National School of Architecture in Lyon

Project: National School of Architecture in Lyon

Segment: Education

Country/city: France, Vaulx-en-Velin

Architect: Studio Shibumi – Matthieu Cambuzat

Installer: Marion Isolation – Florent Poizat

Acoustician: Peutz

Photographer: Shootin

Production year: 2024

Transforming learning spaces at the National School of Architecture in Lyon

At the National School of Architecture in Lyon, acoustics have become an important part of creating the right environment for learning. The school, built in the 1980s, is admired for its bold vaulted ceilings – but these same features created serious acoustic challenges in the classrooms.

To address this, a prototype renovation was carried out in a 143 m² teaching space. The aim was to reduce reverberation and improve speech clarity, essential for both teachers and students.

The project brought together a wide range of contributors: architects, installers, acousticians, students and teachers. The Ecophon Fade™ acoustic plaster solution was chosen for the ceiling, providing a seamless finish that respected the architecture while dramatically improving sound conditions. Measurements showed that reverberation time was reduced from 1.9 seconds to just 0.6 seconds – a transformation that makes the classroom calmer, clearer and far more conducive to learning.

What was once a difficult space has become an inspiring example of how thoughtful acoustic design can preserve architectural beauty while enhancing wellbeing and learning.

Watch the result in the video: