Autex Acoustics Ltd

Established in 1890, Headingley Stadium has been a Leeds landmark for 130 years. Unlike traditional oval stadiums, Headingley has two adjacent grounds—the Headingley Cricket Ground and the Headingley Rugby Stadium. Dividing the two is a new corporate hospitality space, with panoramic views of each field. Completed in 2019, the hospitality space boasts eight event suites, 12 meeting rooms, and 36 hotel rooms, designed to be a world-class venue and corporate destination.“Raft was chosen for the space because of its sleek aesthetic and effectiveness in open-plan environments.”Interior designers SpaceInvader worked alongside Caddick Construction, tackling the project with a blend of functionality, flexibility, and aspiration. Finding the balance between timeless corporate design and practical event space meant incorporating design elements that perform a dual purpose. A feature of the building, the Emerald Suite functions as a versatile event space; easily configured to be a theater one night and a dinner and dance hall the next. Due to the 500-person capacity and spatial flexibility, the acoustics had to be perfect. Originally SpaceInvader were investigating an off-the-shelf product, however, when unimpressed with the offering, Autex were brought on to create a bespoke solution.While the acoustics were a priority, SpaceInvader wanted a treatment that could double as a design feature. A custom Frontier™ Acoustic Raft system was designed and installed as 40 mm slats; equal parts Flatiron and Savoye used to create a banded salt-and-pepper ceiling feature. Raft was chosen for the space because of its sleek aesthetic and effectiveness in open-plan environments. The compressed polyester outer shell absorbs high frequencies, while the calculated air gap in the centre absorbs lower frequencies. Spread across the expanse of the space, the Raft system controls the reverb and echo that would otherwise be exacerbated by the parallel glass walls. Completed on time and within budget, the finished space tastes of subtle elegance with rich, warm accents. The soft furnishings and tasteful luxury are matched with acoustic comfort, successfully creating space for people to eat, drink, and celebrate in the company of others.

For West London Free School, music is at the heart of school life. Located in the busy district of Hammersmith, West London Free School needed to be transformed into an acoustically sound teaching and learning environment catering for students from Year Seven to Year 12. Existing buildings ‘The Music Lodge’ and ‘Palingswick House’ both needed to be fully refurbished. This included labs, art rooms, a canteen, a library, and a two-storey music centre.The Project In order to provide better learning environments, Rodney Maggot, Senior Design Co-ordinator for Willmott Dixon Construction, planned the acoustic requirements for each new space. The classrooms were originally built for other purposes, making the spaces challenging to work with. The refurbished buildings were full of hard reflective surfaces, so Rodney requested that Autex break up the spaces by adding sound absorbent materials. Quietspace® Panel was employed to achieve high acoustic absorption for each of the spaces being renovated. Great care was taken to strategically place each individual panel where they would best absorb problem frequencies, ensuring the rooms were balanced. By altering the height of the suspension, the surface area of the panels were increased ­– drastically improving the targeted sound absorption and reducing the number of panels needed to achieve the same result. Autex was able to cater to the different acoustic needs of each classroom by custom cutting each of the 50mm panels to the size they would be most acoustically effective.During the project there was a lack of storage and delivery space on site which meant nothing could be delivered prior to the installation date. Autex Acoustics coordinated with Willmott Dixon and delivered the panels on the exact date they were required for installation – making the process more efficient. To guarantee none of the panels were damaged in transit, Autex made several alterations to the packing of the panels which allowed for a quick and efficient installation once the panels had arrived safely. Choosing the safest acoustic products for the updated learning environments was an important aspect in the product selection process. Autex Acoustics were deliberately specified as they are lightweight; the panels are suspended above the classroom, so it would be considered a hazard to have them overhanging if the panels were too heavy. For peace of mind all Autex suspended acoustic systems have been vigorously tested and have been proven not to fall or collapse in the event of an earthquake. All Autex interior acoustic products are made from 100% polyester, making them non-toxic, safe, and a healthy alternative to other fibreglass systems available on the market. The installation of Autex Acoustics products dramatically altered the acoustic performance of the buildings, particularly in the Music Centre, which was a fantastic result.