Prihoda Journal

Brompton Bikes, London, UK

All Brompton bikes are hand-assembled using processes such as welding and brazing, which generate a lot of heat. As a result, without adequate ventilation, the heat accumulates and the room can quickly become uncomfortably warm and stuffy, impacting worker morale and productivity. To improve air circulation at Brompton’s Greenford site, Prihoda was asked to design a fabric diffuser system that could bring much-needed fresh air into the production lines. The production area is in a large factory building with high ceilings to accommodate the warehouse space located at the back of the main area. With such a large internal volume, the building requires considerable amounts of air to create enough air movement and circulation. Prihoda designed an extensive fabric duct system to meet the above requirements. Each production line was fitted with a fabric duct to bring the conditioned air from the evaporative coolers to the immediate production environment. The ducts were suspended from the high ceilings but located relatively low and close to the occupied zone, ensuring the air could be delivered exactly where it was needed. A mixture of laser-cut perforations and microperforations gently directed the air into the occupied zone without generating unwanted draughts that could disturb the production processes or cause occupant discomfort.