The Asona acoustical range is an ideal choice for architects, designers and specifiers who are looking for excellent acoustic performance, a wide choice of colours and patterns and the opportunity to customize a wall or ceiling design. Added recently to the wall and ceiling products that USG Boral distributes in Australia, the Asona range is suitable for many types of buildings, from apartments to sport centres, open-plan offices, foyers, libraries and schools – or anywhere good acoustic performance and aesthetics are desirable. But the most obvious drawcard is their diversity and visual appeal.
Three Asona products feature in purpose-built highrise accommodation for students at the University of Auckland, demonstrating the range’s versatility. A finalist in the New Zealand Architecture Awards, 55 Symonds Street Unilodge was designed by architecture practice Ashton Mitchell and Alpha Interiors, and built by Hawkins Construction.
Asona met the project’s threefold needs: to create “wow factor” in the public space, to control unwanted noise and reverberation, and to work within budget constraints. Anyone who’s lived in student housing would appreciate the custom-manufactured 1500 mm × 300 mm Triton™ 15 acoustic ceiling panels spanning the full width of corridors – creating a cleaner ceiling layout with high sound absorption. Triton Baffle Beam™ 40 mm in white Sonatex™ was used to follow the curved wall leading into the large communal study/dining area and mirror the vertical wooden slats of the wall panelling, providing additional acoustic control.
The communal areas also needed acoustic treatment to control reverberation. This was achieved in the open-plan study/dining area with Asona Triton Cloud™ panels in 25, 50 and 75 mm thicknesses, wrapped in Textilla fabrics, producing an overall Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) rating of 1.00. The panels were installed with a negative reveal, one to another in a 3D arrangement, adding drama and interest to the ceiling. A two-storey feature wall separating the study, lounge and games room is covered in Asona Triton™ Fabwall 40, wrapped in Textilla Bond Leaf fabric. The varying lengths and a 40 mm reveal around each panel soften this wall, which could otherwise have been overpowering had they fitted tightly together.
USG Boral is excited about the possibilities for the Asona acoustical range in Australia. The products come in a wide range of decorative colours, patterned fabrics and perforation designs. Because the panels are manufactured in New Zealand, even customized orders can be delivered with short lead times. The range is already generating interest from commercial architects and interior designers for projects where acoustics matter and visual impact is desired. usgboral.com/au/asona