How to improve office acoustics
Noise can represent a big problem in most modern offices. Thankfully, the use of sound-absorbing materials, noise-canceling technologies and furniture zoning can help a lot with that. Discover here below 10 strategies to adopt.
With the rise of open-plan offices, promoting collaborative work, creativity, and innovation, acoustics can easily remained overlooked: as a result, unwanted sound is today a common complaint by the majority of employees. The abundance of highly reverberant surfaces (such as hard floors, ceilings, and desks), the lack of physical barriers, and the density of people they usually welcome can indeed lead to increased noise levels, impacting concentration, productivity and overall well-being. So what we could to design collaborative spaces with acoustics in mind?
Let’s have a look at some of the best design strategies you can implement to reduce background noise and create quieter spaces:
1. ACOUSTIC PANELS
When a sound is created, it propagates from the source in all directions, radiating outwards until it encounters a boundary element. While desks, windows and hard floors pose opportunities for sounds to reflect, acoustic panels are made from materials that absorb sound waves, preventing them from bouncing around the room.
Contemporary acoustic panels come in a wide range of shapes, colours and sizes, that make them at the same time a stylish addition to elevate your decor. Install them of the walls of your office, as well as in the meeting room and call rooms to create a quieter and more focused environment.
2. ACOUSTIC PODS
Acoustic pods (also called office pods) are noise-free, soundproofing and self-contained spaces where employees can work, brainstorm, make calls and focus away from their desk and any distractions. The huge success they’re experiencing today is due to the fact that they’re easy to set up, move around and can accommodate all types of budgets. The most obvious benefit is their ability to block out and contain sound, in some cases up to 100% of noise.
3. DESK DIVIDERS
Desk dividers are acoustic partitions designed to be placed between desks or workstations, creating a physical barrier that blocks sound waves from travelling across the room. Similarly to acoustic panels, they can be customised to fit the size and shape of your office and come in various materials. Movable and available in a wide range of prices, they’re perfect for breaking up large rows of desks, providing employees with a quieter and more concentrated workstation.
4. ACOUSTIC SCREENS
Acoustic screens are partitions you can use to create separate zones within a space, improving privacy, focus and calm. Designed to stay or to move around the office, these screens are made of sound-absorbing materials, that make of them a precious partner to help lowering the noise level of a room.
5. FLOORING, CARPET AND RUGS
The simplest way to reduce noise in an office space is to introduce soft surfaces like carpets and rugs to the flooring. Beyond adding a cosy feel to the office, these sound absorbing soft materials reduce echoes and minimise the impact of footsteps or chair movements.
6. UPHOLSTERY AND CURTAINS
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7. CEILING TREATMENTS
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8. ZONING AND FURNITURE ARRANGEMENT
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9. PLANTS
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Pair them with: mustard, lilac, browns, blues
10. WHITE NOISE MACHINES
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Pair them with: mustard, lilac, browns, blues
Colour trends offer you the chance to explore the infinite opportunities of the world of hues, to embrace shades you never considered before, to integrate new tints into your colour scheme. Which one would you adopt?
If you’d like to be adventurous but don’t know where to start, don’t hesitate to contattaci.
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