When the non-profit youth center in Vemdalen, Sweden, reached out to Zilenzio, they had a clear challenge. Noise levels in the café area had become so high that both children and staff avoided spending time there. As part of a renovation, they wanted to create a calmer environment while preserving the unique character of the 1950s building.

“You really notice the difference. You’re not nearly as mentally exhausted when you go home.”

– Caroline Fredin.

Located in northern Sweden, the youth center in Vemdalen has been recognized by the Swedish Police with the Crime Prevention Award for its important work. The café is where the children spend most of their time playing games, listening to music, having snacks, and spending time together. But it only took a few conversations before the noise quickly became overwhelming. For some children, it became so loud that they no longer wanted to be in the room.

To improve the acoustics while preserving the character of the building, Zilenzio developed a solution tailored to both the space and the way it is used. The project had a strong focus on circularity. Instead of manufacturing new wall panels, Zilenzio gave Dezibel Wall panels originally produced for another project a new purpose through its circular concept, Re-Zell. Reupholstered in a textile that complements the room’s character, the panels became part of a solution that improves acoustic comfort while making use of existing resources.

The result is a calmer sound environment, where the building’s character has been preserved and the repurposed panels have become a natural part of the renovated space.

Both the children and the staff are pleased with the outcome and notice a clear difference.

“It’s much nicer to be here now,” says one of the children.

“You don’t get as tired as you used to after spending time here,” says another.

Caroline Fredin, who works at the youth center and led the project, describes the change:

“As one of the volunteer adults, I can also say that you really notice the difference. You’re not nearly as mentally exhausted when you go home after spending two hours with the children in this room. It’s fantastic,” says Caroline Fredin.