There is nothing more important than the shaping of minds and educating them for the future wellbeing of society.

To this end, The Learning Space category in the 2022 INDE.Awards contributes the conduit by which this can happen. The design of exemplar buildings to support and assist education is now more developed than at any other time and the shortlist of The Learning category this year proves the point.

As supporter of The Learning category, Autex Acoustics is cognizant that a place that engenders education needs to be designed for today as well as future-focused. Learning is promoted through optimum surrounds, such as those acoustically enabled, and this contributes to a positive experience for students, teachers and the community.

While the shortlist in The Learning category all demonstrate progressive design with formal and informal spaces and inside and outside amenities, it is the connection to the environment that shines through projects this year.

Reflecting on the design continuum among the shortlist, Robert Jones, Technical and Development Manager, Autex, comments, “Biophilic design is a prominent feature of all the shortlisted entries. The prevailing way it is expressed is through timber, which was highlighted in nearly every project. However, many designers cleverly manipulated form and colour to bring the outdoors inside.”

Autex is particularly interested in this focus as Jones explains, “We believe biophilic design principles create calm and inspiring learning environments, and our new, Acoustic Timber™ was designed with biophilic design in mind. Available in panels, baffles, or ceiling tiles, Acoustic Timber is a high-performance acoustic treatment that realistically imitates timber.

As well as being lightweight and easy to install, what makes our product special is its carbon neutral and has a Group 1 fire rating; meaning it can be utilised in spaces traditional timber can’t be.”

Asked about favourite projects in the category, Jones responds, “For its flare, creativity, and acoustic consideration, Port Melbourne Secondary College stands out to us. The project has adeptly achieved its goal of incorporating materials to create a sensory experience but with a dual, acoustic purpose. In particular, the use of Autex’s Frontier system offers an appealing aesthetic to the ceiling – a visually significant component of the internal architecture – while adding greatly to how the space performs acoustically.

Additionally, we were very impressed with the creative way in which the many hard surfaces have been balanced to negate noise reverberations. In particular, the use of our Cube™ wall product, that is not only multi-functional and durable within the physically demanding learning environment, but also helps to improve the conditions where students learn best.”

As we count down the days until the INDE.Awards gala in Melbourne on 4th August, excitement is building for gala party celebrate.

“Autex Acoustics is most looking forward to seeing the dominant design themes and commonalities between individual winners and between categories. Of course, we will also be intrigued to see what acoustic treatments have been included to enhance each project.” adds Jones.

We look forward to meeting once again when the winners of the 2022 INDE.Awards will be announced. Mark the date, 4th August, in your diary and see you in Melbourne very soon.