Kirei, a provider of innovative eco-friendly design materials for commercial interiors, is pleased to announce their exclusive North American distribution partnership with AKUART, a leader in creating infinitely customizable framed acoustic design elements with an easily changeable canvas. Joining forces in their shared mission of creating spaces that sound as great as they look, the new partnership marks AKUART’s first distribution point in the North America region, providing increased accessibility for architects and designers searching for customizable, eco-friendly visual soundscape solutions.

“The incredible synchronicity between AKUART and Kirei lies in our shared vision and mission of providing sustainably-driven acoustic solutions that prioritize beauty and functionality,” says John Stein, President, Kirei. “We know many spaces can have acoustic issues while needing great design solutions. These rooms can benefit from strategically placing printed AKUART acoustic absorbers as wall art, wayfinding signage, room partitions and interior accents. Our partnership is providing architects and designers with increased ease in crafting the sound of a space while using art, color and graphics in new ways.”

Made from sustainable materials, AKUART’s four framed acoustic design elements—‘On The Wall’ acoustic wall panels; ‘Hang With Me’ suspended acoustic panels; ‘Stand By Me’ free standing acoustic wall screens; and ‘Shelter Me’ acoustic desk screens—allow designers to select from a variety of art, including solid colors (with color matching available), pre-existing art, or custom images. Each canvas is machine washable, bleach-cleanable and replaceable. The absorber beneath the canvas is a high NRC (.9), low VOC, Class A fire treated sound absorbing PET panel placed within a durable, coated aluminum frame. The frames are available in four standard colors or the option to specify a custom color, as well a variety of sizes. All pre-existing art or custom images are printed at 600 DPI.

“In Kirei, we have found the perfect partner for introducing AKUART to the North American market,” says Bjørn Berthelsen, CEO, AKUART. “We have a collective ambition to offer extraordinary acoustic solutions that provide true added value to the end-user. AKUART has succeeded in becoming a favorite amongst architects and designers in Scandinavia, providing endless design freedom with a high degree of flexibility. Our goal is to provide the same value in North America through Kirei.”

The complete AKUART product line includes:

On The Wall: Giving designers the complete freedom to make their own designs, On The Wall is a high performance, fully customizable wall absorber that prevents unwanted sound from bouncing off the walls. These acoustic wall art panels are as flexible as they are functional, with the replaceable printed canvas being a great way to keep spaces fresh.

Hang With Me: Suspended acoustic art panels with a replaceable printed canvas on both the front and backsides, Hang With Me panels are characterized by combining high acoustic functionality with a simple but striking graphical composition. Since the panels can be configured to fit the needs of any interior space, Hang With Me is a natural choice when creating acoustic zones in open workplaces.

Stand By Me: A customizable, free-standing acoustic floor screen that keeps inhabitans safe and sound from noisy environments, Stand By Me provides strategic design solutions for existing layout constraints.

Shelter Me: Providing a shield from the hustle of everyday office life, fully-customizable Shelter Me desk screens provide desk workers with acoustic comfort without sacrificing aesthetics.

Providing a variety of design opportunities for workplace, education, hospitality, worship, retail and healthcare environments, AKUART’s collection of highly customizable framed acoustic art also pairs well with Kirei’s existing EchoPanel product line—a decorative, acoustically absorbent panel with a felt-like finish, made from 100% PET plastic—to yield specialized applications that cater to projects’ unique acoustic requirements.

For more information on AKUART by Kirei, please visit kireiusa.com/acoustic-solutions/akuart.

About Kirei

Since 2002, Kirei has provided innovative design materials that are visually interesting, functional, and environmentally friendly. Its foundational design element, EchoPanel, is a series of decorative and functional designer acoustic products made by Woven Image and distributed exclusively in North America by Kirei. The visually-dynamic and versatile EchoPanel collection of panels, systems, tiles and partitions are available in standard or custom options to address various acoustic needs in commercial, retail, hospitality, healthcare and education environments. EchoPanel is responsibly sourced and made from recycled materials to qualify for LEED credits and other green building or sustainability certifications. Kirei continues its mission to inspire a beautiful world via its sustainability efforts and overall design ethos. To date, that intrepid focus has resulted in saving more than 200 million plastic bottles from landfills, giving each one renewed purpose as part of the EchoPanel product line. It is also a focus that has given designers a wide range of unique products and acoustic solutions to continuously exceed client expectations and drive positive project results.

About AKUART

AKUART was founded in 2006 in Copenhagen Denmark with the ambition to create extraordinary acoustic solutions with a strong visual appeal. This is still the company’s main aspiration today. Through a strong dedication to functionality and aesthetics AKUART strives to make good acoustic design available to the largest possible audience. What started out as acoustic wall art with a changeable printed canvas has now developed into a full range of customizable acoustic products with an extensive collection of artwork including photography, art, graphics, colors, textures, signage and more. AKUART will keep on seeking new and innovative ways to create acoustic solutions by collaborating with some of the best creative thinkers to explore the intelligent use of acoustics in modern-day architecture.