Global acoustic lining leader Knauf announced Michael McPhillips from Magoffin and Deakin Architects as the winner of the Dine Hear Acoustic Designer award for 2014. Chosen from a field of 187 competitors comprising of architects and design students from around Australia, Michael McPhillips won the top award as well as a $5,000 cash prize.
Now in its second year, the Dine Hear competition urges restaurateurs and venue owners to integrate acoustics into their design process to create a better dining experience. Contestants were required to visit their favourite restaurant and design an imaginary acoustic makeover.
As part of the competition, Knauf created Sound of Architecture, an interactive website that simulates the effect of acoustic materials on restaurant noise levels.
According to Knauf Marketing Manager Stephanie Olsen, the current trend of minimalism in restaurant design can be unpleasant for diners. She observed that this year’s entries had designers using acoustic materials almost as interior art, meeting the twin objectives of creating a restaurant ambience as well as reducing noise.
Olsen commented that the currently trending minimalist restaurant interior featuring open plan layouts with high ceilings and hard reflective surfaces can be a noise nightmare for diners – this was the problem each of the designers attempted to solve as part of the Dine Hear competition.
Winner Michael McPhillips chose a popular restaurant with a single, high-ceilinged room for his makeover project. A number of designers, including award-winning restaurant architect Sidney Koh of Aqua Dining fame, used acoustic materials not only to improve the sound experience but also the visual experience.
Melbourne’s popular Chin Chin received an acoustic and visual makeover from Pocket Oat architect Ardhene Sembrano; other much-loved restaurants chosen by designers included Melbourne’s one-hat restaurant Epocha; Sydney’s Hemmes’ owned El Loco and emerging favourite Moon Park; as well as Perth’s Little Creatures Great Brewery Hall.
The finalists’ entries in the Dine Hear 2014 competition can be viewed on the Sound of Architecture website.
