The Rise of Organic Interiors
Organic materials and elements have long been a popular option in interiors of virtually every description, from homes to the most cutting-edge contemporary spaces.
Wood, plants, and abundant natural light are all associated with wellness. According to the Global Wellness Institute’s Wellness Architecture & Design Initiative (2025), the use of natural and organic materials is becoming increasingly prevalent, driven by a growing focus on wellness and sustainability in public and private spaces.
The focus, for lack of a better word, is on comfort, in service to a trend towards Biophilic Design – ‘a concept used within the building industry to increase occupant connectivity to the natural environment…’ via the use of natural materials and other elements. All in an effort to create environments that reduce stress and promote well-being, creativity, and productivity.
As an architectural term, biophilia is: “the idea that humans have a natural desire to be surrounded by nature. Designers often use the hypothesis of biophilia as a directive, meeting this desire by introducing a visual or physical connection to nature within or near a building.”
Biophilia
noun – (According to a theory of the biologist E. O. Wilson), an innate and genetically determined affinity of human beings with the natural world – Oxford Dictionary of English
Another trend is ‘Regenerative Development’ – the promotion of respect for ‘natural, cultural, and economic history…’ and an emphasis on ‘holistic thinking, recognizing the interconnectedness of people, nature, and time.’
Other related trends noted by the Global Wellness Institute include Harmonic and Silent Architecture, i.e., designing Spaces that resonate with human well-being and designing for acoustic wellness and mental clarity, respectively; as well as a focus on spaces designed to promote better health and sleep.
Primacoustic’s EcoScapes eco-friendly wall and ceiling sound absorption panels are particularly well-suited for these design trends, offering an effective acoustic solution that’s ideal for complementing natural, organic design palettes and can be customized to integrate seamlessly into any space.
Acoustic Comfort as a Design Imperative
Addressing the mismatch between visual calm and auditory chaos
For architects, interior designers, and those who inhabit the spaces they create, natural materials do offer some benefits acoustically, but can’t tame auditory chaos in a space alone. Consequently, there is a need to fill in the gaps without making those gaps noticeable (aesthetically) with acoustic treatment, to create a balanced, comfortable space.
At Primacoustic, we offer design-forward acoustic solutions for architects and designers that support and enhance organic, natural interiors – solving acoustic issues without compromising aesthetics.
Common issues in high-ceiling, open-plan, and hard-surface spaces
Excessive reverberation in spaces with high ceilings that increase reflections and reverberation, making speech unintelligible, music muddy, and overall noise levels oppressive
Flutter echo (rapid, repetitive reflections between parallel hard surfaces like walls, ceiling beams, and floors) – resulting in a metallic ringing or zipping sound that degrades clarity
Poor speech intelligibility owing to reflections and reverberation that make conversations fatiguing, details harder to follow, and result in a general loss of clarity
Noise Build-Up and a corresponding lack of privacy in open plan layouts that allow sound from voices and mechanical/ambient noise to travel throughout a space without absorption
Uneven sound distribution as sound reflects unpredictably off hard surfaces and high ceilings, potentially creating acoustic ‘dead zones’ and/or hotspots
Unwanted low-frequency build-up and boomy or uneven bass response, particularly in large spaces with hard surfaces and high-ceilings
Natural Materials Impact Acoustics—Treatment Brings Balance
The idea behind using natural materials is to achieve balance, in part, by making the transition between outside and inside less jarring. Bringing the outside in, maintaining a sense of connectivity to the natural world, and creating a space that is (even if used exclusively for work) calming.
Wood offers warmth but limited acoustic control; depending on the type and thickness of wood used, it can absorb some low and mid frequencies, or, if fashioned into a diffuser, can help scatter sound evenly and reduce harsh reflections.
However, flat wood surfaces reflect sound, potentially leading to echoes or flutter echoes (if parallel walls are untreated). Additionally, thin wood panels can result in some frequencies resonating – potentially making a space sound boomy or unnatural. Other organic and hard-surfaced materials (stone, glass, tile, for example) create similar issues.
Plants (and the soil they’re planted in) act as natural diffusers and absorbers, particularly of mid-to-high frequencies, with their irregular surfaces scattering sound, reducing harsh reflections, and, potentially, improving clarity. However, they aren’t effective for low-frequency absorption, and, depending on how and where they’re placed, may block sound, creating shadowing or uneven sound coverage in a space.
In virtually any setting, natural light is always welcome. But large windows, like other hard, flat surfaces, contribute substantially to reflections, unwanted reverberation, and diminished sonic clarity.
If ‘organic design’ doesn’t sound as good as it looks, the purpose is defeated – detracting from the desired goal of holistic wellness and balance – making acoustic treatment necessary to achieve the goal of balance, aesthetically and sonically, in a space.
EcoScapes
A Design-Forward Acoustic Control Option to Complement Design
The Primacoustic EcoScapes line offers a comprehensive range of pre-existing and fully customizable sizes, shapes, and thicknesses, CNC cut to your specifications, and a wide range of colours, enabling designers to match panels with any interior design scheme while maintaining acoustic performance without compromise.
In addition to offering standard and neutral colours, EcoScapes panels can also be printed with images, logos, and patterns to add personality, brand-specific visuals, and/or highlight other natural, organic design elements.
EcoScapes Slat Wall treatments are also ideal for providing an organic Wood Grain touch and superior acoustic performance as compared to natural wood. Installed with a high-density acoustic core as absorptive backing, Slat Wall treatments reduce persistent reverberation and help control low and mid frequencies. All while offering the look and warmth of natural wood, reducing reflections, flutter echo, and unwanted reverberation.
Perfect for any space where sound quality and natural design elements are equally important, Primacoustic Slat Wall treatments provide diffusion and absorption, address bass build-up and flutter echo, and maintain a natural brightness in the room. By contrast, plain wood slats without acoustic backing can worsen room acoustics by adding reflective surfaces without absorption.
How Acoustic Treatment Helps
Acoustic treatments address the challenges posed by reflective materials like wood and the limited absorption properties of plants and other natural, organic elements by:
- Managing excessive mid and high-frequency reflections
- Absorbing reflections that can create echoes, comb filtering, or flutter echoes that hard surfaces may amplify
- Reducing reverberation times, thereby clarifying speech and music by eliminating excessive brightness or harshness in untreated wooden rooms
- Addressing bass build-up and low frequency issues, and effectively absorbing bass frequencies that wood and plants don’t absorb
- Providing a tight low-end response in critical listening spaces where wood panelling would cause boomy or uneven bass
- Complementing the natural but irregular and inconsistent diffusion of mid and high frequencies that plants provide with predictable diffusion to ensure sound is evenly dispersed without dead zones or hotspots that a profusion of plants may cause
- Enhancing and maintaining aesthetic continuity with natural materials via neutral and natural colour options or wood-grain prints that blend seamlessly with other organic elements
- Promoting wellness and calm by reducing stress and the cognitive load often tied to noisy, untreated spaces
- Integrating seamlessly with wood, plants, and other organic design elements, and preserving biophilic aesthetics and characteristics that support wellbeing via visually calming textures and images
- The ability to mimic or complement other natural elements in a space with custom CNC-cut shapes and sizes
Acoustic Treatments that Support Sustainability, Safety, and Enhance Design
Whether your goal is to control sound in a utilitarian way or enhance corporate branding, biophilic design, and/or add personality while achieving precision sound control in a space, EcoScapes enhances your space without compromising aesthetics or sound control.
Made with PET (Polyethylene Terephalate), a fully recyclable material sourced from recycled plastics, EcoScapes acoustic treatments bridge the gap between high-performance acoustic treatment and biophilic design, aligning with the goal of sustainability that often inspires the use of natural materials as a design feature.
Ideal for biophilic or sustainability-focused interiors, EcoScapes panels allow designers to match accent walls, existing wooden elements such as cabinetry, or any design element without compromising acoustic performance.
To seamlessly integrate EcoScapes panels into natural interiors, choose neutral tones to complement wood, stone, and plant-focused interiors. Or leverage the many custom options available to match natural palettes and textures, control a wider frequency range than natural elements alone, and blend with wood panelling, woven materials, or organic textiles to maintain design harmony.
Placement Tips:
On walls, position panels to balance their ‘weight’ visually by aligning them with existing features such as ceiling beams, shelving, or window heights. Or stagger panels to mimic the asymmetry of organic elements such as plants.
Use ceiling-mounted clouds or panels to reduce reverb when wall space is limited, in rooms with large windows, and/or to maintain a minimalist, visually spare look by aligning clouds with pendant lights or skylights for flow.
Choose from wall panels, ceiling clouds, or slat panels — or mix and match treatment formats to the aesthetic and sonic needs of your space.
Why EcoScapes is Ideal for Spaces Featuring Natural, Organic Materials
Sustainable design and material choices are increasingly important in new builds and retrofitted spaces alike. In addition to maintaining design harmony, EcoScapes panels contribute to the previously mentioned idea of Regenerative Development by:
- Including, at minimum, 50 percent recycled PET plastic felt – a thermoplastic containing no glues, binders, or red-listed items
- Addressing safety concerns with materials that are odourless, non-allergenic, mildew-resistant, safe to handle without protective gear, and fully recyclable
- Offering longevity via high-density panels that are incredibly durable and stand up to years of use without noticeable wear or discolouration, while maintaining acoustic performance
EcoScapes also contribute to LEED and WELL certification, helping architects and designers meet green building standards without compromising acoustic excellence – providing design flexibility and environmental responsibility in one elegant solution:
- Mitigating acoustic issues inherent in wood, stone, and plant-heavy designs
- Enhancing wellness and calm through balanced acoustics
- Enhancing, rather than detracting from, the atmosphere and design of a space owing to precision CNC-carved designs and a wide range of colours to ensure seamless visual integration
- Supporting the environmental goals of biophilic and green building design with sustainable materials
Naturally, to meet your sonic and aesthetic requirements, EcoScapes can also be paired with other Primacoustic product lines: Broadway high-density glass wool panels, GridWay ceiling tiles, our highly customizable TeleScapes fabric-wrapped panels, and/or Archadia, our made-to-order line of modular/sculptural acoustic treatments.
Support for Designers
Increasingly, technology and natural, organic elements must co-exist in harmony – aesthetically and acoustically – elements that enhance not only the usage of a space but reflect and reveal the intentions and personality of its users or owners. In doing so, the details matter – aesthetically and sonically.
Primacoustic solutions are built for the design process. Our Spec guides, innovative Room Designer app, and sample kits are all available to help you determine what materials, lines, and customization options are best for your project goals. But no solution is complete without dedicated and responsive customer service. That’s where our team comes in. From conception to creation, from inspiration to installation, our dedicated support and design team will be with you every step of the way. Helping you choose the appropriate treatments to control sound in your space, specifying the tools you require, and collaborating with you to offer flexible options and a fluid process from concept to install.
Better-sounding spaces are calmer and promote wellness and productivity in equal measure. Uncontrolled reverberation and noisy reflections increase stress, mental fatigue, and distract from the usage, utility, and atmosphere of a space. Regardless of the nature and use of a space, blending organic, natural elements and textures with acoustic control creates a more attractive, peaceful, and functional environment.
Be Heard
For making conversations clearer, rooms calmer, and better sounding, Primacoustic is your one-stop shop.
Visit Primacoustic.com for more information on EcoScapes and our other acoustic solutions. Review our content library for additional guidance, and get started by requesting samples and utilizing online tools such as Primacoustic’s Acoustic Calculator and Room Designer applications.
Or contact us directly at 604-942-1001 or [email protected] for project inquiries or any questions you have.
