Fixing the sound in a 1919 winery, without touching the ceiling

A restored Catalan winery needed clear audio for its new projections and an acoustic fix that had to stay invisible.

The main hall at Celler de Vila-seca, where Rockfon Color-all in Charcoal sits between the arches to control sound across the seated space.

A winery turned cultural centre

Celler de Vila-seca, built in 1919, has been restored by the local council into a museum and cultural centre telling the story of Catalan winemaking. The restoration spans 3,150m² across two floors, with museum rooms, the old pressing hall, a processing room and immersive areas for visitors.

The building's character had to stay intact. But its new use brought a problem the original winery never had to deal with.

Hard surfaces, open space, and projected sound

Part of the visitor experience is a video mapping system that projects large animations across the space to show how the wine was made. That only works if the audio is clear, and the old winery was the worst kind of room for it: hard stone and brick surfaces, a big open volume, and heavy reverberation that blurred every sound.

The council brought in acoustic engineer Ivana Rosello to bring the reverberation under control without altering the building's historic look.

Project info

Project name

Celler de Vila-seca

Client

Vila-seca Town Council

Location

Vila-seca, Spain

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Products used

Rockfon Color-all®

View

A side view of the hall way, with the dark Color-all ceiling panels tucked between the beams and brickwork.

Looking towards the stage, where clear sound matters most for talks, screenings and events.

The restored 1919 winery from outside, now a museum and cultural centre in Vila-seca.

A glimpse between the stone pillars to the seating and the Charcoal ceiling above.

Charcoal panels, hidden between the beams

Rosello specified 1,800m² of Rockfon Color-all in Charcoal, glued directly between the exposed wooden beams. Tucked into the ceiling structure, the panels stay out of sight and keep the focus on the vaulted timber, while delivering Class A sound absorption across the space.

The dark Charcoal finish sits naturally against the pale stone and brick, so the ceiling geometry still leads the eye. The acoustics work, and the building still looks like itself.

Looking straight up, the Color-All Charcoal panels sit naturally between the timber beams and stone arches, ‘hidden in plain sight’.

The heritage kept and sound fixed

The winery can now host projections, exhibitions, guided tours and events, all with clear, comfortable sound. It's a straightforward example of how to make an old building work for modern use without spoiling what makes it worth visiting.

Also working on a heritage building that needs modern acoustics without visible changes? Get in touch, and we'll help you find a solution that stays hidden.