i+D - September/October 2021 - 51

Material
Matters
Paint
& Color
Framery Pods are
designed so someone
can have a private
conversation even in
a busy public space.
(Image: Courtesy of
Framery)
A Moveable
Acoustic Feast
As workspaces-and home offi ces-become more fl exible and fl uid
spaces, designed to meet whatever need is thrown at them, acoustic product
suppliers are rising to the occasion with portable, modular, and smaller-scale
acoustic solutions.
" Furniture in and of itself is generally acoustic to some degree, " says Sean
Oliver of Allsteel. " Through our partnership with Zilenzio, we have a credenza
that's upholstered and acoustic, as well as pieces that are dual purpose, like
screens, that have inner materials that do an excellent job of absorbing sound,
but are also able to create visual separation. "
Oliver points out that the COVID-19 pandemic has proven that there's a certain
volatility and abrupt changes that can affect a workplace at a moment's notice.
" When you're using products like screens and demountable walls, your
offi ce can be tailored to whatever you're trying to support. " Products that are
moveable, he explains, allow the users of a space to dial in their specifi c needs
and ensure that their space is optimized in every facet, from acoustics to layout.
Luxxbox, meanwhile, offers lighting products in which acoustic properties are
built right into the shades. The company is best known as a commercial lighting
designer; its fi rst acoustic product was the Vapor Echo pendant.
" We saw an opportunity to better utilize the void between the desk and ceiling,
not just for lighting but also as a sound attenuation tool too, " says Jason Bird,
founder and managing/creative director of Luxxbox. In some cases, installing
the acoustic lighting fi xtures can achieve sound reduction by up to 95 percent.
The company also makes other versatile acoustic products,
including baffl es, room dividers, whiteboards, and furniture.
" Agile working is still something people are focusing on
when developing the offi ce space or creating home offi ce
environments, " notes Bird, who says, in addition to fl exibility,
" there's also that element of fun in creating your own space. "
Products like Brix, a lightweight room divider, and Waffl e
Leaves, a freestanding baffl e, can be moved around to create
different spaces and different acoustical outcomes, both
in commercial offi ces and home offi ces. An added benefi t:
Freestanding baffl es can be moved to create an online meeting
background, " for when you want to block the line of sight on
camera to what's going on in the house behind you, " says Bird.
Another option to carve out acoustically enhanced space in an
open offi ce comes from Framery, which provides pods, phone
booths, and other soundproof private spaces. The company's
newest product, Framery One, offers a digital ecosystem
and 4G technology to create what the company claims is the
world's fi rst digitally connected soundproof pod.
" Our pods were initially designed to increase the effectiveness
in an open-plan offi ce environment, " says Rasmus Nanhed,
head of sales at Framery. " In recent years we have been
observing the shift to a more nomadic worker. " Framery saw
demand for its products accelerate during the pandemic-when
many have been working in ever more fl exible environments-
and placed its pods everywhere from shopping malls to
private residences.
" With the modular nature of pods, they can be moved around
and support changes in offi ce layouts, unlike fi xed walls, " says
Nanhed. " Framery pods are even easy to take with you when
moving to new premises. "
Luxxbox Blade acoustic
lights are designed to reduce
up to 80 percent of
reverberated noise in a space.
(Image: Courtesy of Luxxbox)
i+D - September/October 2021
And the time is right for these modular and impermanent
options. Notes Bird, " When we are all currently uncertain as
to where and when we work, we are fi nding that clients are
reluctant to bolt too much down. "
51
i+D - September/October 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of i+D - September/October 2021
