Noise is a top complaint, especially in an open plan work environment.
Sound pollution raises stress, decreases productivity and creates job dissatisfaction. It’s a fairly tricky problem to address, but thankfully there are many excellent solutions available. Office furniture manufacturers have a number of solutions to help employees escape the buzz, including sound dampening cubicles, seating with high backs and wingbacks, pods and booths.
Office space designers and architects routinely specify a number of acoustical management products to help control ambient and local noise including flooring, ceiling tiles, wall coverings and even decor.
Here are a few examples of the fun, sound dampening decor available:
BuzziPleat by BuzziSpace:
BuzziSpace describes this as “sound control with an architectural edge.” They’ve emulated fashion design using techniques such as smocking and pleating translated into large, lightweight sound dampening sculptures.
These subtle backlit panels make a statement while providing lighting and sound management in this space.
Turns out that felt can be used for a lot more than kids projects and behind-the-scenes applications. In this instance, strips of sound absorbing felt are fixed around a steel structure, allowing this light object to take on different shapes while in the image below these cool felt flowers add a certain playfulness while packing serious sound management potential!
Silent Flower by HEY-SIGN is a sound absorption wall panel that doubles as contemporary decor. The Echo Grid by Light Art a 3 dimensional sound absorption grid that incorporates sophisticated lighting.
Parentesit by Arper is a collection of fashionable sound panels that can incoporate lights or speakers.
Hide and Seek by Thinnk Studio takes creating privacy in an open plan environment to another level with these mobile sound absorption panels which are made of marble, wood and metal.
As you can see, there’s more than a few solutions for acoustical management and the options are beautiful! For assistance in creating a more workable work environment, please contact us. For more information about acoustical management, here is a white paper by Allsteel that may be of interest to you.
