Wall panels help Pennsylvania brewery balance aesthetics, acoustics

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[["images-card",{"images":[{"url":"http:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dpcbzfiye\/image\/upload\/v1651559952\/xq8c3vxpi80fm3g98rbm.jpg","id":"6501541"}]}]],"markups":[["a",["href","https:\/\/www.armstrongceilings.com\/commercial\/en\/articles\/tectum-designart-ceilings-walls.html"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.armstrongceilings.com\/commercial\/en\/performance\/sustainable-building-design\/sustain-ceiling-systems.html#redirect_term=Sustain","target","_new"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.armstrongceilings.com\/commercial\/en\/commercial-ceilings-walls\/tectum-designart-shapes-direct-attach-wall-panels.html","target","_new"]],["i"],["a",["href","http:\/\/www.armstrongceilings.com\/designart","target","_new"]],["em"]],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"An auto showroom-turned-pub had a noise problem. AIA partner Armstrong explores the solution that alleviated the challenge without sacrificing the brewery\u2019s brand design."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Our Town Brewery, a 2,700-square-foot pub housed in a former auto showroom in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, opened in September 2020. According to owner Rob Tarves, a common complaint soon after opening was acoustics. \u201cPatrons said they couldn\u2019t hear themselves think,\u201d he said. \u201cIn addition, we weren\u2019t able to conduct trivia contests as we had hoped and had to limit our live music choices.\u201d "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Improving acoustics while maintaining the brewery\u2019s aesthetic thus became the challenge."]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[],0,"Balancing acoustics and aesthetics"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"To help remedy the situation, Tarves contacted Armstrong Ceiling \u0026 Wall Solutions. \u201cThe space was full of flat surfaces, including picture windows on three sides,\u201d explained Armstrong designer Marie DePaul. \u201cPlus, the owner wanted to preserve the brewery\u2019s 91-year-old tin ceiling, which meant there were not a lot of surfaces to treat acoustics. The challenge was to install enough acoustic treatment to make a difference and also contribute to the design of the space.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The team selected Armstrong Tectum DesignArt"],[0,[0],1," "],[0,[],0,"\u2013 Shapes, which are direct-attach wall panels. The durable panels feature a textured wood fiber visual and are ideally suited for high-traffic interiors. Tectum DesignArt panels transform interior spaces by combining texture, shapes, patterns, and colors with sustainability and acoustics. As part of the "],[0,[1],1,"Armstrong Sustain portfolio"],[0,[],0,", standard TECTUM DesignArt panels meet requirements for or contribute to a number of green building programs, including being free of Red List chemicals per Living Building Challenge 4.0; having HPDs, EPDs, and Declare labels; and contributing credits for LEED v4 and v4.1, among others."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The focal point of the space is now a 33-foot-long x 7-foot-high mosaic-type wall pattern above the bar. Created using "],[0,[2],1,"Tectum DesignArt \u2013 Shapes"],[0,[],0,", it consists of 48 full hexagons and 37 partial hexagons in Polar, the standard color, and three custom colors: light gray, medium gray, and dark gray. Hexagonal panels in a blue\/green color were installed on the side and front walls. Altogether, 205 Tectum DesignArt panels were installed, for a total of 506 square feet. The colors were chosen to match the pub\u2019s brand design and to complement the existing aesthetics. \u201cThe ability to work with a brand\u2019s standards to coordinate custom colors was key,\u201d DePaul said."]]],[1,"p",[]],[10,0],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"According to Tarves, installation went quickly and smoothly. One reason was that each panel was labeled as to where it went in the pattern. The panels were installed on 1-inch-thick furring strips, which results in a noise reduction coefficient (NRC) of 0.85, meaning they absorb 85% of the sound that strikes them."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Once complete, Tarves said both the patrons and the staff noticed the improvement. Acoustical tests confirmed it: Reverberation time fell from 4.94 seconds to 2.88 seconds, a 42% reduction. \u201cThe efficacy of the panels was quickly evident. You could hear the difference as each panel was installed,\u0022 Tarves said."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cWe wanted the space to look great and control sound at the same time,\u201d Tarves continued. \u201cThe Tectum DesignArt panels accomplished that by combining aesthetics and acoustics.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[3],0,"To learn more about Tectum DesignArt products, visit "],[0,[4],1,"www.armstrongceilings.com\/designart"],[0,[],1,"."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[5],1,"AIA does not sponsor or endorse any enterprise, whether \npublic or private, operated for profit. Further, no AIA officer, \ndirector, committee member, or employee, or any of its component \norganizations in his or her official capacity, is permitted to approve, \nsponsor, endorse, or do anything that may be deemed or construed to be \nan approval, sponsorship, or endorsement of any material of construction\n or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in\n any material or product."]]]]}