Designer Andrea Ruggiero's noise-reducing Soundsticks are a free-standing alternative to acoustic panels, made from leftover materials for Swedish furniture manufacturer Offecct.
The design of the ceiling-mounted space dividers, which have been shortlisted for the Dezeen Awards 2020 in the workplace design category, drew on the everyday shape of paperboard mailing tubes.
The space-dividers were made for Offecct
"Initial prototypes were made using the leftover paperboard tubes on which upholstery fabric rolls are supplied," Ruggiero told Dezeen.
The original idea was to upcycle actual paperboard tubes, but after the designer had presented and tested the initial prototypes, it became clear that these were too heavy and offered only minimal sound absorption. The tubes also weren't available in consistent quantities. "Availability becomes a key consideration when designing a high volume product that is made with leftover material," Ruggiero explained.
"As a result, we eliminated the paperboard tube and explored a number of other solutions and materials before deciding on using acoustic felt."
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