MARCELO MARTINEZ Symphony of Living Function finds striking form in these acoustic panels that hit just the right note between high design and smart tech. by Jemima Sissons Sancal’s insectinspired Beetle panels and, below, the Spanish brand’s Lapso, which functions as a sort of vertical hammock WITH THEIR UNDULATING teal-blue curves, recalling arching subaqueous swells, the Köral panels from Anticad (anticad.com) are more finely crafted artform than highly functional – and rather mundane – acoustic accessory. Yet combining technical excellence with razor-sharp design, the Singapore-based company has created these dramatically sculptural pieces (see too their soigné The Great Wave off Kanagawa panels), which are primarily designed to absorb sound. And, with a US,000 price tag and a two-week installation process, one might hope that they draw gasps of admiration. Acoustic panels can come in many forms: at their most basic, a fabriccovered square for a few dollars, yet a handful of designers across the globe are crafting museum-worthy pieces. Anticad is not the only company spawning dramatic wall – and ceiling – candy. From Offecct’s (offecct.com) architectural Frank Lloyd Wrightinspired pieces to the organic hand- EYES & EARS STYLE 47 DEPARTURES
