Retrofitting Meeting Rooms for Hybrid Learning with MIO Culture Feltforms Acoustic Tiles
In the wake of the pandemic, the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, one of the country’s top nursing schools, found itself facing an unexpected challenge: echo and classroom noise control.
As distance learning became an essential mode of communication, Penn’s team recognized that its meeting rooms, previously designed for in-person dialogue, needed an acoustic refresh. While the furniture and AV systems had evolved to support hybrid classes and teleconferencing, the sound in the rooms told a different story. Conversations were muddy. Echoes muddled understanding.
That is where we came in.
[products ids="quad-feltforms-acoustic-tiles, edge-feltforms-acoustic-tiles"]
A New Kind of Clinical Precision
We collaborated with the facilities team at Penn Nursing to retrofit several meeting rooms using our Feltforms acoustic tiles, with a special focus on our Quad and Edge designs. Our goal was to transform these sound-challenged spaces into environments where faculty, staff, and students could communicate clearly, whether in person or over Zoom.
The result was a transformation that was both acoustically dramatic and visually expressive, and remarkably fast. The entire installation took just two days, with minimal disruption to campus operations.
Why Feltforms Acoustic Tiles
The Quad acoustic wall tiles bring order, rhythm, and relief to the walls, not just in terms of sound but visually as well. The tactile geometry of Feltforms acoustic tiles breaks up sound waves while creating a visual landscape that adds texture and architectural presence to the space.
We paired these with Edge acoustic panels tiles, a workhorse of a design that allowed us to seamlessly integrate acoustic performance around existing elements like power outlets, TVs, and AV gear, all without compromising design. This adaptability made it possible to retrofit the rooms without costly construction or teardown.
For architects and designers, it is a reminder that sound is often the invisible layer of design, one that only reveals itself once a space is in use. At Penn Nursing, our tiles brought clarity to rooms where even the most thoughtful original designs had not anticipated the demands of post-pandemic learning.
Designing for Learning, Listening, and Legacy
Higher education is in flux. What used to be lecture halls and office hours are now hybrid collaboration hubs. At Penn Nursing, where future healthcare professionals are trained to listen deeply and communicate clearly, the quality of the acoustic environment is not just a nice-to-have. It is a pedagogical tool.
By reducing reverberation and improving speech intelligibility, the spaces are now better suited to the hybrid realities of learning, research, and clinical collaboration. Remote participants can finally hear what is happening in the room, and vice versa. The change is not just heard. It is felt.
Sustainability, of Course
As with all our projects, sustainability was built in from the start. Feltforms acoustic tiles are made from recycled PET plastic bottles, manufactured right here in the United States. This approach not only reduces carbon impact but also supports local manufacturing and the circular economy. It is part of our belief that good design should not cost the Earth.
Final Thoughts
Sustainability, in our view, begins with usefulness. Spaces that support clear communication are among the most useful of all. At Penn Nursing, improving acoustics was not just a technical fix. It was an investment in attention, understanding, and connection.
This project is a reminder that design has the power to support how we learn, teach, and collaborate. Sometimes it only takes a few well-placed tiles to shift how a space feels and how well it works.
Interested in transforming your institutional spaces
Let us talk. Whether you are retrofitting a university, designing for distance learning, or bringing comfort to collaborative spaces, we can help you find the perfect balance of beauty, function, and responsibility.
Contact us: trade@mioculture.com
Visit: www.mioculture.com
