Improving acoustic clarity in a specialist healthcare environment
Stylefold 120 was chosen as the most appropriate solution; a simple but very effective folding wall offering 37dB Rw acoustics to shield the noise of the food being prepared, without the need for complete sound privacy.
Working with contractor, Mx2 Interiors and liaising directly with the school, Style was asked to create a flexible environment in the ground floor hall/dining area.
While food was being prepared, it was important to shield the kitchen from the rest of the hall so that activities could continue in that area undisturbed. However, at meal times the room could be turned into an open plan kitchen/dining hall with speed and ease.
Stylefold 120 was chosen as the most appropriate solution; a simple but very effective folding wall offering 37dB Rw acoustics to shield the noise of the food being prepared, without the need for complete sound privacy.
“This is a great example of where a folding wall can provide a really effective use of space, offering flexibility and speed in the way the room is altered and utilised,” said Julian Sargent, Style’s group managing director.
“The dining area can be used for school gatherings and activities while the kitchen staff continue their duties, the acoustic integrity shielding the noise of the pots and pans in the kitchen.
“Quick access into the canteen is provided so that students can enter and exit easily, however by opening the wall during meal times creates a complete open plan facility making access to the serving areas easy, and enabling teaching staff to supervise meal times across one large room.”
Stylefold 120 has flush fitting protective aluminium edge profiles and the panel faces are available in a variety of finishes, including painted, polished wood veneer or a wide range of standard or high pressure laminates. It also offers fire ratings of 30 & 60 minutes.
Talk to us about your acoustic goals — we’ll help you design a solution that sounds as good as it looks.
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HBN 00-09 sets out these surface characteristics because unsealed joints are a recognised place for moisture and micro-organisms to collect. A genuinely joint-free edge is designed to address that specific detail.
This is a surface and edge specification, not a clinical claim. Zero-joint technology has not been evaluated or certified by NHS England, and does not claim to reduce infection rates.
Food-service and guest-facing areas are typically inspected under hygiene and housekeeping standards that look closely at surfaces and joints. A seamless, moisture-resistant edge is designed with exactly that kind of scrutiny in mind.
Every one of these sectors shares the same underlying surface problem: a bonded-strip edge is a seam, and a seam is a place where dirt, moisture or wear can concentrate in a way a continuous surface can't. Zero-joint technology addresses that one structural detail across offices, schools, healthcare and hospitality settings alike — one construction detail, one shared weak point removed, four sectors that each care about it for their own reasons.
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