ACOUSTICS
Leather and acoustics; an unexpected and unique solution.
And our result is excellent both optically and technically!
The challenge of an eye-catching acoustic solution!
The main function of acoustic applications is to absorb sound. In addition to achieving the desired result in terms of sound, it is of course a great challenge to also be able to make the acoustic elements into a real eye-catcher. The behavior of vibrations and sound is complex. Leather seems to be made to make acoustics look beautiful too.
wallcovering |
ACOUSTIC BROOM – SUEDE MOUTON [wall] and ACOUSTIC BARR – TUNDRA CLAY [furniture bottom right] location: Waalwijk Alphenberg Flagship Store
Alphenberg started in 2019 making acoustic applications for spaces in which sound and atmosphere play the leading role. A fantastic new development that, as we can proudly say, has exceeded expectations.
What brought Alphenberg to the field of acoustic solutions?
After more than 10 years of experience in the field of leather applications in the interior, Alphenberg is well acquainted with the fact that leather has a softening and fire-retardant effect. But developing and making acoustic walls that meet the required values is something else. Yet, Alphenberg recognized the opportunities. And thus, within a year, a product was created that, according to us, has exceeded our expectations by far. It is obvious that the process of developing a high-quality product does not always come easy. Complexity simply requires deeper research. And visual beauty, as a grand result, adds to the challenge.
The interior of one of the rooms in the NACH (New Amsterdam Court House) in which the lower part clearly shows the BROOM acoustic walls.
When you walk into a room, you experience the acoustics.
NACH (New Amsterdam Court House)
(New Amsterdam Court House)
In June 2019 we were approached to solve a problem that arose during the development of the construction of the NACH. The courthouse in Amsterdam on the Parnassusweg. The Borrenbergs company from Eersel, who were responsible for maintenance and supply of window decorations in the new courthouse, asked if we could handle an ambitious project. There were problems in all court rooms with the intended cladding of the walls. These walls, constructed in a technique that did not meet the required fire safety standard, had not passed the required tests and were therefore rejected.
AKOESTIEK LOOKBOOK
wall covering | ACOUSTIC BARR – TUNDRA GREY
wall covering | ACOUSTIC BROOM – SUÈDE MOUTON
wall covering | ACOUSTIC BROOM – SUÈDE MOUTON
bar wall | ACOUSTIC BARR – TUNDRA CLAY
How does the marking system work and what do the scores signify?
Open spaces, sleek materials and minimalist furnishings are beautiful but not always conducive to the acoustics. Using materials such as marble, glass, concrete and stone, sound is given free rein in open spaces, with undesired reverberation as a result. An increasingly popular solution is the use of special acoustic panels.
What do we mean with acoustics?
Acoustics is the way in which sound can be heard in a room and how it spreads. By acoustics we also mean the influence that a room has on sound and the reverberation of sound.
Sound travels through the air and bounces off hard surfaces such as a floor, a ceiling or a wall. This creates reflections and reverberation. It helps us orientate and it gives us an indication of the size of the space.
But sometimes it interferes with the audibility. Each room has its own acoustics. When there is a lot of sound reflection, it takes a while for the sound to die away. It is called reverberation and it can be calculated and measured.
To investigate the acoustics of a room, the reverberation time, sound transmission, echo and audibility are, among other things, examined.
Sometimes one has to meet with legal requirements for the reverberation time, as demanded by a national building decree.
Acoustics and technical terms: to measure is to know
There are several single-number values that indicate the absorbance value: NRC, Alpha w, Alpha.
NRC Value
The Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) is the technical name for a value that indicates how much noise a material absorbs. The higher the value, the better an acoustic panel absorbs sound.
The most ideal value is 1, which corresponds with 100% absorption. In acoustics this is also referred to as an ‘open window’. All sound disappears through it and does not come back.
Preferably, the materials installed have a value between 0.85 and 1.0.
The NRC value becomes relevant when a room suffers from reverberation.
Good acoustics are an important aspect of a comfortable living and working environment.