Planarform
Overview
The Planarform Reflector is used in auditoriums to blend the direct and reflected sound to increase intelligibility and/or enhance musical clarity and intimacy. The Planarform Reflector is a recycled, Class 0 fire rated, FSC certified, ULEF unit. When absorptive material is placed into the rear cavity of the assembled unit, significant reverberation time reduction can also be accomplished.
Finish
The Planarform Reflector comes in a wide variety of finishes, including wood veneer, laminates, melamine coatings and painted surfaces. See some of the options displayed under the Finishes tab below.
Installation
The Planarform Reflector is designed to hang freely, each unit a separate “cloud”, or bolted together to create a canopy. They can also be configured for direct mounting to a wall or ceiling using the appropriate wood blocking.
Planarform™ Reflector Wood Sound Reflector
The Planarform™ Reflector can be used in auditoriums both as overhead canopies, in order to better blend the direct and reflected sound, and along walls to provide scattered sound to the audience. Both the location and the angling of a Reflector is critical to the acoustical success of the space. A canopy design approach will increase intelligibility, enhance musical clarity and improve intimacy. One of the most economical approaches in engineering performance spaces, Reflectors in the right hands can be powerful design tools.
Problem
In auditoria, in order to have a sufficient volume of space for various logistical, performance and sound requirements inherent of the intended use, the design demands that there be high ceilings. If left untreated, the reflections from a far, hard ceiling can degrade the acoustical performance of the space. If the ceiling is simply treated with absorption to mitigate the disturbing reflections, then more energy, energy that is important and useful, is being removed from the space than needed. This is especially true in regards to high frequency energy. In the end, an absorptive approach means that there would be less acoustical support coming from above the audience which if appropriately addressed can increase intelligibility, enhance musical clarity and improve intimacy as noted above.
Solution
Overhead canopies are suspended below the constructed ceiling in auditoriums to both improve and provide control for the acoustics of the space. When properly oriented, canopy arrays will provide desirable early reflections while helping to maintain the required reverberation time. This can be accomplished by incorporating absorption into the rear cavity of the unit. Flat panel arrays can be used with the proper design approach for their economy.
Features
- Offers a cost effective, efficient and attractive acoustical canopy and wall treatment solution for large, acoustically demanding spaces for music, theater and lecture.
- A decorative, furniture grade finish.
- Available in custom sizes up to 10′ x 4′ and can be arrayed into very large areas.
- Choose from any commercially available natural wood veneer, plastic laminate, melamine coating or paint finish.
- Class A Fire Rated, FSC and NAUF cores are available.
- Canopy layouts should be engineered for their location, height and tilt for best use.
The Planarform™ Reflector comes in a wide variety of finishes, including wood veneer, laminates, melamine coatings and painted surfaces. See some of the options displayed under the Finishes tab below.
The fabric wrapped, fiberglass acoustical panel is the work horse of the industry, providing the most economical solution for general reflection and reverberation control to provide functionality for a wide variety of applications. The Absorbor™ Panel is a 6lb/cu ft rigid fiberglass board with hardened, square or shaped edges. Select from 1″, 2″, 3″ and 4″ thicknesses and up to 4′ wide by 8′ high panel sizes.
The Planarform™ Reflector is designed to hang freely, each unit a separate “cloud”, or bolted together to create a canopy. They can also be configured for direct mounting to a wall or ceiling using the appropriate wood blocking.