Acoustic Curtains, Vienna 1010

Photos: Thomas Freiler

The lecture room for the Architecture School at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna is used for many purposes throughout the year and we needed to do more than just solve the acoustic problem, we needed to make corrections to the room and to create further possibilities for the changing needs of the school. The actual generosity of the room was never used to its potential; the speakers voice was lost in the hardness and height of the space, comfort was lost in its bulky volume, and only one conversation could be had at a time, limiting its use.

We thought the room needed something soft and flexible and appropriate for a school of architecture. By installing seven meter high felt, pleated, curtains suspended from the ceiling, on a serpentine track, we were able to create different situations of the space and use. We also wanted to bring color, softness and movement into the room, to create a more joyful atmosphere.