University of Melbourne's Arts West: A Symphony of Design and Function

Peter Rattle's Award-Winning Acoustic Panels Transform University Space

Winning the project at the tender stage, Peter Rattle and his team at CUS VIC Pty Ltd embarked on a journey of innovation and design. Through a series of discussions and prototype samples with the builder, architect, and the University of Melbourne, they were able to create a product that was both aesthetically pleasing and functional.

The brief was to supply and install a multitude of fabric-wrapped acoustic panels of various sizes, angles, and shapes. The initial prototypes led to changes in both the design and the physical means of installing and suspending these panels from the walls, ceilings, and the underside of the staircases. Recognizing that the current proprietary hanging systems for ceiling panels were inadequate for their needs, the team designed their own.

Using threaded steel, eye bolts, turnbuckles, and heavy springs, they created a system that allowed them to control the finished ceiling height using the turnbuckles on the threaded steel. The heavy-duty springs pulled the panels together for a seamless canopy. The wall panels were hung via traditional split battens, also known as French cleats.

The acoustic panels varied in size, with the smallest measuring 1800mm x 1200 mm and the largest measuring 3000 x 1200 mm. All panels had a finished depth of 50mm. The installation of these panels in a six-storey atrium significantly reduced the noise level of the busy university, demonstrating the functionality of the design.

The project began in December 2015 with initial prototypes. Once these prototypes were approved, work commenced on site in January 2016 and continued until June 2016. The result was a design that was not only visually appealing but also served a practical purpose.

For their innovative design and execution, the team was awarded the Golden A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2017. This prestigious award is granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. They are venerated products and bright ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.