Wind room divider designed by Jin Kuramoto

Jin Kuramoto’s Wind room divider is an innovative concept for controlling acoustics in public spaces and meeting venues, a market which Offecct has pioneered. The dividers improve the acoustic qualities of an environment, while at the same time adding interesting dimensions to the room.

“These dividers can be seen as a celebration of nature and its beauty and wisdom,” says Jin Kuramuto. “My inspiration always comes from nature. There is nothing more beautiful than a snowflake, a beehive or a leaf. I see these dividers as a forest of organic shapes that also control acoustics, like a kind of tuner, like trees in the forest, making the environment more pleasant and friendly. The dividers should play a supporting role, not symbolic, and very functional.”

“I think it is very nice to have the dividers as reminders of nature’s beauty in, say, a hospital or in a large office landscape. They also make it possible to speak in a normal tone of voice even in acoustically chaotic environments. When sitting down in a chair or sofa, the divider feels like a wall. When standing up it can be seen from far away in a room. The heights of the dividers are very carefully calculated.”

Wind was part of the Offecct Lab collection in 2016 and has been tested extensively in various public meeting places throughout the year. “It’s been fantastic to see how well it has tested in improving acoustic values,” says Anders Englund, Design Manager at Offecct. “It has great qualities as it is extremely flexible and easy to move around, changing the architecture in a room or public space. The innovation lies in the double-arched shape, with the fabric mounted like a drumhead. The fabric can swiftly be removed and replaced, resulting in a brand new product, adding new dimensions and decorative values to the room.”

Wind is available in five different sizes and a wide range of colors.