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A place to explore the possibilities of science
In the former Škoda factory building in Plzeň, Czech Republic, the Techmania Science Center invites the public, especially young people, to get more familiar with science. Various physical, chemical principles or laws of nature are explained through game-like activities.
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Project: Techmania Science Center
Location: Plzeň, Czech Republic
Architects: Atelier Soukup Opl Švehla
The centre consists of a total of 30,000 m2 – with a large lecture hall and an exhibition area where, in addition to exhibitions, lectures, performances and workshops are organised. There is also a 3D Planetarium and a 360-degree cinema where you can, among other things, explore the magic of space.
The original buildings date from 1917. The education centre has grown in stages since 2008, with an extensive renovation in 2013-2014. Before the latest renovation, there were a lot of problems with the acoustics, says David Cigler, architect at Atelier Soukup Opl Švehla. Since a sound environment supports teaching and sharing experiences, getting the acoustics right became a priority. The architects put their acoustic focus on the lecture hall and the entrance hall with a café section. Both are large, open spaces with high ceilings. There, a product was needed that was something beyond the standard solutions. Atelier Soukup Opl Švehla are specialised in renovation projects for heritage architecture, including many church buildings. There, sound absorbers are not a very common feature. Ecophon presented one of their products that they thought might be suitable; the Ecophon Solo™.
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If you place free-hanging absorbers correctly, you benefit from both top and bottom of the panel for sound absorption – and you double the effect.
“With Solo, we could hang absorbers freely, which suited us very well. Another advantage is that if you hang them correctly, you benefit from both top and bottom of the panel for sound absorption – and you double the acoustic effect.” *
Thanks to the glass wool core, Solo free-hanging units have superior sound absorption properties, which is not so common among acoustic islands available on the market. This makes Solo panels a very effective and reliable solution for creating a good sound experience. After David and his team calculated how many absorbers were needed, the actual installation was made by an interior designer from Atelier Velehradský Brno.
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Before, sound absorption was just flat absorbers in the ceilings and on the walls. Now we have an object that can be hung in a space. And it completely changes the experience of the room.
The result is a beautiful, sculptural installation with Solo panels that hang freely from the ceiling. In this way, the architects have managed to preserve the building's impressive volume and industrial feel without compromising the acoustics. The previous sound problems now feel as distant as the rattle of the old Škoda mechanical industry. Speech clarity is better, and overall noise level has decreased.
“Before, sound absorption was just flat absorbers in the ceilings and on the walls. Now we have an object that can be hung in a space. And it completely changes the experience of the room,” says David Cigler.
Techmania Science Center is a perfect example of how scientifically developed acoustic solutions not only can blend into a design vision, but also be a part in creating it.
* Free-hanging units should be installed at a specific distance from the concrete ceiling to make both sides work. Each side of a Solo panel has the same finish, so that architects can play with height and angles to expose the panels to sound and still have a great, uniform visual effect.