University of Birmingham
The problem: The University of Birmingham’s School of Engineering is housed in a 12,000sqm, five-storey facility centred around a striking double-height atrium. The layout was designed to promote agile, collaborative working between academics, researchers, students and support staff. The open-plan layout, hard surfaces and exposed services created the potential for high reverberation times, speech intelligibility issues and disruptive noise transfer between adjacent spaces. Achieving comfortable acoustics across teaching spaces, circulation areas and social zones was therefore an important part of the design brief.
Room Type: Schools
- Products:
- Autex Frontier Axis
- Hunter Douglas HeartFelt Acoustic Panels
- Ecophon Solo Circle
- Ecophon Solo Rectangle
- SAS500 Acoustic Baffles
- BAUX Pulp Acoustic Panel
- BAUX Acoustic Tiles
- Ecophon Akusto
Location: Birmingham
Our solution
Working in partnership with Willmott Dixon, Resonics designed, supplied and installed a comprehensive package of acoustic treatments throughout the building.
With no traditional suspended grid or MF ceilings used anywhere in the design, free-hanging acoustic baffles were selected as the primary method of reverberation control. These were combined with targeted wall systems in key teaching and collaboration areas to manage reflections and improve speech clarity.
The ceiling solutions retained access to essential services, ensuring easy access for maintenance and reducing lifetime costs, while delivering high-performance acoustic control. This approach demonstrated how re-thinking conventional ceiling design can enhance both functionality and architectural intent.
The Outcome
The acoustic treatments will significantly improve the building’s usability, creating calm, focused and collaborative environments across all floors.
Noise transfer between spaces will be minimised and overall sound levels will be balanced, supporting group work, informal collaboration and individual study. The result is a high-performing learning and research facility that meets the acoustic demands of modern education.
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