Acoustic Curtains, Vienna 1010

The lecture room, at the Institute for Art and Architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, is used for many purposes throughout the year: daily lectures, architecture reviews, faculty meetings, seminars, public lectures, temporary works spaces, workshops, hearings, application interviews, parties, and even yoga. The acoustic problem is the biggest problem to solve but also spatial flexibility is always needed. The actual generosity of the room is never used to its full potential; the speaker’s voice is lost in the hardness and height of the space. Only one conversation can be had at a time in the room.

We thought the room needed something soft and flexible and appropriate for the school. 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. A second curtain called a laser-tull, a transparent mesh screen used in theaters, brought in movement and lightness.. This curtain is also cable of reflecting film projections.