Movement Pilates Studio, Karaka

Creating calm, clarity and community through acoustic design

Client

Movement Pilates Karaka

Typology

Fitness Studio

Product Featured

QuietKit™

Location

Auckland, New Zealand

Why Studios Spaces Struggle with Echo

If you’ve ever wondered “why does my pilates studio sound so echoey?” or Googled “how to fix echo in a fitness or yoga studio”, you’re not alone. Echo is one of the most common acoustic problems in studio environments of all kinds like pilates, yoga, dance, fitness gyms, CrossFit boxes, even creative workshops like art and music.

Why? Because these spaces are often designed to be large, open, and light-filled, with hard finishes like timber floors, mirrors, concrete walls, and glass panels. While visually stunning, these materials bounce sound around the room instead of absorbing it. The result is an echoey studio where:

Instructor cues get lost or muddled.
Background noise from equipment or chatter carries further.
Members leave feeling unfocused, distracted, or even fatigued without realising the issue is poor acoustics.

This was exactly the challenge for Movement Pilates Karaka, a brand-new reformer studio designed as a welcoming hub for its community.

The Pilates Studio

Movement Pilates isn’t just about workouts, it’s about connection. From first-timers to seasoned movers, from dynamic group classes to Mums & Bubs sessions, founder Shannon Thompson’s vision was clear: a space that felt calm, inclusive, and supportive.

But in their new Karaka studio, the echo problem was disrupting the experience. Hard surfaces and high ceilings meant instructions were harder to follow, and the atmosphere wasn’t as peaceful as intended.

As this was Movement Pilates’ second studio with dbsorb, Shannon already knew that acoustic treatment had to be part of the design process from day one.

The Challenge

Excessive reverberation from reflective surfaces.
Instructor cues competing with echo and background noise.
A need for warmth and calm in both feel and sound.
Minimal disruption during fit-out as the studio needed to open quickly.

The Solution: QuietKit Solo Panels

dbsorb installed the QuietKit Solo ceiling system, specifically designed to target the voice frequencies most important in instruction-led environments.

60mm acoustic cavity: High NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient) performance optimised for absorbing voice frequencies, the key to solving “why can’t I hear my instructor clearly in class?”.
Ceiling-mounted design: Panels installed overhead to save valuable floor and wall space, perfect for Pilates studios where movement and flow are central.
Alabaster finish: A soft off-white that brightens the ceiling, reflects natural light gently, and complements the airy design aesthetic.
Glue-free installation: No mess, no smell, no VOCs – and panels can be demounted or re-used in future.
One-day programme: Installed seamlessly between lighting and services, aligning perfectly for a designed-in look.

The Result

The impact was immediate. The studio went from echoey and distracting to calm, clear, and focused.

Shannon Thompson shared:

“We had the pleasure of working with Adam & Albert from dbsorb for the installation of acoustic ceiling panels in our new Movement Pilates studio in Karaka and we couldn’t be happier with the result!”

Why This Matters

Echo isn’t just an annoyance, in studios, it directly impacts the clarity of instruction, client focus, and overall atmosphere. Whether it’s a loud CrossFit gym, an echoey pilates or yoga studio, or a dance studio with high ceilings and mirrors, acoustics can make or break the experience.

For Movement Pilates, addressing echo wasn’t just about sound, it was about reinforcing their mission: creating spaces where people feel good through movement. dbsorb’s QuietKit Solo delivered on that promise, transforming their new studio into a place that looks beautiful, sounds clear, and feels calm.

Check out our clap test to see the results!

Next Read

QuietKit™ began as dbsorb’s internal challenge to give sheet offcuts a third life as a sustainable and modular acoustic panel system. Discover a practical example of how R&D, sustainability, and client needs, can align to create something that works today and will keep working far into the future.

Read the full case study here: From R&D concept to real-world performance.

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Let’s Create Something Beautiful Together

At dbsorb, we don’t see acoustics as an afterthought. Every solution is curated by application type and developed with designers, contractors, and end users in mind.

Low-embodied energy materials

High Quality, long-lasting products to reduce environmental impact.

In-house design and manufacture

We balance atmosphere and architecture, integrating aesthetics with innovative acoustic performance.

Glue-free installation

Our modular, adaptable, and demountable designs reduce construction waste.

Circular Economy

Our demountable designs reduce construction waste and Factory waste is used to produce other high-value solutions.

dbsorb Wins Bronze at Best Design Awards. Celebrating Sustainable Acoustics Innovation

dbsorb has been awarded Bronze in the 2025 Best Design Awards for Sustainable Product Design. Our glue-free mounting systems replace adhesives and single-use fixings with a reusable, circular approach, eliminating waste and reshaping the future of sustainable interiors.

How to Make a Glass Pavilion Sound as Good as It Looks

Perched on the cliffs of Muriwai, The Jewel Box at Parihoa is a striking glass pavilion designed for intimate events, wellness retreats, and creative workshops. With panoramic sea views and retractable glass walls, the space offers an immersive connection to its natural surroundings. But while glass and concrete create stunning architecture, they also bring one of the biggest challenges in design: echo. When sound reflects off hard surfaces, conversations blur, speech becomes tiring, and calm disappears. The question was simple: how do you make a glass box not echoey? The Challenge The beauty of minimalism can often work against good acoustics. With floor-to-ceiling glass, polished concrete, and open volumes, The Jewel Box had nowhere for sound to be absorbed. The key challenges were: Excessive reverberation from reflective glass and concrete. Poor speech clarity during group sessions and events. Maintaining the minimalist aesthetic without visual clutter. Integrating seamlessly with lighting and retractable wall systems. The design team needed a solution that controlled sound without compromising architecture. The Solution: dbBatten™ To solve the echo issue, the team specified dbBatten™, a modular linear acoustic system that enhances both form and function. Installed between existing light tracks, the battens transformed unused ceiling space into an elegant acoustic treatment that blended with the building’s structure. Key features of the solution: Architectural integration: Each dbBatten was aligned perfectly with the lighting grid for a clean, built-in appearance. ReadyClip™ mounting system: Allowed a glue-free, reversible installation with no odours or surface damage, and panels can be easily reconfigured in the future. Acoustic performance: Designed to absorb mid-to-high frequencies, dbBatten targets the range that affects speech clarity most in hard-surfaced spaces. The finished ceiling looks intentional, sculptural, and perfectly balanced. The Result After installation, The Jewel Box transformed from an echoey, reverberant space into one that feels calm, clear, and comfortable. Conversations are crisp, background noise is softened, and the overall ambience is more inviting. The results have been exceptional — the transformation has already been showcased during several high-profile events, including the Partridge x Cartier event, where guests experienced the space’s clarity and elegance firsthand. Benefits delivered: Dramatically reduced echo and reverberation. Improved speech clarity and comfort for events and retreats. Seamless ceiling integration that maintains architectural purity. Sustainable, reversible installation with no adhesives or VOCs. What was once an acoustic challenge is now a beautifully balanced space that sounds as refined as it looks. Why It Matters Modern architecture increasingly celebrates glass, concrete, and openness. But as The Jewel Box shows, stunning spaces also deserve sound that matches their visual serenity. Acoustic design doesn’t have to be hidden; it can enhance a space’s rhythm and identity when thoughtfully integrated. If you’ve ever wondered how to fix echo in a glass room or how to stop sound bouncing around in minimalist spaces, dbBatten™ provides a design-led, proven solution. Next Read Discover how multi-level atriums can overcome the challenge of sound travelling across floors, and how dbsorb turned this acoustic issue into a sculptural focal point so refined that most people wouldn’t even know it’s there for sound control. Read the full case study here: AIA Acoustic Atrium Feature Wall.