Felt Ceiling Panels in a Library Renovation: USF Nelson Poynter Library in St. Petersburg, FL

• Project: University of South Florida – Nelson Poynter Memorial Library
• Address: 140 7th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
• Client: Willis A. Smith Construction
• Facility Type: Academic Library & Media Production Facility
• Objective: Improve acoustics in teleconferencing & production spaces
• Scope: Installation of felt ceiling baffles, wall panels, & wood ceilings

The University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus recently completed a targeted renovation of the Nelson Poynter Memorial Library, focused on enhancing its media production and teleconferencing capabilities. With the addition of broadcast studios and collaborative digital workspaces, noise control became a central design concern—especially in rooms used for remote learning, audio recording, and live presentations.

To address both form and function, Willis A. Smith Construction partnered with Commercial Acoustics to install acoustical treatments that were visually refined and acoustically effective. Felt ceiling baffles, wall panels, and wood slat systems were implemented throughout the library’s specialized rooms to create an environment tailored for clarity, creativity, and collaboration.

As the acoustic consultant, Commercial Acoustics worked closely with the design and construction teams to ensure every treatment aligned with the space’s technical requirements and visual goals. This collaboration resulted in a flexible acoustic solution that enhances both performance and aesthetics.

• Ceiling Products: Linear & hexagonal Zintra felt baffles
• Wall Panels: Sculpted Zintra panels & sliding acoustic screens
• Room Type: Media & teleconference suites within the library
• Function: Reduces echo & enhances voice clarity for recordings

In modern learning spaces, especially those designed for remote interaction, the acoustic environment must support high-fidelity sound capture and real-time communication. To meet these requirements, our team installed a blend of Zintra linear and hexagonal ceiling baffles, complemented by sculpted wall panels and acoustical sliding screens.

These elements work together to reduce reverberation in the teleconference rooms, making speech more intelligible during video calls, group discussions, and presentations. The felt ceiling treatments absorb mid-to-high frequency sounds, creating a quieter and more focused setting. What makes these solutions especially valuable in educational spaces is that they don’t look like typical soundproofing—they double as modern design features, adding texture and rhythm to the rooms they serve.

From an architectural standpoint, these materials are lightweight, modular, and available in a wide range of finishes—making them easy to integrate without disrupting lighting grids, HVAC systems, or ceiling height restrictions.

• Product Line: Armstrong WoodWorks acoustical slat panels
• Install Areas: Walls & ceilings of the production room
• Optional Backing: NRC-rated black acoustical backer panels
• Purpose: Style-forward noise reduction in creative spaces

In the production rooms of the USFSP Library, aesthetics mattered just as much as acoustics. To maintain visual warmth while adding effective sound control, we installed Armstrong WoodWorks slat panels along both the ceilings and walls.

These systems can be installed as decorative wood paneling or upgraded with a black acoustical backer that delivers an NRC up to 0.85. The backer not only improves the room’s acoustic performance by absorbing reflected sound, but it also conceals MEP components and structural elements behind the slatted surface.

For spaces like media labs, podcast rooms, and video editing suites, this dual-purpose approach is ideal. The room stays visually professional while providing the acoustic insulation needed for high-quality content creation. WoodWorks installations also align with biophilic design goals and can be specified in FSC-certified wood finishes for LEED-conscious construction.

• Design Goal: Noise control tailored to academic & creative environments
• System Variety: Five distinct acoustic treatments installed
• Material Palette: Felt ceiling baffles, sculpted panels & wood slats
• Performance Benefit: Clearer speech & reduced echo across key spaces

The Nelson Poynter Memorial Library at USF St. Petersburg needed more than just a visual refresh—it required targeted acoustic treatment that aligned with modern academic and creative uses. These spaces support everything from quiet individual study to video production and group teleconferencing. That meant any acoustic solution had to balance performance, flexibility, and architectural appeal.

Commercial Acoustics installed a coordinated range of treatments that included linear ceiling baffles, hexagonal ceiling baffles, sculpted felt wall panels, sliding acoustical screens, and Armstrong WoodWorks slat ceilings and wall panels. Each element was selected to serve a distinct purpose, whether controlling echo in a teleconference room or improving sonic clarity in a media production suite.

By combining materials and configurations, we were able to fine-tune the acoustic environment in each zone. The teleconference room prioritized intelligibility for remote learning and presentations, while the production suite demanded studio-level quiet and clean sound capture. In both cases, the ceiling systems served as the foundation of the design strategy—offering highly absorbent, modular solutions that match today’s architectural standards for higher education.

The USFSP Library renovation is a model for how to blend aesthetics, performance, and versatility in an academic space. With media-forward classrooms and production facilities becoming standard across university campuses, the need for acoustical control is greater than ever—especially in libraries that now serve as hubs for digital collaboration.

Commercial Acoustics provided felt ceiling baffles, sculpted wall panels, and wood slat systems that not only addressed functional challenges but elevated the overall design intent. Our team worked closely with the GC to ensure all installations aligned with lighting, mechanical systems, and finish selections—delivering a turnkey result that met every performance spec without compromising the architecture.

If you’re working on a library renovation or a higher ed facility that needs integrated acoustic treatment, let’s talk about your space. We bring deep experience with felt ceiling products, modular panels, and design-sensitive solutions that work in modern educational environments.