Acoustics in schools do not have to come at the expense of aesthetics

As the style of learning in schools has changed in recent years towards a more dynamic approach where students debate, learn by doing, and work in teams, the demands for good classroom design and the need to regulate noise levels have also increased significantly. The clarity of speech and active management or blocking of sound leads to the satisfaction of both teachers and students. The noise level in the classroom directly affects the teacher's ability to teach and the students' ability to hear the material being presented, understand it, and their overall academic performance. Furthermore, appropriately chosen acoustic solutions can also enhance the design of the entire project.

A Masterful Connection of Aesthetics and Functionality

The educational facility in the municipality of Wysoka is one of the most modern facilities of its kind in Poland. The complex includes a primary school, kindergarten, nursery, and a community room. The building was designed with children's comfort in mind. The architect masterfully combined aesthetics with functionality and used Rockfon solutions for sound absorption and attenuation.

The school provides spaces for 450 students and 50 staff, as well as a gym and dining hall with a kitchen. Additionally, there is a kindergarten for 200 children and 25 caregivers, a hall with a capacity of 130 seats, and a community room. The building has two floors with a total area of 10,000 m².

Particular attention had to be paid to the variety of colors used in the facility. The colors used in the interiors not only facilitate orientation but primarily stimulate the imagination of the students. The exterior is executed in subtle shades so that the building blends smoothly into the rural architecture.

In addition to aesthetic values, acoustics is immensely important for the comfort of students and teachers in the school. Architect Monika Robaszko-Kowalska says: “In every project, we strive to use quality materials. There are not many sound-absorbing panels on the market that can match the products of Rockfon. That is why we used them.” On the ceilings, colorful acoustic islands Rockfon® Eclipse™ attract attention, as well as white acoustic boards Rockfon® Sonar® in the dining hall and impact-resistant panels Rockfon® Samson™ in the gym.

How to Give the Original School a New Sound

At Primary School No. 46 in Poznań, Poland, architects designed a new wing that creates a pleasant acoustic environment while also meeting the acoustic requirements of the school standards applicable in Poland.

“Our school has been here since 1937, so the building has seen a lot. During reforms, it also turned out that there was not enough space in the facility for all students. As a result, school principal Tadeusz Badowski decided to expand it,” says Anna Jedut – Wnuk, a teacher at Primary School No. 46 in Poznań.

The project for the extension of Primary School No. 46 is the result of a rapid pace of investment. Only six months were available to complete the entire project, so prefabricated reinforced concrete walls and ceilings were used. Given the necessity to eliminate wet works and for aesthetic reasons, it was decided to leave the raw walls and reinforced concrete ceilings unplastered. This decision directly influenced the need to use interior design solutions to create a pleasant acoustic environment, especially in classrooms. The extended wing was designed to meet the acoustic requirements of the PN-B 02151 school standard applicable in Poland.

“We wanted to create a pleasant working environment for teachers and a stimulating educational environment for students. The panels are not beneficial only in terms of acoustics, but they are also a great tool for organizing the interior. In our project, their fine finish and color coordination are a perfect complement to the rawness of the concrete surfaces,” says Marcin Sakson, an architect at Front Architects. White and colored acoustic islands Rockfon® Eclipse™, extra-white acoustic boards with high reflectance and light diffusion Rockfon Blanka® were used on the ceilings, and the walls were complemented with Rockfon® Samson™ acoustic wall panels.