Roman Sutherland

An Acoustic Curtain for Hospital Wards

My project, Hush, explored creating an acoustic curtain designed for hospital wards to reduce noise and improve patient recovery. This idea was inspired by my grandfather’s experience during recovery from triple bypass heart surgery, where he found resting difficult due to constant hospital noise. This motivated me to design a solution that could promote a quieter, more comfortable environment for patients.

Guided by this purpose, I designed the curtain using AUTEX Cube, a recycled, semi-rigid polyester panel with a noise reduction coefficient (NRC) of 0.45. With CNC machining, each panel was inspired by origami folding patterns, creating a calming effect. Cotton calico, chosen for its affordability and biodegradability, holds the panels together, while magnetic snaps ensure easy assembly and disassembly, simplifying maintenance and sterilisation processes.

Overall, Hush offers an improvement over typical hospital curtains, which are often purely functional. Hush enhances the healing environment by reducing noise, contributing to physical and mental well-being in healthcare spaces.