Raised access floor

A modular floor raised off the slab by a structure of adjustable pedestals, creating a continuous technical void underfoot. Cables, data, pipes and air run there; every panel lifts for access. Born for offices, data centres and control rooms, it turns the floor into a flexible, inspectable service layer.

The raised access floor separates the walking surface from the structural slab, lifting it on a grid of height-adjustable pedestals. The space that arises - the technical void - becomes the route for all the horizontal services. Every panel is removable: the services are no longer buried in a screed, but always reachable, modifiable and reconfigurable.

The value of the system is the void under the panels. In an office building or a data centre the services change constantly: workstations that move, cabling that grows, air-conditioning that is redistributed. With the raised floor one simply lifts a panel with a suction cup to intervene, without demolition. The void can also become an air-supply plenum, distributing the conditioning from below, where it is needed, with great efficiency and comfort.

The structure is made of pedestals (adjustable columns bonded or fixed to the slab) and, for greater heights or high loads, of stringers connecting them in a grid. On top rest the modular panels (usually 60x60 cm), of calcium sulphate or high-density chipboard, often with a non-combustible core and a bonded finish (stoneware, stone, linoleum). The performance is measured on the load: concentrated, distributed and ultimate, to be chosen according to the use (office or machine room).

Three aspects must be guarded. Acoustics: the void can transmit impact and airborne noise between adjacent rooms, so panels, gaskets and compartmentation under the walls are detailed. Fire: panels and structure must have adequate reaction and resistance, and the void must be compartmented so as not to become a spread path. Flatness and stability: well-adjusted, bonded pedestals avoid creaks, rocking and steps, ensuring a safe and silent floor.