When you’re designing the display centre for a prestigious inner suburban residential development, first impressions are vital. A glass opening invites visitors into the well-lit and stunning polished concrete entrance at Norwood Green. Whilst visually appealing to the onlooker, the use of these reflective hard surfaces presented the interior designer with a problem; making the acoustic impression as impressive as the aesthetic design.
Urban infill is occurring in every major city in the world, and Adelaide is no exception. The Norwood Green development represents a significant transformation of a former industrial space in Adelaide’s much-desired leafy eastern suburbs, into one of the city’s most desirable residential developments.
“We are dealing with people who are making decisions about their lifestyle, and living in a quiet place on the fringe of a bustling city is highly desirable,” said Marvin Villalta from developer group Catcorp, “But we had sound bouncing between the polished concrete floor and the glass frontage, which was detracting from the tranquil ambience of the space. As it is in so many design situations, the aesthetic and acoustic requirements were in competition, and we weren’t willing to compromise on either”
The challenge was set for Sofiaa Interior Design, an Adelaide based practice renowned for inspiring outcomes in significant residential projects through innovative thinking, creativity, consistency and commitment.
Working with Acoufelt, designer Antonietta Sofia saw the potential for using one of the most innovative materials on the market.
“WoodBeQuiet™ looks exactly like real wood planks – but is actually a high-performance acoustic material”, said Ms Sofia. “This allowed us to use a feature wall to control the acoustic environment, reduce the reverberation, and warm the space to feel more like a comfortable and intimate residential environment.”
WoodBeQuiet™ installed in “Barn Door” made an immediate and significant improvement to the acoustic environment, whilst allowing Ms Sofia to retain the integrity of her original aesthetic concept. The feature WoodBeQuiet™ wall perfectly complemented the hard surfaces of the interior design, whilst also mitigating the noise reverberation problem. By offering flexible, modern and adaptive acoustic options, Acoufelt was again able to alleviate the compromise between acoustics and aesthetics.
Introducing WoodBeQuiet™ Planks: an award-winning innovation that delivers the authentic look of timber with exceptional performance. Crafted from over 60% recycled PET, these planks offer a responsible alternative to traditional wood, saving trees while reducing waste.
Featuring high-resolution prints of 30 distinct woodgrain patterns, WoodBeQuiet™ Planks bring the natural world indoors with stunning realism. But unlike real wood, they also provide superior sound absorption. Enjoy the ease of installation and the peace of mind that comes with a sustainable, high-performance acoustic solution
