William Inglis and Son are Australia’s leading thoroughbred horse sales agents. The business was founded by William Inglis in 1867, and is still owned by the Inglis family, with family members actively engaged in the running of the business. Their auction facility in Melbourne recently underwent significant refurbishment, and an important item on the agenda was the improvement of the site’s interior acoustics. The goal was to turn an outdated 1980’s facility into a contemporary space, appropriate not only for horse sales but also as a general function venue with multiple applications.

Time to modernize

The original space was characterized by raked concrete flooring and basic seating arrangements. The prevalence of hard reflective surfaces created serious acoustic problems, with the voices of sellers and buyers reverberating around the space. To counteract this, architects McIldowie Partners selected BAUX Acoustic Wood Wool Panels for the project. Enlisting the acoustic consultancy services of Marshall Day, they made a major installation of Acoustic Panels alongside the main wall of the building. Aesthetics, acoustic performance and durability were the determining factors in choosing BAUX.

A unique backdrop to the locale

The finished space retains the clean, utilitarian feeling of the original, but with significantly more effective and attractive details. The BAUX panels create a backdrop of sufficient visual interest but without undue distraction from the real action. Sound refraction and obtrusive echoes are reduced, and the patterned panels provide a unique backdrop to the locale.

Commenting on the project, lead architect Steven Mcildowie said “When bidding for a race horse there are large sums of money involved and acoustic performance of the space is a major issue. The BAUX panels, along with other acoustic treatments have been highly successful in making a space that performs excellently from an acoustic perspective”.

Acoustic solutions using BAUX Wood Wool Panels

BAUX Acoustic Wood Wool Panels were launched in 2014, recognizing the need for scaled-up acoustic solutions in larger spaces. Acoustically effective, visually pleasing and sustainably produced, BAUX Acoustic Panels have become an industry favourite with clients around the world. Recent cases with BAUX Acoustic Panels include Breather in New York and JetBrains in Munich.

Are you working on a project in need of an acoustic solution? Consult the BAUX product catalogue or contact your local BAUX representative.