Tbiliská 4 primary school

Project: Tbiliská 4 primary school

Segment: Education

Country/city: Slovakia, Bratislava

Architect: InaAs studio

Acoustician: AkuDesign – akustik

Photographer: Mgr. art. Katarína Nagyova

Production year: 2024

Renovation of the Tbiliská 4 elementary school turned a nightmare into a pleasant environment

High noise levels in schools, especially in older buildings, can negatively affect students' concentration, memory, and overall learning.

The Tbiliská 4 school, serving 900 students, struggled with sound issues in the canteen, where noise levels exceeded 80 decibels at peak times. The combination of hard materials, linoleum floors, and tiled walls led to echoes, poor speech intelligibility, and a stressful environment for both students and staff.

With support from the school principal and local authorities, a €140,000 renovation was carried out to improve both the acoustics and aesthetics of the space. Acoustic panels made from mineral wool were installed in the ceiling, significantly reducing reverberation and echo.

The noise level decreased by about 6 decibels, and speech intelligibility improved from 50% to 85%. The canteen's new design, using white and green colours to separate the serving and dining areas, made the space more functional and visually appealing. The entrance hall was also upgraded to enhance the overall acoustics.