From Partition Walls to E.Silent: Etoile’s Approach to Acoustic Design

Sound insulation and sound absorption address different needs in workplace environments. Etoile partition walls and the E.Silent system offer solutions to both, with choices that integrate seamlessly into the overall interior design.

Two Different Needs to Consider

A meeting room may be well insulated from neighbouring offices yet still feel uncomfortable for people talking inside it. Alternatively, it may offer excellent sound quality while allowing conversations to be heard in nearby work areas.

For anyone designing workplace environments, understanding this distinction is essential. It helps identify the right solutions from the outset and determine where they are needed.

Sound insulation, when referring to partition walls, describes their ability to reduce the transmission of sound between rooms. Sound absorption, on the other hand, concerns how sound is reflected by room surfaces and helps control reverberation – the persistence of sound that can make speech harder to understand. The first addresses the need for privacy between spaces, while the second improves acoustic comfort within them. These are complementary aspects that should be considered together, without confusing their different functions.

Partition Walls and Privacy

Choosing a partition wall starts with understanding the activities it needs to separate. Business negotiations and video conferences require careful consideration of voice transmission, even in visually open spaces. Etoile addresses these needs through a range of product families. Unica offers single-glazed solutions, with acoustic performance depending on the glass configuration. Ritmica Alluminio and Ritmica Wood provide further options, including single-glazed, double-glazed and solid versions, allowing acoustic insulation to be coordinated with the overall interior design.

Metrica, in its double-glazed structural versions, offers documented acoustic performance across different configurations. Quadra, the storage partition system, can incorporate double back panels with insulating material between them when higher levels of sound insulation are required. In every case, the entire system needs to be considered. Doors, junctions and installation deserve the same attention as the partition surfaces themselves, as do the paths through which sound can travel along floors and ceilings.

E.Silent for Better Acoustic Comfort

Once the spaces have been separated, it is important to consider what happens inside the room. Glass and other hard finishes can create sound reflections that overlap with speech, making conversations more difficult to follow. This is where E.Silent, Etoile’s PET sound-absorbing system, comes into play. Wall and ceiling applications, both surface-mounted and suspended, make it possible to introduce acoustic treatment at different points throughout a space, depending on its layout and intended use.

The collection includes wall coverings, modular suspended ceilings, suspended elements and screens for organising workstations. Each product type offers different design possibilities: a continuous surface can blend into the interior finishes, a ceiling element can define a shared area, while a desk screen can complement the overall furniture design. Partitions and screens also contribute to sound absorption, but they do not replace the sound insulation provided by a partition wall between separate rooms.

The Freedom of Customisation

Colours, engraved details and three-dimensional finishes make it possible to choose how visible the acoustic treatment should be within a space. The E.Silent catalogue also provides a starting point for further development in collaboration with Etoile’s technical team. Shapes and dimensions, textures and decorative details can all be customised to meet specific acoustic and aesthetic requirements. For architects, designers and contractors, this flexibility makes it possible to coordinate acoustic treatments with the materials, proportions and identity of each space, ensuring they become an integral part of the overall design rather than an addition that feels out of place.

Acoustics as Part of the Initial Design Process

Considering partition walls and sound-absorbing surfaces together brings acoustics into the early stages of the design process. The layout and intended functions of each area determine how spaces should be separated, while their planned use guides decisions on reverberation control. Etoile’s product range addresses both aspects while preserving design freedom in the definition of interior spaces. The quality of the result becomes clear in everyday use: being able to follow a meeting without difficulty while allowing work to continue uninterrupted in the spaces beyond the door.