 billion, and Bahrain at $10 billion, they added, citing a report by the German Near and Middle East Association.

Regional metro projects include the Dubai Metro expansion, construction in Doha, Qatar, and Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and plans for metros in Jeddah, Medina, and Dammam in the Kingdom.

“While the GCC countries are constructing a large number of rail projects, in order for them to succeed in growing strong ridership numbers, they need to create uncluttered, well-lit stations where travellers feel comfortable,” remarked Frans van de Laak, the general manager, Hunter Douglas Middle East.

The global ceiling manufacturer has worked on prominent rail stations including the Dubai Metro and the Delft Railway Station in The Netherlands.

“Ceilings play an important part in enhancing the traveller experience, as they can absorb sound, lead travellers toward trains, and make travellers feel safe by providing human-sized proportions and ample lighting,” observed Frans van de Laak.

In both the Dubai Metro’s Union Station, one of the busiest stations in the system, and the Delft Railway Station, Hunter Douglas installed ceilings with tapered baffles of extruded aluminium, said the official.

These ceilings have the strength to handle the trains racing by, and with half the reverberation time of traditional train stations, can absorb the noise of trains and travellers, he added.

Daniël Jongtien, the architect at Benthem Crouwel Architects, on the Delft Railway Station, said: "This is just one small part of a complex puzzle. Together with Hunter Douglas, we designed the baffles in such a way that they bow, as it were, to the rush of passers-by, with the vertical baffles gradually turning horizontal. It provides a natural way of leading travellers towards the stairs."

"An important factor in making sure travellers in an underground station feel safe is light, which is why in between the baffles, artificial lighting has been installed. At 110 gloss units, the baffles have an exceptional gloss level for reflecting light. Special weather-resistant coatings can also reflect daylight," noted Jongtien.

Both projects brought logistical challenges, with Hunter Douglas fitting the components into place piece-by-piece, along with tight planning, and efficient installation thanks to an efficient numbering system, he added.-TradeArabia News Service