Anne Kyyrö Quinn wins prestigious Good Design Award

Designer Anne Kyyrö Quinn’s Scallop acoustic wall panel has been awarded the prestigious, global Good Design Award in textiles category. The award, published in December 2009, is conferred annually by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design together with The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. This is the third consecutive year that Kyyrö Quinn’s acoustic panel designs have won the Good Design Award; Leaf acoustic panel was awarded in 2007 and Rosette acoustic panel in 2008.

Recognising the acoustic properties of 100 % wool felt Anne Kyyrö Quinn has developed a layered textile range engineered to dampen sound. The main material, felt, diffuses the sound and reduces the noise levels significantly. Kyyrö Quinn’s signature three-dimensional surface structure plays an important role in bringing down the noise levels. The intricately structured surface design creates tiny cavities that wicks sound waves into the layer of fabric underneath. Like acoustic sponge, the Scallop panel soaks up ambient noise.

Kyyrö Quinn’s wall coverings are set to target the sound requirements of public buildings were noise control and reduction are a big issue such as public spaces, offices, conference rooms, waiting rooms, airport lounges, media centres, concert rooms, call centres and cinemas. The wall panels are created using 100 % sustainable wool felt making them an ecological choice for sound reduction. The material used is also natural, unbreakable, versatile, non- polluting and ethically non-controversial. The panels have been tested for their acoustic performance.

Anne Kyyrö Quinn designs highly decorative acoustic wall panels which are constructed using industrial felt. Her three-dimensional, sculptural creations bring dramatic, architectural elements to both public and private spaces. In terms of appearance, they are more reminiscent of works of art than traditional textiles. The panels are custom made to order and cut, sewn and finished by hand to a very high standard at Anne Kyyrö Quinn’s London studio.The designer, who is inspired by the interplay of light and shade on the surface of her textured felt textiles, creates dynamic optical illusions as the surface structure appears to change depending on the way it has been lit as well as ones viewpoint.

Finnish designer Anne Kyyrö Quinn has lived in London since 1986. Kyyrö Quinn studied textile design at London Metropolitan University where she gained her Master’s degree in 2001. During her studies she began to research then largely unused material felt exploring how it interacts with light. This started a fascination with the material that has continued to this day. Kyyrö Quinn set up her own design studio in 1999.