After extensive renovation, the Rockfon office in the city of Roermond in the Netherlands reopened in April 2023.
The existing design was entirely stripped away and an area of 700 m2 was transformed into an activity-based workplace by Judith Muijtjens, founder of the Eindhoven-based design firm Wonderful Day Design.
Initial plans to renovate the Rockfon office sprouted in 2019 when an internal survey revealed that employees were facing difficulties concentrating due to a noisy working environment primarily caused by wall-to-wall sound leakage.
Additionally, the traditional floor plan wasn’t optimised and there was a poor balance between areas for independent work, collaboration, and breakout.
It became evident that the team members wanted to see their workplace improved. As the world's leading acoustic company, Rockfon stands for excellence in acoustic performance, indoor environmental quality, and occupant well-being. An office that lacks across those facets needed to be remedied.
The research process of the office renovation began by sourcing feedback and ideas from employees across all departments.
Following an extensive participatory research process, the concept of an activity-based office emerged – one that would provide team members with ample working space options to choose from.
The concept introduces various new spaces, including a multipurpose cafe, a brainstorming area and hybrid workspace, a central space to test and showcase new products, and other multifunctional areas.
Moving from the planning stage to completion took longer than expected due to pandemic interruptions. But the hiatus from the office provided much-needed insights, and hybrid configurations were quickly added to the collaboration spaces.
The acoustic solutions selected for the office renovation included:
- Rockfon Eclipse ceiling islands in Sand, Stucco, Petal, Coral, and Sandalwood complement one another and create a compelling palette
- Rockfon Color-all acoustic ceiling tiles in Scarlet add understated luxury to various areas
- Rockfon Canva wall panels jigsaw together to create calming imagery of nature, such as an aquatic scene and a soft landscape
- Rockfon Lamella wooden modular wall systems in the circulation areas introduce nature-inspired warmth, complementing the Scarlet of Rockfon Color-all
- Rockfon Blanka ceiling tiles contribute to high light reflection and light diffusion across the working areas
- Rockfon Senses acoustic wall panels bring in tactile natural surfaces as the warm finishing touch
“The new office has been open for weeks now and I have yet to encounter anyone who is dissatisfied,” said Roger Dezaire, Commercial Director Benelux at Rockfon.
“Team members can now personally experience the value of excellent acoustic comfort and see how our products shape it.”
“The outcome is remarkable,” added facility manager Marcel Hundscheidt.
“Initial plans are already underway to extend such an activity-based concept to other departments and buildings within ROCKWOOL Group,” he said.
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