When layering sound-absorbing elements is important, dividers and modules can provide more than privacy. The latest offerings feature significant sound-control capabilities, making these flexible furnishings more versatile than ever. For example, BuzziBracks, a system of modular units by Alain Gilles for BuzziSpace, fits all these criteria and can be mixed and matched to create flexible quiet zones or micro-environments in larger open spaces. The system features stand-alone frames finished with two- and three-piece curtains available in an array of transparent and opaque fabrics and colors, and in in a range of heights with optional shelving and worktop add-ons. They can even be specified with noise-reducing acoustic curtains from Kvadrat.

3form’s Divy is another acoustic divider that works as a suspended ceiling panel and as a partition. The dual-sided screen made from Sola felt (using 40 percent recycled PET) uses the absorptive properties of felt combined with the diffusive properties of a textured surface to control a room’s horizontal sound dispersion. It is available in 15 felt options and six patterns.