1. How do you balance noise control with material durability in high-traffic, high-energy environments?
I believe the question refers to sound insulation between spaces. For example, in our performance area, we used a concrete box system for the warehouse. While concrete isn’t very sustainable, the system is made of panels that can be removed and reused.
What I forgot to mention is that the auditorium actually has a wooden structure. Behind the sound-absorbing panels, there’s a hidden CLT box. It’s a shame it’s not visible, as it’s a great sustainable feature.
As for the ceiling pulp, I believe it’s newly produced, not from waste — likely because reused pulp is harder to colour consistently. However, the sound-absorbing blocks behind the fabric panels are made of recycled paper, which is great. The fabric itself is even more interesting — it’s made from reused military uniforms, which are easy to repurpose because they’re standardised in colour and material.
2. Regarding the Milk Factory: isolation boxes were used to reduce noise during work. Where do you stand on open-plan (landscape) offices?
Open-plan offices are acoustically challenging — you want good communication, but background noise can be very disruptive. In the Milk Factory, isolation boxes were used to create zones within the space, offering both openness and acoustic shielding. This zoning approach helps manage sound levels effectively. That said, it’s a relatively high-end environment, and such solutions may not always be feasible elsewhere.
3. We often think of building materials as either sound absorbers or isolators. Could a fully organic material like sand serve this purpose?
The key challenge is combining sound absorption and sound insulation in a single material — something that’s typically difficult. Sound-absorbing materials are usually porous, allowing sound to pass through, which makes them poor insulators. Insulating materials, on the other hand, block sound but don’t absorb it well.
Sand, due to its fine grain structure, might seem porous, but its acoustic properties depend on how it’s used. Loose sand’s sound absorption hasn’t been widely studied, at least not by me. To use it structurally — like in walls — you’d either need to bind it into panels or fill cavities with it, which is actually a very old technique.
4. Can you share innovative strategies for managing sound in atrium-style spaces where traditional acoustic treatments might not be feasible?
First, it’s important to define what’s “traditional.” In large spaces like atriums, some level of sound absorption is usually necessary— you can’t entirely avoid it. However, context matters.
If the atrium is mainly a circulation space with only a few people passing through or talking, a reverberant environment may not be an issue. Problems typically arise when the space hosts large groups, like a restaurant with 300 people. In that case, reverberation becomes disruptive.
So, one strategy is to match acoustic treatment to the space’s function. Instead of trying to fully dampen sound, consider allowing some natural reverberation in low-occupancy areas, while using targeted interventions— like localised absorptive panels, hanging elements, or even integrated furniture solutions— only where necessary. Flexibility and function-driven design can be more innovative than applying standard treatments everywhere.
