Bespoke acoustics for Hearing Australia clinics

Hearing Australia has been helping Australians with hearing loss for over 70 years as the nation’s largest provider of government-funded hearing services. Passionate and dedicated, the team at Hearing Australia work hard to offer personalised hearing solutions for every client. As an inclusive and accessible heath service, each centre is designed to reflect these values. Tasked with designing new fit-outs for the Tweed Heads and Strathpine Hearing Testing Centres, interior design studio Leithal Designs set out to create spaces that were fit for purpose—both acoustically and aesthetically.

Where practicality meets aesthetics

The Tweed Heads and Strathpine Hearing Testing Centres provide hearing tests, hearing aid maintenance and repairs for all members of their local communities. With dedicated audio rooms; a Visually Reinforced Orientation Audiometry (VROA) room; a client waiting for area; reception, staff, tech and admin areas; the clinics needed functional acoustic treatment that could meet a variety of acoustic demands. “It’s a Hearing Testing Centre so our major focus was on noise reduction, as well as designing a practical space that worked for our client’s business”, Sonia Leith of Leithal Designs notes. While the practical elements were vital to the function of the centres, the aesthetics were just as important. Leithal Designs wanted to give the spaces a fresh, creative look—applying colour, material, and form consciously to create a warm, welcoming environment.

Bespoke acoustic design

Looking for a solution that had both acoustic and aesthetic sensibilities, Leithal Designs partnered with Autex to create a range of bespoke treatments for each space. Cube^™ acoustic panels were applied throughout, customised to create unique wall features. “We wanted a stand out piece in the main reception area(s) that created 'wow factor'”, Sonia says. Printed Cube was chosen to realise this in each reception space—offering both acoustic absorption and design freedom as a completely customisable treatment. The finished pieces feature a custom tessellated art deco inspired motif with a pale, blue-grey palette—an elegant, eye-catching backdrop for the sleek reception desks.

Above each reception area, Leithal Designs specified Frontier^™ Raft in Beam 100, Savoye. As a high-performance acoustic treatment, Raft offers broad-spectrum acoustic absorption—working hard to keep noise at bay in the reception and waiting areas. Suspended from the ceiling grid, Frontier adds an element of depth and sculptural form to the space. Juxtaposed by blonde timber cupboards, the back wall of each reception area features Cube with pinstripe Groove detailing in Herald—a rich, stately grey. Layering treatment in these spaces ensures the acoustics will be balanced and staff will be able to focus, regardless of how busy they get.

Custom cut Cube was also applied throughout the audio rooms in geometric blocks of colour—providing both the required absorption to gain industry registration, and a fresh, optimistic aesthetic.

The finished spaces are a combination of carefully curated materials, each playing a role in the overall function of the centres. “We were able to create some quiet zones to reduce noise moving around the fit-out, but also created a space that was warm and inviting”, Sonia says.

“It’s a Hearing Testing Centre so our major focus was on noise reduction, as well as designing a practical space that worked for our client’s business.”