CarTrawler Office Canteen

Project: Cartrawler Office Canteen

Country/city:  Ireland, Dublin

Main contractor: All Systems Commercial Fitouts 

Designer/Project Manager: Karl O’Donovan, The Building Consultancy

Photographer: Gordon McAvoy

Project size: 300 m²

Creating a dynamic staff canteen with a relaxed atmosphere

The Building Consultancy has recently completed a staff canteen in the CarTrawler Corporate Head Office on the outskirts of Dublin. They set out to create a dynamic space where CarTrawler staff could relax and enjoy meals. 

Ideally, speaking and listening comfort in a canteen should be high so everyone, including people with hearing loss, can participate in conversations. However, canteens are high activity areas and high sound levels result from speech and steps as well as clatter from glass and plates on hard surfaces. If left unattended, this sound will bounce off hard surfaces, creating echoes that will spread in all directions. Sound levels will increase, creating a very stressful and uncomfortable environment. 

Reducing noise levels with free-hanging units 

Karl O’Donovan explained the care they took to ensure that reverberation would not be an issue in the new canteen space: “As with any restaurant, café or canteen area, we had concerns for the potential noise levels in the space. Due to the amount of hard surfaces and materials from the base-built installation we made the decision to remove the existing suspended metal ceiling tile system and expose the concrete slab above.” 

Solo Circles and Rectangles were mainly installed over the dining area to reduce noise levels. “We specified Ecophon products for their acoustic qualities, aesthetics and ease of use,” said Karl. “We found the Ecophon team informative and proactive, while installing the Solo Cirlces and Rectangles was incredibly simple.” 

The canteen is up and running and making the right impression. “We are delighted with the final result and the various elements involved in the project came together in a harmonious way. We have received a very positive response from our client and their staff. The canteen has been a great addition to their office facilities,” added Karl.