DEadu
HOSPITALITY | ART DECO HOTEL MONTANA
WHEN TRANSPARENCY HAS A SOUND
At the Art Deco Hotel Montana, spectacular views and transparent architecture create a very particular acoustic challenge. For this reason, the acoustics of the hotel’s glazed winter garden became an integral part of the design concept: EchoBaffle® introduces sound absorption into the glass roof structure without compromising the lightness of the architecture.
WINTER GARDEN ACOUSTICS: WHAT LETS LIGHT IN REFLECTS SOUND BACK
High above the city, the winter garden appears to merge almost seamlessly with its surroundings. Expansive glazing and a transparent roof create a bright, open atmosphere, drawing the eye towards the view beyond.
Acoustically, however, these surfaces behave rather differently. Glass and other hard materials absorb very little sound. Instead, they reflect voices, tableware and movement back into the space, allowing sound to linger for longer. The crucial question is therefore not simply how much noise people create, but how the room responds to it.
WHEN NOISE TURNS ITSELF UP
As the sound level rises, people instinctively speak louder to make themselves heard. Consequently, conversations begin to compete and the overall volume increases even further. This self-reinforcing cycle is known as the Lombard effect.
As a result, what begins as a lively atmosphere can quickly become acoustically tiring – for guests and staff alike.
The design challenge was therefore clear: how could the team reduce reverberation without diminishing the qualities that make this winter garden so special?
THE CEILING BECOMES PART OF THE DESIGN
The transparent roof structure provided the ideal surface for an effective acoustic intervention. This approach allowed the team to introduce sound-absorbing elements while preserving the winter garden’s open character.
Together, ECHOJAZZ and project partner Bellton developed a solution using vertically suspended EchoBaffle® ceiling elements. The spacing between the baffles preserves the flow of daylight and uninterrupted views. At the same time, their surfaces help reduce disruptive sound reflections at ceiling level.
However, the elements do more than improve the acoustics. Their flowing contours introduce a repeating rhythm into the roof’s linear structure. Depending on the viewing angle, the rows appear to expand and contract, while shifting daylight continually changes the interplay of light and shadow.
Nor do the baffles need to disappear completely. Instead, they become a natural part of the space—visible enough to help shape its character, yet restrained enough to let the architecture and the view take centre stage.
YOU CAN HEAR GOOD HOSPITALITY
A welcoming atmosphere depends on more than interiors, lighting and a spectacular view. It can also be felt in how effortlessly a conversation flows.
By reducing disruptive reflections, the sound-absorbing ceiling elements create better conditions for clearer conversations without taking away the winter garden’s sense of life and energy. Guests can therefore talk more comfortably, while a more controlled acoustic environment can also ease the daily strain on staff.
For this reason, designers should not treat acoustics in glazed hospitality spaces as a technical correction at the end of the design process. Acoustics form part of the spatial experience—and therefore part of hospitality itself.
Ultimately, good acoustics do not change what we see. They change how a space feels.
PROJECT AT A GLANCE
Project: Art Deco Hotel Montana
Location: Lucern, Switzerland
Area: Glazed winter garden
Acoustic solution: Vertikale Deckenabsorber
Product: EchoBaffle® in 155 Aqua
Project partner: Bellton
Project year: 2026
ACOUSTICS DESIGNED WITH ARCHITECTURE IN MIND
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