In the same office building in Ra’anana, in three different projects, each designed separately but by the same designer – Natalie Adar – a unified design concept was created, which manages to maintain uniqueness in each space. Each of the projects creates a different experience, but in all of them the use of a particularly versatile acoustic material stands out, which allows for planning flexibility alongside a cohesive visual language.
Adar chose to combine a variety of ceiling systems from AUTEX England in a variety of shapes, while adapting them uniquely to each client and each project. The use of the material is not only intended for a technical solution of acoustics, but constitutes a significant design element that defines the identity of the space, creates interest and brings aesthetic value alongside functionality.
Between the three projects – WOPA, BULWARX and HEXAGON – the versatility of the material is evident: the same material, different interpretation, a design that adapts itself to the unique needs of each space.
WOPA – Clean Design, Customized Acoustics
The WOPA project focused on the need to create a quiet, healthy and pleasant workspace, adapted to the nature of use in each area – from intensive spaces of movement to meeting and relaxation areas. It was important to create a high-quality acoustic solution that would support daily functioning, and would fit into a clean and precise design line.
To meet this need, AUTEX’s GROOVE series acoustic ceilings were incorporated, made of recycled PET polyester – a light, durable and adhesive-free material that does not crumble and does not form a substrate for dust mites. Choosing it allows for a healthy, durable and pleasant work environment over time – a significant advantage, especially in intensive office spaces.
Each space received the ideal solution for it – both acoustically and in terms of design: The central seating area was fitted with a GROOVE ceiling in a framed design, which defines the space and adds depth to it. In the long corridors, a longitudinal groove was chosen that reinforces the sense of movement. In the seating area used for meals, a ceiling with a rounded groove was installed around the round lighting fixtures, creating a harmonious formal language. In the coffee corner and kitchen, smooth tiles without a groove were incorporated, continuing the clean line of the design. All ceilings were chosen in light tones, which give a sense of space and openness, and contribute to creating a quiet, inviting and precise atmosphere for work.
BULWARX – When each area receives the material that suits it
The BULWARX project was centered on the need to create a workspace that balances different areas – seating areas, public spaces, kitchenettes, work rooms and corridors – while creating a cohesive and pleasant experience in each of them. Each space required a precise solution tailored to the nature of its use, from a functional, acoustic and design perspective.
To this end, a material combination between wood and PET polyester was incorporated, which created a harmonious sequence of materials and textures, and worked correctly with the architectural language of the project. Above the seating areas, the central lobby and the kitchenette, 16 mm thick MDF tiles were incorporated, with a grooved wood finish and a back coated with acoustic fleece from ROYALIN. The choice of wooden tiles contributed to a warm atmosphere, and in combination with the acoustic insulation layer, created a quiet and relaxing space, even during busy hours.
In the more functional areas – such as the study and meeting rooms – AUTEX GROOVE panels were chosen with custom cuts, which were adapted to the structure of each room. These panels provided both a high-quality acoustic solution and wide design freedom, thanks to the diverse shades, the possibility of custom cuts and the ability to integrate them as ceiling or wall coverings as needed.
In the transitions between the spaces, AUTEX smooth CUBE panels were incorporated, which covered the corridors and added a clean design line, while maintaining health benefits: the panels do not crumble, do not contain harmful adhesives and repel dust mites – an ideal solution for work spaces Modern people who want a solution that is both beautiful and durable over time.
HEXAGON – Practical design, precise appearance
The Hexagon Physical Security project was centered on the need to create diverse workspaces – ones that allow a natural transition between quiet, concentrated spaces and warm, shared areas, while maintaining a uniform design language and a high-quality acoustic response for each space according to its purpose. The challenge was to combine solutions that, on the one hand, would provide functional silence, and on the other hand, would allow for broad, multi-purpose design freedom.
To this end, a variety of solutions were incorporated that continue the same design line and illustrate the versatility of the materials – both in terms of design and acoustic function. In the lobby and common seating areas, including the dining area and kitchen, the GROOVE ceiling was incorporated in various finishes: a rounded and oval groove that continues the soft edge of the round lighting fixtures, alongside designs with more precise lines in other areas. The workspaces were fitted with a GROOVE ceiling in a framed design, adapted to rectangular lighting and adding a sense of order and precision to the spaces. The material – recycled polyester (PET) – was chosen for its health and maintenance benefits, as a durable, healthy and particularly pleasant solution for office workspaces.
The office rooms themselves were fitted with a SOPRANO ceiling from NITTOBO, which combines minimalist aesthetics with high acoustic performance, in order to enable a particularly quiet and focused work environment.
In the passages between the workspaces, black PET tiles from AUTEX were incorporated, which were carefully selected and create an interesting contrast to the light tones of the other spaces. Above them, a GRAPHITE ceiling was incorporated, which continues the design line of the project, while adding a functional layer of noise absorption and maintaining a clean and precise appearance.
A Work Environment That Sounds Different
What the three projects have in common is the design concept: acoustics are not a complementary matter or a solution to an existing problem – but an integral part of the design concept.
AUTEX’s versatile solutions allow architects to work with a living, flexible material that is easy to process and finish – and to create work environments that are precisely tailored to the functional needs of employees.
The combination of clean visuals, impressive acoustic performance and user-friendliness – makes Hecht & Ephraim’s acoustic solutions a central component in any quality office project.
