Acoustic design is often associated with permanent building elements, such as walls, roofs, ceilings, and insulation systems, which help control how sound travels through a space. However, not all noise sources or environments are permanent. A construction site changes as work progresses; machinery is replaced or relocated from one area to another; an industrial space may incorporate new equipment; and a temporary work area may emerge in a space that was never designed to accommodate it. Acoustic conditions are not static—they change over time and require solutions that can respond to these transformations. So, what happens when acoustic control becomes a flexible strategy?
Controlling sound does not always mean eliminating it. In many cases, the goal is to reduce sound transmission, contain it within a specific area, or minimize its impact on people working or living in the surrounding spaces. The challenge, however, arises when the source of the noise also moves. For example, introducing new machinery or modifying production lines in industrial environments can alter existing acoustic conditions without making it feasible to reconstruct the space each time a change occurs.
In these situations, portable solutions introduce a different approach by bringing acoustic control to where the sound is produced rather than permanently modifying the building envelope. Temporary barriers, acoustic blankets, curtains, and portable enclosures, such as those offered by Acoustical Surfaces, can act as a second layer that is installed, repositioned, or removed according to the needs of each space. These solutions can complement permanent acoustic strategies, transforming sound control into an adaptable element that can respond to changing conditions.
How to Design Spaces Intended to Change
When designing mobile acoustic systems, it is possible to recognize that certain needs are temporary. An intervention lasting only a few weeks does not necessarily require a permanent modification to the building. Similarly, a factory that regularly reorganizes its operations can work with elements that accommodate these changes without becoming obstacles to future configurations.
Acoustical Surfaces offers a range of solutions—including barriers, blankets, curtains, and enclosure systems—that can be used to create acoustic control zones around specific noise sources or temporarily separate areas within larger spaces. Beyond their acoustic properties, dimensions, or material composition, these systems make it possible to introduce layers of sound control according to the specific conditions of each situation. An acoustic curtain can establish a temporary separation; a barrier can define a work area; a blanket can help contain or reduce sound transmission around a specific source; and a portable enclosure can transform the conditions of a particular area without altering the space that contains it. Understood as temporary envelopes, these elements can act as lightweight infrastructure, modifying the acoustic performance of a space without architecturally redefining it.
For example, Acoustical Surfaces' Indoor Soundproof Quilted Acoustic Curtains combine sound absorption and sound blocking through flexible, modular designs. Custom-made to suit specific applications, they feature a dense mass-loaded vinyl core, available in 1- or 2-pound-per-square-foot densities, enclosed on both sides by a durable, quilted, sound-absorbing material. Suitable for industrial, commercial, and even residential applications, the curtains are often used to isolate machinery, separate noisy work areas, or create movable acoustic barriers. Designed for demanding environments, they are resistant to water and chemicals and can be easily installed, removed, and reconfigured as needs change.
How to Design Acoustics Without Compromising Flexibility
From acting studios to workplaces, portable solutions can transform not only the experience of a space but also the routines of its users. At Open Shop Studio, Acoustical Surfaces' STOP-25 fiberglass quilted curtain panels were installed to provide acoustic separation. The panels had a Sound Transmission Coefficient (STC) rating of 26 and absorbed sound on both sides. A track system was combined with interconnected panels joined by vertical Velcro seams, allowing the room to be transformed into a larger open space, divided into several smaller rooms, or configured to combine both conditions.
But this is not the only example of how design flexibility can intersect with acoustic design. In office environments, creating acoustic barriers between workers can sometimes be necessary to optimize workflows while achieving the desired levels of comfort and well-being. At Zamboni's office, however, the acoustic barrier could not be a permanent addition; it needed to be easily removable. The use of BSC-25 quilted acoustic curtains, featuring a 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) black steel tube frame that rests on the floor and a 1/8-inch (3-millimeter) thick high-density vinyl core, provided sound blocking comparable to that of a conventional 2-by-4-inch wood-stud wall with drywall panels on both sides. The screens were fabricated with the curtain material extending beyond the frame, allowing one panel to overlap and connect with the next.
Expanding the way acoustic design is understood means recognizing that not every challenge in contemporary spaces is permanent. While walls, ceilings, and insulation materials remain fundamental to establishing a building's overall acoustic conditions, mobile solutions such as those offered by Acoustical Surfaces can also address situations that cannot be fully anticipated during the design process. In response to this reality, architecture can rely not only on elements that remain in place, but also on systems that know when to arrive, where to be positioned, and when to be removed. Acoustic control thus becomes more than simply constructing barriers against sound; it becomes a strategy that can accompany the movement, transformation, and temporality of spaces.
