How raised access floor started being used?

The raised access floor started to be used on the first computer rooms, where high technical machinery were connected one to the other: a complex network of cables, to be carefully protected and yet to be easily accessible for maintenance and upgrading. 

 

The solution was a simple idea, create a void between the concrete base floor and the floor where the machinery was installed and people were walking. A void to be used to house all the cabling and other necessary services.

 

A false floor was invented using a grid of vertical pedestals adjustable in height to support horizontal square modular panels which could be easily removed and relocated.

 

So, on the top surface a clean and smooth operating area for people to walk on and below all the required services and of course the possibility for future implementation of changes to facilitate new technologies. 

 

Outlet boxes housing connections for power and data were inserted in the panels in order to supply power and data from the void to the right position for the working station, always ready to be relocated and changed where and when needed.

 

Done: the raised access floor was born!