Our Town | Case Study – Kanopi by Armstrong

The challenge

Our Town Brewery, a 2,700-square-foot pub, transformed a former car showroom into a pub. Shortly after opening in September 2020, an all-to-common complaint began overwhelming ownership and staff. “Patrons said they couldn’t hear themselves think,” owner Rob Tarves says. “In addition, we weren’t able to conduct trivia contests as we had hoped and had to limit our live music choices.” With this issue, improving acoustics became priority number one, but maintaining the aesthetic of the space was something they didn't want to lose.

The solution

To solve this issue, Tarves contacted Armstrong. The challenge was to install enough acoustic treatment to make a difference and also contribute to the design of the space. Selected for use were Armstrong Tectum® DesignArt™ – Shapes, which are direct-attached wall panels.

The durable panels feature a unique textured wood fiber visual and are ideally suited for high-traffic interiors. Tectum DesignArt panels transform interior spaces by combining texture, shapes, patterns, and colors with sustainability and acoustics. Tectum DesignArt panels meet the most stringent industry sustainability compliance standards today.

The space is centered around a 33’ x 7’ mosaic-type wall pattern above the bar. It was created using Tectum DesignArt – Shapes and consists of 48 full hexagons and 37 partial hexagons in Polar, the standard color, and three custom colors: light gray, medium gray, and dark gray. Hexagonal panels in a blue/green color were installed on the side and front walls.

All together, 205 Tectum DesignArt panels were installed, for a total of 506 square feet. The colors were chosen to match the brand design and to complement the existing aesthetics.

According to Tarves, installation went quickly and smoothly. The panels were installed on 1" thick furring strips which results in a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) of 0.85, meaning they absorb 85% of the sound that strikes them. After installation, both the customers and the staff noticed the improvement and the acoustical tests confirmed it.

"

The efficacy of the panels was quickly evident. You could hear the difference as each panel was installed. We wanted the space to look great and control sound at the same time, the TECTUM DesignArt panels accomplished that by combining aesthetics and acoustics.

- Rob Tarves, Owner

"

The efficacy of the panels was quickly evident. You could hear the difference as each panel was installed. We wanted the space to look great and control sound at the same time, the TECTUM DesignArt panels accomplished that by combining aesthetics and acoustics.

- Rob Tarves, Owner

"

The efficacy of the panels was quickly evident. You could hear the difference as each panel was installed. We wanted the space to look great and control sound at the same time, the TECTUM DesignArt panels accomplished that by combining aesthetics and acoustics.

- Rob Tarves, Owner