Soundbounce
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- story by MaterialDistrict
SoundBounce is an acoustic material developed to enhance sound quality and reduce noise in interior spaces, all while supporting sustainable design. Each square meter repurposes approximately 283 recycled tennis balls, significantly reducing waste and lowering CO2 emissions. This modular material allows for extensive colour customisation, with each ball acting as a “pixel” that can be dyed in various colours to create unique patterns. SoundBounce is versatile, fitting a wide range of interior architectural applications, including wall paneling, ceiling treatments, and integrated furniture. It can be adapted to both flat and curved surfaces, offering architects and designers flexibility in both functionality and creative expression.
Acoustic Performance
The material provides high absorption across a broad frequency range, making it well-suited for reducing reverberation in busy environments. While performance may vary based on installation conditions, SoundBounce is an effective solution for areas where speech clarity and reduced ambient noise are essential, such as offices, libraries, classrooms, and indoor public spaces. Its structure helps create comfortable, controlled soundscapes that enhance communication and focus.
Circularity and Sustainable Design
Globally, approximately 400 million tennis balls are produced each year, with only 1% being recycled while the rest take hundreds of years to decompose. SoundBounce addresses this waste issue by repurposing these discarded balls into functional acoustic panels and furniture, giving them a meaningful second life. The material is fully circular and modular, with interlocked tennis balls assembled without glue, allowing for easy reconfiguration and disassembly. Recycling programs are available to ensure SoundBounce’s materials are responsibly managed at the end of their lifecycle, making it an eco- conscious choice for architects committed to sustainable solutions.
Designer
Mathilde Wittock is a biodesigner and material researcher with a background in industrial design and a master’s degree in Biodesign from Central Saint Martins. Her work focuses on sustainable materials and innovative acoustic solutions, and she actively collaborates with universities on material research and acoustics.