A farmhouse from the mid-eighteenth century was transformed into a private residence for clients Abe and Petra Brouwer. As a protected monument, the structure presented many restrictions for B+O Architecture. The height of the rooms also presented a considerable acoustic challenge – especially in combination with the many hard, reverberant materials that were installed across the structure, such as glass and concrete. Rockfon Mono Acoustic ceilings in custom colours were installed by Annhil Systeemplafonds to introduce acoustic comfort.
An Acoustic Strategy in Farmhouse Design
Though the exterior of the farmhouse remained intact for the most part, the interior was completely stripped as part of the renovation. One large, high space was the starting point where B+O Architects started working. A floor was placed in a high room above the kitchen. In addition to and around it, the space runs from the floor to the monumental roof truss.
Particularly striking is the ample amount of daylight that flows into the house. “We’ve made an intervention in the rear façade design. It’s not visible from the public road, so we were not limited and were able to install an enormous glass façade, from the floor to the roof. There are three windows on the side wall: a large and a small one on the ground floor, and a window on the top floor. By installing a large round window on that floor, we also improved daylight access”, says architect Pieter Brink.
The desired acoustic environment was achieved by using the monolithic wall and ceiling solution – Rockfon Mono Acoustic. “When I entered the room for the first time, I immediately saw that it would be quite a job. Lots of slants. There was basically no straight line anywhere to focus the measurements on”, says Annhil Systeemplafonds director Hilco Nijmeijer, pointing upwards.
The installers determined a level line themselves, measuring the ceiling in perspective. “We have a lot of experience with the renovation of farms and barn houses, but in this case, we had to work with many different sizes. Just look at the progression in the skylight. The height of the room was also a challenge; the highest point was eight metres – that’s quite something”.
Colourful Farmhouse Design Completed with Monolithic Ceilings
Rockfon Mono Acoustic is now available in Rockfon’s curated 33 Colours of Wellbeing or any custom shade, which was fortunate timing for the clients, whose vision included coloured monolithic ceiling design. “I don’t like white at all and prefer warm colours. An example of this is the wallpaper design featuring large, colourful circles in the living room. I’m a huge fan of green. It also provides a connection with the outside”, explains Petra.
Annhil Systeemplafonds have experience with installing black and white ceilings, but not in the colours selected by the homeowners. “The shades had to continue upwards, even where the plates are white at the bottom. That transition had to be perfect, as well as the transitions at the trusses. The Rockfon Mono Acoustic panels had to be mounted tightly around it and the shift of the colours also had to be smooth”, explains Nijmeijer.
They employed a different method to install the coloured ceiling panels. Normally, due to the low height, the panels are glued to the underside of the floor above. Here, Annhil Systeemplafonds chose to first create a frame and then mount the panels on it. This was necessary because of the erratic substructure and the height differences, and they had to bridge in connection with the roof construction. The panels were then filled with powder filler and finished with a special colour render. “This combination ensures the open structure, essential for sound absorption, and a very smooth appearance of the ceiling”, adds Nijmeijer.
A Farmhouse Residence with Optimised Acoustics
It is immediately apparent upon entering the kitchen and living room that the acoustic ceilings contribute significantly to the comfort of the farmhouse design. Rockfon Mono Acoustic has Class A sound absorption, combating excess noise to create calm spaces. “There’s a high level of comfort; the room is very quiet, especially in combination with the triple glazing, which blocks noise from outside and retains heat inside”, says Abe Brouwer enthusiastically.
“We own a hotel restaurant and know from experience the influence that acoustics can have on the guest experience. Poor acoustics have a tiring effect. You certainly don’t want that in your own home, where you want to stay as comfortable as possible. It’s better to take this into account during construction than to have to choose an expensive solution afterwards”, he adds.
Nijmeijer is also satisfied with the end result. “We faced quite a few challenges in terms of dimensions and the use of colour. This required precise installation, which also prevents imperfections that could be visible in grazing light”, he says. “I think that turned out very well, if I say so myself”.
