The Belgium-born company, Orac Decor, has been manufacturing decorative finishes such as skirting boards and cornice mouldings for over fifty years. For their first experiential showroom, they chose Barcelona, Spain and opted for an immersive, experiential approach. The interior design firm The Room Studio – led by Meritxell Ribé and Josep Puigdomènech – prioritised scenographic artistry in a customer journey that continuously astounds and delights. Across its many spaces, the experiential showroom exhibits the creative potential of their products, as well as that of the 22 companies that they collaborated with, such as Rockfon.
Complementing the Orac Decor products across the space, while resolving noise concerns, are Rockfon Mono Acoustic, Rockfon Canva Wall, Rockfon Blanka, and Rockfon Eclipse Customised. "It's easy to execute creative ideas when you find companies that have the same DNA", said Victor Valentin Gaig, General Manager at Orac Decor Spain.
The Acoustics of an Experiential Showroom
The Orac Experience Centre is split into various thematic zones, all highly multisensory, including the "Cave" display area, the "Exhibition Room", the "Immersive Room", the "Club" lounge with an accompanying cooking show area, and a multipurpose educational room. An external courtyard acts as a little oasis, and upstairs are the Orac Decor offices.
Particularly distinctive of the new showroom is its "Cave" – a monochromatic room with nude-coloured interiors right at the entrance. Here, the installers Conover Plus initially encountered the challenge of adapting the ceiling to curved areas with the Orac Decor wall mouldings. For this, the monolithic ceiling solution Rockfon Mono Acoustic was installed in a custom colour, curved and shaped for the space. Rockfon Mono Acoustic was also installed across the Immersive Room and the Orac Decor offices.
A 3-metre-long Rockfon Eclipse Customized acoustic island and Rockfon Mono Acoustic were installed across the Exhibition Room to control the reverberation generated by the sound of the presentations and high foot traffic during events, especially since the room is equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Acoustic comfort means that customers can full immerse themselves in the high-definition projections and Egyptian hieroglyphics that engulf the entire space.
Two Rockfon Canva panels were installed in the Club lounge. This approach not only addresses the practical challenges of design, but also emphasises the importance of acoustics in creating comfortable environments.
Showroom Design that Exceeds Expectations
It's been four months since the Orac Experience Centre opened and it has already surpassed initial estimates for visitor count. "The feeling that we have achieved something unique, and that it's the first time that it's been done, is a source of pride", said Conover Plus.
"Acoustics is everything in interior design. It's the well-being of a person being in a space without having external noise. It's integrated into the acoustics, but to integrate it, you have to be present. It's something you have to experience, that you have to witness", says Josep Puigdomènech, interior designer and project manager at The Room Studio. "In the showroom, the acoustics are spectacular. It's especially noticeable when you go outside and take notice of the calm acoustics that you were enjoying inside".
