Architect: Gardner Wetherill Architects

In the sports hall, the S7 rail channel system establishes a rhythmic ceiling composition through its panel spacing, directional geometry, and perforated surface.

The S7 EXTERIOR system defines transitional zones between building and user. In areas like circulation paths and shaded outdoor spaces, it offers not only resilience against wind loads but also visual continuity with the façade.

Here, the ceiling is expected not just to protect, but to maintain the architectural expression beyond the interior. Finished in RAL 9003, the surface emphasizes consistency and stability across educational space design.

Acoustics, Light, and Cultural Layers: Three Dimensions, One Surface

Photo: ©Aran Anderson | Project: Matthew Pearce Public School, Sydney | Product: Customised S7 Rail Channel System & S7 EXTERIOR Rail Channel System

1. Acoustic Performance:
   The micro-perforated S7 panels, combined with backing acoustic absorbers, reduce reverberation times across the large sports hall.

2. Light Management:
   The geometry and spacing of the panels diffuse daylight throughout the ceiling surface.

3. Cultural Expression:
   Indigenous artwork patterns are applied through perforations, transforming the ceiling into a layer of local identity and belonging.

Where these three layers intersect, the ceiling shifts from being a structural necessity to becoming an architectural system.

Systemic Clarity Across Durlum’s Product Range

The S7 systems used at Matthew Pearce Public School align with Durlum’s broader product philosophy:

Expanded Metal Systems:
While not directly used, the openness, airflow and layered transparency of expanded metal panels (e.g., S5 RHOMBOS, S4) are mirrored in S7’s more streamlined grid—reinterpreted for educational settings.

DUR-SONIC Acoustic Systems:
Where acoustic control is required across ceilings and walls, DUR-SONIC delivers layered performance. In this project, similar effects are achieved through the S7 system’s micro-perforated face.

Photo: dur-SONIC® ART absorption system | durlum GmbH, Product: dur sonic art ocoustic image

DIAMOND TUBE Daylight Systems:
Though developed for daylight control indoors, DIAMOND TUBE’s logic of structured light redirection is echoed in how S7 EXTERIOR controls outdoor light through panel geometry and spacing.

Photo: Faruk Pinjo | Project: Biogena, Salzburg | Product: DIAMOND TUBE daylight system

Durlum, here, isn’t selling individual products—it’s creating a language of architectural systems.

Photo: Faruk Pinjo | Project: Biogena, Salzburg | Product: DIAMOND TUBE daylight system

Reading the Ceiling Right Means Guiding the User Right

Matthew Pearce Public School understands what contemporary educational buildings require.

The S7 and S7 EXTERIOR systems supplied by Durlum don’t just meet those requirements—they offer a sustainable solution on technical, cultural and aesthetic fronts.

In this project, the ceiling is no longer a surface to conceal mechanical systems; it becomes a system that defines how the space performs and is experienced.

For brands that add meaning—not just material—to architecture, this project stands as a fully executed design vision.

Long-Term Value, System-Level Thinking

This project also proves an essential truth:

The value of a ceiling system lies not only in what it delivers today, but in how it adapts to tomorrow’s evolving users, maintenance needs, and design expectations.

Photo: ©Aran Anderson | Project: Matthew Pearce Public School, Sydney | Product: Customised S7 Rail Channel System & S7 EXTERIOR Rail Channel System