Acoustic Lighting Is Fast Becoming the Cornerstone of a Happy and Healthy Workplace

New products by BuzziSpace, Muuto, Haworth, and more combine versatile, noise-reducing functionality with effortless style.

acoustic lighting products
Muuto Under the Bell Light Designed by Iskos-Berlin, this large multifunctional pendant lamp not only provides good light but also improves the acoustics of the room. When situated over a table or out in an open environment, the lamp—made from molded PET—creates its own singular space within a bigger area. Courtesy Muuto

In today’s open offices, workers often report noise and distractions as factors hindering productivity. But often the role of acoustics is considered only after the problem crops up—by which time it’s easier to change fixtures than structural elements.

“Once a space has been completed, it isn’t always possible to hang extra ceiling or wall treatments with ease. So there’s great benefit in combining light with sound-absorptive materials to solve that need,” says Steve Symons, founder and CEO of BuzziSpace, one of the first companies in the industry to enter the category of acoustic lighting with its BuzziLight in 2008. “Unlike some acoustic products, which can feel bulky and take up a lot of floor space, acoustic lighting can hang elegantly above your head. Suspended pendants offer a smart and stream- lined solution to improve productivity, flexibility, and overall happiness at work, without physically interrupting the space or taking up much-needed room.”

This has become especially critical as amenities like lounge areas and cafés have begun doubling as serious collaborative work areas. Manufacturers in the contract sector are racing to produce robust acoustic lighting solutions, whether they be decorative pendants with technical performance built into the design— creating a sound bubble for the people beneath them—or custom and customizable spatial solutions from companies like Arktura, Ceilings Plus, and LightArt that provide effective lighting while minimizing ambient noise for work areas of any size.

The new sound-absorbing light-fixture designs shown here balance ambience and light, and offer added space, tranquility, and comfort for any collaborative and healthy workplace. One might even go so far as to predict that in the coming year, this category of acoustic lighting for today’s work environments will grow by leaps and bounds.

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