Skip to content
If you manage a community venue, a school hall, or a local sports club, you probably know the struggle. A large, open room is fantastic for hosting a crowd, but when that room is filled with people, the noise level can become overwhelming.
Voices bounce off the walls, announcements become muffled, and conversations turn into a loud, confusing hum. This strong reverberation (or echo) is not just annoying; it creates a challenging environment for people who are hard of hearing, especially young children and older adults. Creating an inclusive, welcoming space means finding a way to control that noise.
But how do you fix a noisy hall when traditional soft furnishings like plush carpets or heavy curtains simply are not practical?
This was the exact challenge faced by the historic Wakatere Boating Club in Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand. Here is how we helped them transform their echoey open hall into a clear, comfortable, and sustainable community space.
Why are multi-purpose halls so loud?
Located at Narrow Neck Beach in Devonport on Auckland's North Shore, the Wakatere Boating Club has a rich history dating back to 1926. With 450 members and a strong family focus, their main hall is the heart of the community. It hosts everything from youth water safety and sailing programmes to weddings, funerals, and large prize-giving events.
However, the hall suffered from a severe echo problem. The reasons for this are common to almost all community and school halls in New Zealand:
- Hard Surfaces: Wood floors, extensive glass windows, and solid walls bounce sound waves back and forth.
- High Ceilings: The club's striking open-plan ceiling reaches 4 metres at its highest point, giving sound waves plenty of room to travel and multiply.
- The "Carpet Problem": For a boat club right on the beach, tracking in sand is inevitable. Add in food, drinks, and kids running around, and a carpet is impossible to keep clean. The club needed a solution that kept the floor bare but absorbed the sound.
The Solution: Acoustic Ceiling Treatment
Because adding soft surfaces to the floor or lower walls was not an option, the solution was to use the unused real estate overhead: the ceiling.
Many people do not realise that acoustic ceiling panels are not just for fancy new corporate office buildings. They are highly effective, durable solutions for community spaces, designed specifically to capture and absorb sound waves before they can bounce around the room.
To fix the club's noise problem without losing its nautical charm, we implemented a two-part acoustic design:
1. The Heavy Lifter: Naval-Themed Acoustic Fin Ceiling System
To drastically reduce the reverb in the 4-metre high space, we installed our dbFin™ ceiling system. These acoustic fins hang vertically from the ceiling, breaking up sound waves and absorbing the chaotic noise of large gatherings. To tie in with the club's identity, these fins were finished in classic naval-themed colours. The result is a hall where speeches can be heard clearly and conversations flow naturally, making the space instantly more inclusive for members of all ages.
2. Community Identity: Custom Vista Suspended Acoustics
With such a proud heritage displayed around the hall, the acoustic treatment needed to enhance the space visually. We designed Custom Vista suspended acoustics shaped like sails to reflect the community's passion for the sea. These were suspended on the window side of the hall, framing the spectacular views out across Narrow Neck Beach and Rangitoto Island.
Commitment to the environment: Sustainable Acoustic Panels
The ocean the club looks out onto is more than just a playground; it is a precious resource. Driven by dedicated members like Delayne, the Wakatere Boating Club is proudly New Zealand's second three-star Clean Club. Any building addition had to align with this passionate commitment to the environment.
Our dbsorb circular economy acoustic system was the perfect fit:
- Recycled Materials: The acoustic panels are made with up to 60% recycled content.
- Glue-Free Mounting: Instead of permanently gluing panels to the ceiling, we used a mechanical, glue-free mounting system for the dbFin™.
- Zero Toxic Fumes: Eliminating glue means no nasty off-gassing or toxic fumes in the community space.
- True Circularity: Because the panels are not contaminated with adhesives, they can be easily removed for building maintenance and eventually recycled back into brand-new acoustic panels.
A Better Sounding Future for Community Spaces
The Wakatere Boating Club proves that you do not have to compromise between practicality, aesthetics, and acoustics. By utilising the ceiling space with targeted, sustainable acoustic panels, the club has preserved its practical hard floors while creating a vastly more inclusive, comfortable, and beautiful space for the Devonport community.
If your community venue, school hall, or sports club is struggling with echo and noise, you do not need to put down carpet to fix it. Reach out to our team today to learn how ceiling acoustics can transform your space.
FAQs: Solving Noise in Large Public Spaces
Can we fix the echo in our hall without installing carpet or curtains?
Yes. Many people assume soft flooring is the only way to quiet a room, but acoustic ceiling systems are specifically designed to absorb sound from above. This allows you to maintain practical, easy to clean hard floors which are essential for gymnasiums, school halls, and community centres while still significantly reducing the bounce of noise off hard surfaces.
Is it possible to reduce noise in a space with very high ceilings or open rafters?
Yes. In large, open plan spaces like churches or sports clubs, vertical acoustic fins or suspended panels are often the most effective solution. Instead of covering the entire ceiling, these systems hang in the upper volume of the room to break up sound waves and capture reverberation before it travels back down to the floor level.
Are acoustic panels durable enough for high impact areas like gymnasiums or indoor courts?
Yes. Modern acoustic panels are highly resilient and can be mounted high on the ceiling or upper walls, keeping them well out of reach of stray balls or equipment. Many systems also use mechanical, glue free mounting, which ensures the panels stay securely in place during vigorous activity while remaining easy to access if building maintenance is required.
Can acoustic treatments be designed to blend in with a building’s existing style?
Yes. Acoustic solutions are no longer limited to industrial looking foam. Panels can be custom cut into various shapes and are available in a wide range of colours to match the identity of a sports club, the tradition of a marae, or the architecture of a historic church. They function as a design feature rather than just a utility.
Are there eco friendly options for soundproofing a community building?
Yes. Sustainability is a major focus in modern acoustic manufacturing. Many high quality acoustic systems are now made using a high percentage of recycled content, often from plastic bottles. By choosing systems that avoid toxic adhesives and use circular economy materials, community organisations can improve their indoor environment while meeting their environmental goals.
