Olivia Italian restaurant, located in South Tampa is a high-end luxury dining establishment focused on American-Italian fare. After the soft opening in late 2019 the management group realized that they had forgotten an important aspect of the restaurant – acoustic function. Due to the design of the restaurant, the client decided on the acoustic ceiling clouds for their treatment.
Related: When to Use Sound Absorbing Panels
Poor Restaurant Acoustics
Designed with tile flooring and exposed metal ceilings, surrounded on both sides with floor to ceiling glass, it was a very reverberant space. The bar area on the north side of the dining room also had wood paneling behind it, and wood slats were installed in the core of the space, providing a visual break up, but adding no acoustic performance.
Olivia Italian restaurant reached out to CA for a site visit, reverb assessment, and ultimately fabrication and installation of acoustic ceiling clouds to treat the space.
The exposed white deck had spray insulation in an off white color, along with a sprinkler system located approximately 4 inches from the ceiling at about 8 ft on center. With limited space between the joist system, the installation team had to measure for an allowable location for the acoustic absorption clouds needed. In the case of sprinklers it is important to keep acoustic ceiling clouds above sprinkler lines to prevent blocking water flow in the case of fire or emergency.
Acoustic Ceiling Cloud Installation
The wooden slats in the center of the restaurant also provided a spot to place panels, allowing for a better distribution of absorption in the space. At 16ft high, a scissor lift was required to allow easy access to the ceiling for installation. A swatch set of Guilford of Maine acoustically transparent breathable fabric was provided to management to match the off-white color in the space. Resin hardened acoustic panels were then fabric wrapped and delivered to site within 3 weeks. Installation was performed in the morning before opening so as to not interrupt operations.
While the initial acoustic assessment of the space using Sabine’s formula, called for 65-80 panels, the restaurant group opted to go for an initial set of 40 panels and a follow up installation of 20 more panels. This is common in restaurants that desire a lively atmosphere, so as not to over treat the space, which could cause a perceived deadening of the space.
Commercial Acoustics specializes in soundproofing across multiple industries including hospitality, healthcare, commercial and multi-family. With the help of our our acoustic consultants and engineers we can assist you in finding the best possible soundproofing solution for your sound issues.
