Suspended Troldtekt acoustic panels were installed in a new faculty building at the Portsmouth University, adding a dramatic touch to the entrance foyer.

Located in Portsmouth on the south coast of the UK, the University built a 4,600m² building for the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries to help consolidate all of their facilities on one site. The layout includes a café, shop, large exhibition space, seminar rooms and large lecture theatre. The upper floors contain open plan offices for academic and administrative staff as well as a post-graduate centre.

Designed by architects Penoyre & Prasad, the new Eldon building has an entrance foyer, which is also used as an exhibition space. The architects have created a very dramatic ceiling in this space using Troldtekt acoustic panels. It is also a very good example of how a sustainable acoustic ceiling can be used to perform several roles simultaneously. 

The ceiling was created by combining a gridiron pattern of suspended Troldtekt acoustic panels, often known as clouds, together with a framework of lightning strips. In addition to providing great depth and drama to the ceiling, the acoustic panels also dampen down echoes and noise from the continuous pedestrian traffic while providing easy access to the flexible display lighting and other services above.

Key design highlights of the sustainable building include a narrow footprint; an atrium linking all floors vertically to maximise natural ventilation; the stepping back of the floors towards the south and extensive roof lights maximising natural daylight in the building and direct sunlight in the courtyard; and the acoustic ceilings unifying the whole and providing the perfect acoustic environment.

Troldtekt acoustic panels are available from CSR Ceilector Ceiling Solutions in Australia.