In the time of open-plan offices, flexible workspaces and the desire to redevelop every disused warehouse in sight, acoustic panels are now leading the architectural world. Acoustic panels are innovative products that allow architects to experiment with different sounds and acoustic possibilities, without sacrificing minimalist and elegant finishes. From how to define acoustic panels to designing the acoustics of a noisy open office plan, here’s everything architects and decor specialists can know about acoustic panels.
It may be the golden age of acoustic panels right now. Thanks to open-plan offices and industrial warehouse conversions, designers need ways to absorb sound in large, echo-filled spaces more than ever.
Acoustic panels essentially moderate the sound generated within the room, not isolate the room from outside noise. Acoustic panels can never make a room completely silent—sound waves travelling directly from a person’s throat to your ears will always get there—but they can prevent those sound waves from bouncing off other hard surfaces and reaching your ears. It’s the same principle as with light in a room. Light from a bare bulb will still reach your eyes, but a room with walls completely covered with mirrors will be much brighter than a room painted flat black. Panels can be highly absorbent or “dark” acoustically, so that sound doesn’t bounce around the room, or they can diffuse reflected sound so that high-pitched noises, such as speech or computer beeps, are muffled by a background silence.
Traditionally, the study of acoustics has focused on how to deal with sound coming from a single point, like a singer on a concert hall stage. In comparison, open workspaces are much more complex, with dozens of people talking, arranged in a large environment.
In contrast to the idea of making all spaces as isolated as possible, acoustic panel specialists warmly recommend that architects consider how they can use different acoustic panels to shape the use of a space. Cafeterias or meeting spaces could be quieter and brighter, while personal workspaces could be richly padded and insulated. Acoustic panels should be placed strategically and ideally in consultation with an acoustic panel specialist.
Today, there are many options available to help architects design the right sound environment, whether it’s for an office space, a performance space or a home theatre area at home. Acoustic Architecture’s team of acoustical panel specialists will be able to advise you for an optimal result of design and installation of acoustical panels in your environment.