Reimagining acoustic design with modular, three-dimensional panels

There are spaces that seem to offer an extra dimension of controlled calm. It's not just about the way they look; it's about the way they sound, the way sound is managed and subdued where it needs to be. Where other spaces are full of sonic clamour and confusion, here there is balance, clarity, separation and harmony.

Clearly, that level of acoustic management doesn't happen by accident. It has to be engineered and designed into a space. It requires special, sound-handling materials. And the best of those materials enhance the spatial experience, aesthetically and acoustically. Established over 50 years ago, Autex Acoustics is dedicated to creating just those materials and just those spaces.

Autex Acoustics' new acoustic system, Lanes, takes its lightweight Cube panels, made from compressed recycled polyester, and adds a smart twist, or rather space and design possibilities. The key to Lanes' sound-crushing power and aesthetic appeal is its three-dimensional design. Most acoustic panelling and treatments are simply stuck to walls and ceilings, but the Lanes system creates an air pocket beneath each ‘lane’, making for enhanced low-frequency sound absorption, but also opening up new design angles and approaches.

Available in three styles, Plane, Peak and Sawtooth, Lanes can give a unique topographic flow to any interior, making for an intriguing play with light and shade. And the creative options don’t end there. Lanes makes it easy to add a range of warm, natural tones to the sonic calm, available in natural stone – Carrara, Travertine, Rojo Alicante, Empress Green and more – and timber finishes ranging from Birch, Oak and American Ash to Tasmanian Blackwood and deep red Jarrah.

Lanes’ modular, scalable design also means it can be easily applied to a space of any size. Whether they are creating acoustically considered commercial or office spaces or working in hospitality, retail or education, Lanes offers architects and designers all the flexibility and aesthetic options they need. And, of course, Lanes can handle the more sophisticated sonic requirements of theatres, auditoriums and recording studios.

Lanes has also been designed for easy installation – its battens are clipped into place, no environmentally unfriendly adhesives required – and, if relocation is necessary, easy disassembly. Of course, Autex's in-house design team is on hand to help clients use Lanes to realise the full aesthetic and acoustic potential of any space.

Sustainability is also key to Autex’s mission and Lanes, like all Autex products, is certified carbon neutral. (Autex Acoustics has a long-term commitment to sustainability, establishing a zero-waste production line way back in 1990, and is now carbon neutral across all its Acoustic products and operations).

We understand better than ever how much an interior created with care and attention to detail – that brings in light, offers tonal and textural shift, and orchestrates sound – can increase our sense of well-being and creativity. Lanes offers the perfect materials; the foundational backdrop for that kind of space.

© Architonic

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