Acoustical Function with High Style

Xorel Artform: Acoustical Function with High Style

"Carnegie’s Design Services team is excellent. If I don’t have the time to do layout options, they will provide me with options based on my space and color scheme. This helps me provide my clients with the best possible final product."

- Jennifer Greenhalgh, Jackson + Park Design

Designer: Jackson + Park Design
Location: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Product & End Use: Xorel Artform Waveline | Acoustical Panels
Market: Education

When it came to the renovation of a language lab at the University of Virginia, Jennifer Greenhalgh, owner of Jackson + Park Design faced a challenge. On any given day, multiple students were in the space, speaking various languages to each other or with an online partner. All those intermingled voices weren’t simply noisy; they were disruptive to the students. They needed a space where they could concentrate.

Creating an acoustical design to help absorb the voices and add an artful element to the space, Greenhalgh found that Xorel Artform, an acoustical paneling system installed on the walls was the solution.

Using Carnegie's Acoustic Solutions Design Service, a complimentary service that includes layout assistance; Greenhalgh was able to narrow down the 11 panel shapes and 300-plus colors and textures to find the perfect fit and configuration for the space as well as in subsequent projects at the University of Virginia.

Part of what drew Greenhalgh to Xorel Artform was the ease of installation. Within a few hours, the panels were affixed to the wall using the Quick-Grab method and there was virtually no disruption to the space. And unlike other panel systems, Xorel Artform is easily cleaned by wiping the panels down, preventing a buildup of dust or grime.

The end result created an environment where students could focus on speaking and listening. In addition, it’s bright and vibrant—a vast improvement over the previously dull, gray room. “It made it more fun to be in that space,” Greenhalgh says.