Acoustic Design Meets Technical Creativity

A sculpted ceiling for sound and collaboration

In Northamptonshire, England, Rockfon’s new Training Centre features a bespoke acoustic ceiling that balances design ambition with acoustic performance. Installed by PANARC Interior Solutions, the Braunstone meeting room includes Rockfon Mono Acoustic, Rockfon Color-all dB46, and Rockfon Canva wall panels. The installation improves sound insulation and speech intelligibility, creating a functional and expressive space for workshops, meetings, and training sessions.

Solving acoustic and design challenges in meeting room

The Braunstone meeting room in Rockfon’s Northamptonshire Training Centre was created as a flexible space for training, meetings, and events. Measuring 12 by 6 metres and seating up to 30 people, it required strong acoustic performance and a distinctive visual feature. Rockfon saw an opportunity to address both goals while showcasing the versatility of its ceiling systems in a working environment.

Two acoustic challenges shaped the brief: resistance to rain noise from the lightweight roof, and clear speech intelligibility across a hard-surfaced room. A long internal window opposite plasterboard walls increased reverberation. Rockfon’s solution needed to combine airborne sound insulation with absorption, delivering comfort and clarity without compromising spatial functionality.

The design featured three Rockfon systems. A sculpted Mono Acoustic island was suspended beneath a ceiling of Rockfon Color-all dB46 tiles in Stone. The 1200 x 600 mm tiles are 50 mm thick and made from dual layers of stone wool with a high-performance membrane in between, offering Class A absorption and reduced airborne and impact sound. Canva acoustic wall panels completed the room’s sound control strategy.

The ceiling island was inspired by a similar project in Dublin. “We thought something similar would work well for us in Daventry,” said Nigel Watkins, Rockfon Commercial Director for the UK & Ireland. Architect Matt Willemsen designed it as a figure of eight, suspended within the suspended ceiling. The curved form softens acoustics and allows halo lighting within the two circular voids.

Color-all tiles were installed on a Chicago Metallic System 6000 grid with galvanised runners and Stone-coloured cross tees. For the feature island, PANARC Interior Solutions prefabricated curved C channels to the correct radii, then laid out all components on-site. Suspension brackets and Omega cross channels created the frame for Mono Acoustic panels, which were cut into triangular segments for shaping.

“Overall, this project was very technical and required a lot of thought and a robust methodology,” said George Fernberg, Business Development Manager at PANARC. After installing the panels, the ceiling was jointed, sanded, and spray-finished over three days. Perimeter trims preformed to the correct curves completed the edge detail, creating a seamless result that reflects the design intent and performance goals.