With many companies not demanding a return to the office but conversely trying to remove people from working at home, co-working spaces have proved to be an excellent solution. A good example is here at LUI House in Herford, Germany. Archwerk Architects have developed this four-storey building into a sustainable co-working hub which is fully self-sufficient using heat pumps and PV cells. Complete with large break-out areas, hot desks and meetings rooms, the building exudes an aesthetic and inspiring ambience with high-quality furnishings and top-class media technology.

With large open spaces and hard surfaces, the architects specified ultrafine bespoke Troldtekt wood wool acoustic panels in a natural grey. These were then perforated on-site with different sized holes to give an unusual three-dimensional effect. Not only do the high performance panels offer an interesting textural and visual appeal but they absorb the ambient noise created by talking as well as the echoes and reverberation caused by the hard surfaces and large glazed areas.

Founded on the Cradle-to-Cradle design concept, Troldtekt’s natural and inherently sustainable panels are available in a variety of different surfaces and colours and contribute positively to a building’s BREEAM, DGNB and LEED ratings. In addition to their high sound absorption and tactile surface, they offer high durability and low-cost lifecycle performance. Available in various sizes and in four grades, from extreme fine to coarse, the panels can be left untreated or painted in virtually any RAL colour.