Milk factory becomes office building

The Campina milk factory in Eindhoven was redeveloped by BPD into an office building, with acoustic consultancy provided by Level Acoustics & Vibration. Acoustics was a defining factor in the design, as the former factory was extremely reverberant due to its hard materials and large volume.

The entrance hall features a fully sound-absorbing ceiling, while sound absorption has also been incorporated behind open slats and climbing plants.

Sound absorption on the ceiling was essential to eliminate the flutter echo between the floor and the curved ceiling. The flutter echo resulted in reverberation times of up to 10 seconds! A quick sketch on a photo taken on site was sent to the client and design team on the spot, together with an audio recording of a wooden plank being struck against the floor. That was enough to convince them to invest in a sound-absorbing ceiling.

The sound-absorbing layer is sprayed directly onto the ceiling.

In BPD’s office area, open workspaces are alternated with enclosed rooms for focused work and phone calls. The sound insulation between the rooms and towards the surrounding spaces is high, having been extensively tested in advance using a mock-up before construction began.

To ensure sufficient sound absorption in this open area as well, the walls, in addition to the ceiling, have been clad with sustainable sound-absorbing materials.

Users experience the office as a green oasis of tranquillity.

Project credits:

• Client: BPD Regio Zuid (office) and Goevaers (hall)
• BPD design office: Ex Interiors, Odette Ex
• Hall design: Niels Olivier Architect
• Project management: Bureau Franken
• Photography: Stijn Poelstra