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Hufton & Crow
When client ANZ first imagined its new HQ offices, it knew that the wellbeing of its employees had to come first. It needed a workspace that reflected its personality and core values whilst supporting collaboration and community. To realise this, it had to prioritise the office acoustics, to allow staff to easily communicate with colleagues during peak office hours and to create quiet areas dedicated to focused work. As experts in their field, architects TP Bennett entrusted Oscar Acoustics and its SonaSpray acoustic spray range to deliver the ‘office harmony’ ANZ was looking for.
Pitch perfect with SonaSpray
One of ANZ’s main objectives of its move, was to switch its two-floor structure to a single level, allowing for different ‘zones’ of activity and a ‘sense of journey’ throughout the workspace. Central to each zone, which includes areas for both focused and collaborative work, breakout sessions and private phone calls, was managing the spread of excess noise, which could easily lead to distractions, particularly in an open-plan office.
Seeking a noise solution, TP Bennett chose Oscar Acoustics’ SonaSpray. Once applied to ceilings or walls the seamless acoustic finish absorbs sound energy instead of reflecting it, enabling interior spaces to remain calm and productive. In this case, SonaSpray K-13 was specified to reduce overall noise for a more welcoming environment.
Mariachiara Dal Pozzo, Associate Director, TP Bennett, commented: “Having used SonaSpray on several other projects, we knew how effective it was at reducing noise. It’s quickly become our go-to acoustic product and our clients are always happy to follow our recommendations due to the huge difference it makes, both in open-plan areas and cellular spaces.”
Healthy and sustainable acoustic design
ANZ’s 12th floor office space in the Cargo building, Canary Wharf, is one of London’s most sustainable office fit-outs. It includes efficient water management and low embodied carbon materials, plus 80 per cent of the furniture products come from reused existing material. The project is even included in a British Council for Offices (BCO) report on Circular Economy in Offices.
With environmental impact a concern, SonaSpray was an ideal fit. Commonly used within green-build projects, it contributes towards many sustainable design and health certification systems, including BREEAM, SKA, Living Building Challenge adding up to 17 points towards the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating of a project. SonaSpray also boasts GREENGUARD Gold Certified compliance for Indoor Air Quality to ensure that it meets the highest welfare standards.
Fire rated
As with all building projects, safety is always paramount. With fire credentials that go above and beyond Approved Document B fire requirements (Class 0 to BS476 & B-s1, d0 fire rating), the SonaSpray range was an obvious choice. This means that in the event of a fire it creates little to no smoke and absolutely no droplets, which can help assist the safe escape of occupants should an event occur.
Dal Pozzo added: “Having used a competitor product recently, we noticed a drop in standard and only SonaSpray delivers both in terms of aesthetics and sound management. The finish on the project was exceptional and hides any imperfections, making it as visually strong as it is at reducing noise.”
Ben Hancock, managing director at Oscar Acoustics said: “Working alongside TP Bennett, we were able to create a workspace that reinforced ANZ’s company culture, personality and values, putting both its workforce and customers above all else. The feedback has been excellent, staff are relaxed and their surroundings match the versatility and flexibility they need to work productively.”
Watch Oscar Acoustics’ company video to discover the SonaSpray range of architectural acoustic finishes:
For more information and technical support, call 01474 854902, email or visit the Oscar Acoustics website.
Source: Architecture Today