Smith & Fong is excited to announce the completion of a striking installation in 150+ year-old Adrian College, a liberal arts university in Southeast Michigan.

The renovations of Adrian College’s Peelle/Jones complex began in April 2013. The 16,000 square foot addition, which is now complete, includes three chemistry and three biology labs, as well as renovations to the lobby, The renovations open up exciting new opportunities for our students to research in state-of-the-art classrooms and labs.

Toledo, Ohio-based design firm The Collaborative Inc. teamed with general contractor Krieghoff-Lenawee to create and install an expansive, 70-degree-radius wall panel installation behind the stairway in the Peele/Jones foyer, incorporating 16 of Smith & Fong’s Linear Line LL6 carved bamboo architectural panels.

“The Plyboo Linear Line panel is a very high quality product that will be very durable in the most active building on the Adrian College campus for many years,” general contractor Krieghoff-Lenawee senior vice president Jason Hess said.

The stairway is designed in a sweeping arch that connects the lobby of the building to second-floor conference rooms and offices, opening both floors to swaths of natural light. This is our first application of the Linear Line product in an educational institution interior. And if the images are any indication, there will be more to come.