Acoustic Panels welcome visitors at Mottisfont Abbey

A new building project has been completed recently at Mottisfont Abbey, one of the National Trust’s most popular properties in Hampshire.

The development aims to improve the entrance facilities at this country estate, with over 250,000 annual visitors. The new welcome buildings were designed by Burd Haward Architects and arranged around a central courtyard, raised above ground level to avoid risk of flooding and impact on the existing flood plain. 

Their form and materials make reference to agricultural structures typically found on the edge of a large estate, including extensive use of internal acoustic panels.

With bold and reductive detailing allowing the buildings to be understood as contemporary interpretations of these familiar forms, the prefabricated engineered timber structure is clearly expressed internally.

The entrance area is glazed with deep timber fins to allow views through tot he river and gardens beyond, whilst the shop is clad in weathering steel and the WCs in timber cladding. 

The deep reveal theme in the reception is continued across the ceiling, with Troldtekt acoustic tiles cut to fit vertically between the ceiling joists, helping to dissipate the sounds and echoes in a potentially noisy area.

The 100% Troldtekt natural wood wool panels have high sound absorption, high durability, natural breathability, low cost life cycle performance and sustainability documented by Cradle to Cradle certification at silver level.

Used to improve acoustics in many different projects, such as schools, leisure centres, pools, commercial and public buildings, the panels are used mainly on ceilings or walls. They are also available in various sizes and in three grades from extrem fine to coarse, and can be left untreated or painted in virtually any RAL colour.