Creating a Calm Classroom: Enhancing Acoustics in Kindergarten

Say Goodbye to Echo-y Rooms at Kindergarten Auffen.

Soundproofing Brings Better Learning and Play Time!

Project: Kindergarten Auffen – Improving Sound Quality in Play and Education Location: Styria, Austria

Description:
The Kindergarten Auffen is a brand-new and modern facility nestled beautifully in the rural area of Styria. Each day, it provides love and care for 20 kids with commitment and dedication.

Problem:
The teachers noticed a noisy and echo-y situation in the two large rooms, which resulted in reduced speech intelligibility and increased stress levels among the children. The smooth surfaces of the concrete walls, parquet floor, and glass elements facing the garden caused sound to bounce back and forth like a billiard ball, causing excessive volume and reduced understanding.

Solution:
The solution was to install DECIBEL Beelive honeycomb-shaped acoustic panels on the walls and ceiling, hung by local drywallers. The panels, in two different colors, brought life to the walls while "swallowing" the sound waves, reducing reverberation times and creating a more relaxed atmosphere. To make reading aloud more enjoyable, inconspicuous ceiling sails were also hung in the wooden trams below the doll's room.

Result:
The results were impressive, with audibly reduced reverberation times and increased speech intelligibility. The teachers and kids are delighted with the new, quiet, and relaxed environment.

Children even asked if "all the kids are here today, it's so quiet!" - a great feedback to show just how successful the soundproofing project was.