The fifth wall: how ceilings became the next frontier in interior design

Throughout history, ceilings have been a canvas for artistic expression, with some of the most celebrated examples found in the world’s most revered architecture.

In modern mass residential construction, however, we somehow settled for the idea of flat white – a legacy of the Bauhaus movement, which in the early 20th century rejected ornamentation, says architect Alexander Wong.

But things are looking up, as statement ceilings become an ascendant design trend globally.

For Wong, founder of Alexander Wong Architects, it has always been so.

“We never forget to include the ceiling design at the very start of all our projects, [incorporating] the lighting as well as electrical and mechanical requirements, the desired mood, and what that means in reinforcing the central theme of that particular project,” he says. “The whole space is an organic construct that is then developed in a holistic way.”

Wong’s studio is known as much for its fantastical hotel, retail and cinema projects as it is for its luxury residentials, but regardless of the site or size, ceilings can throw up challenges. They might be too high or too low. There may be structural beams, ducts and pipework to contend with, and, simply concealing it all behind a conventional flat false ceiling is, in Wong’s view, a wasted opportunity.