Modern office design has moved towards an open concept approach, but what does that sound like?

The clean look and feel of the modern minimalist office truly promotes a calming, flexible environment where employees can work more efficiently and effectively.  This design aesthetic intends to create open, free flowing and creative spaces, a far departure from the stagnant and rather grim cubicle settings of the past.  The office has now become more of a second home, a space where creature comforts like community tables and designated lounge areas are more common than ever.  This is certainly a step in the right direction, however the minimalist design can tend to forget about the role acoustics play in an office.

The office is expected to be a noisy environment; phones, keyboards, and conversations all contribute to the overall noise within the space.  However when noise is constantly being created from numerous sources in a large open space composed of acoustically reflective surfaces (drywall, concrete, glass, etc.) it can become unbearable.


We believe a combination of functional and discreet acoustic surfaces are the key solutions to noise within the modern office design.  We offer products such as our Cel™ (as pictured above), a panel that offers acoustic absorption and diffusion, while also functioning as a tackable surface.  This product is perfect for idea boards, full wall coverings as well as desk dividers.  By covering what would be empty wall space in various areas across an office you can see a noticeable difference in the overall sound levels in the space.

In many applications the empty wall space is a key aspect of the minimalist, open concept aesthetic.  These large exposed reflective drywall surfaces will contribute to higher sounds levels, as well as potential echo and reverberation within the space.  To combat the obtrusive noise while still maintaining the clean minimalist design we commonly recommend our Novawall stretch fabric system (as pictured below).  This is a high tension stretch fabric system, which is composed of an acoustically transparent fabric facing covering an absorptive acoustic core.  The flexible tracking system enables endless wall and ceiling customization with unique reveals, seam designs and fabric combinations.  By covering what would be painted or papered drywall with a discreet acoustical treatment designers are able to create a variety of finished looks without compromising the acoustics of the space.

Novawall Lobby

Another popular option for the office is to utilize custom acoustic artwork on the walls.  In place of what would be a standard picture, piece of artwork, or office logo can now be an absorptive surface.  By utilizing our Techpan panels with custom printed acoustically transparent fabrics, we can create a finished panel that nobody would suspect is reducing noise in the space.  We also offer custom printing for our Novawall system (as pictured below) which can be used to offer a beautiful acoustic detail to what would be a bland drywall surface.









Site installed high-tension stretch fabric system, highly customizable solution for ceilings and walls with excellent noise reduction qualities.


Custom manufactured fabric wrapped acoustic panels, baffles and clouds available in a wide variety of fabric and felt facing options.