Västervångskolan, a school in southern Sweden, modified the acoustics and lighting in four classrooms on a trial basis in 2013. The experiment proved so successful that In 2015 the municipality decided that all schools in Landskrona would undergo similar acoustic and lighting upgrades.
Class A sound absorbing suspended ceilings were installed, along with bass absorbents to muffle low-frequency sound reflections and mimic the acoustic environment outdoors. On the back wall, a wall-mounted Class A sound absorbent was installed at ear height.
“I often used to have headaches, but I don’t anymore,” notes Isa Oriabure Andersson, who teaches Swedish and Spanish.
After the acoustic improvement she said: “It’s like after a snowfall, when there’s a carpet of snow muffling everything and creating a nice, peaceful feeling. It feels like you can whisper and everyone will still hear you. It’s a rather liberating feeling. I imagine myself out in the country, surrounded by birdsong. It’s not really like that in the classroom, of course, but that is how I would describe the feel of it.”
Read the full article and about the experiences of the headteacher and students here
Read more ECO educational environment articles here
