About this product

The acoustic problem in religious spaces such as ancient churches and mosques, as well as those built up to the 1950s-60s, is primarily geometric, making the extensive use of sound-absorbing materials on the ceiling ineffective. An overly absorbent ceiling can create an unpleasant psychoacoustic effect, causing people to raise their voices and speak louder, which often negates the purpose of the intervention. Additionally, from an architectural standpoint, installing such materials without compromising historical or artistic elements, such as frescoes, is challenging if not impossible.

Solutions like suspended “cloud” panels are inefficient because they accumulate dust, reducing the material’s porosity and effectiveness over time, and they can also pose a health risk. The real solution lies in altering the geometry of the space relative to sound wave propagation. In the past, churches featured architectural elements like sculptures, reliefs, and unique wooden pews that created scattering, breaking up sound waves and dispersing them in different directions, thus enhancing sound quality.

Recording studios, such as the BBC’s, have used Schroeder diffusers, which have the drawback of being bulky (30-50 cm deep) and not aesthetically pleasing. To address these limitations, new panels based on metamaterials have been developed. This theory, originating from Russia, suggests that a surface can behave in terms of acoustic wave interaction as if it were approximately 20 times deeper than its actual size.

Based on this theory, Metasound panels were created, made from solid wood or lacquered MDF and customizable with various geometries to follow architectural design guidelines. These panels, available in 30 mm and 25 mm thicknesses, diffuse and absorb sound without porosity, making them easy to clean and paint. Unlike traditional sound-absorbing panels with through-holes or acoustic plaster, Metasound panels do not accumulate dust and can be treated like any regular wall.

Historic religious spaces face acoustic challenges related to geometry, making conventional solutions like sound-absorbing panels or suspended structures inadequate. Metasound panels, based on metamaterials, provide effective diffusion with reduced thickness, are washable and paintable, overcoming the aesthetic and functional limitations of traditional alternatives.