New best in class student environment with class A acoustics

Taking its inspiration from the original medieval city, the new Paradise Street student village in Coventry will provide high quality accommodation for over 900 students. Comprising technology rich apartments with outstanding acoustic ceilings and feature walls from Knauf AMF, the complex has been designed to provide an exceptional student experience.

Designed by Fraser Brown MacKenna (FBM Architects) for AXO Student Living, the new complex provides 893 quality homes comprising studio rooms and study bedrooms, with their own kitchens and separate living spaces. The site comprises 1,400sqm of social space including common rooms, a café/bar, cinema and gym, a 24hr concierge with a bespoke lifestyle-app for access control, parcel pick-up and laundry monitoring. There are also social learning spaces which cater for individual and group learning, with laptop-links to large monitors.

Heradesign ceilings from Knauf AMF have been fitted in the acoustically-demanding areas to help create an environment that’s conducive for both study and relaxation. Heradesign was the first choice for FBM Architects as they had used it in another recent student accommodation project in Coventry and valued its aesthetic properties, acoustic credentials and durability.

FBM Architects, Associate David Taylor,

“We chose Heradesign because of its textured effect that would provide a tactile quality and soften the space, both acoustically and visually. We received valuable support from Knauf AMF’s specifications manager who guided us through the design phases and helped create the bespoke accessible ceiling finish we required.”

Circulation areas are prone to unwanted noise travelling from one area to another, which can be distracting for students working or resting in their rooms. To combat this, Heradesign was chosen to provide Class A sound absorption and a high level of sound insulation to improve privacy. Fire protection is also a vital requirement. Heradesign is classified A2 fire performance to prevent flame spread with no significant contribution to the development of fire. In the cinema, leisure and media zone HERADESIGN®creative was specified in orange and grey hexagonal tiles to form an attractive geometric acoustic feature wall.

Commenting on the project, Gundars Savickis of ceiling contractor, G-Line said,

“We had worked with Heradesign before on a similar project so were pleased to be working with it again at Paradise Street. The design of the building meant that there were a lot of curved areas in this project, but it is an easy product to install and so it was simple to affix Heradesign to the timber frame. It was a great project and we were really pleased with the finished result.”