New music academy in Staufen: optimal room acoustics for an exceptional listening experience
14th Rigips Trophy: Günter Nagel Bauleistungsservice GmbH wins first place in the "Ceiling Solutions" category
The new music academy, located at the entrance to Staufen im Breisgau, offers something for everyone. The 13 concert and rehearsal halls offer unique sound experiences. The excellent spatial acoustics ensure high sound quality, and Günter Nagel Bauleistungsservice GmbH, based in Teningen, Baden-Württemberg, was responsible for achieving this. The finishing specialists faced two main challenges: sound absorption and sound reflection. The ceilings and walls of the rehearsal and performance rooms had to meet particularly high acoustic requirements. According to the expert jury at the 14th Rigips Trophy 2024 | 2025, the team led by Günter Nagel designed the rooms to meet the highest acoustic standards. They deservedly won first place in the ‘Ceiling Solutions’ category.
The new music academy in Staufen im Breisgau offers unparalleled sound experiences in its 13 concert and rehearsal halls. The academy provides courses and further education for all ages and abilities. Guests can choose from 70 single, double and family rooms located on the upper floor, while the ground floor houses rehearsal and conference rooms of various sizes. The ground floor is home to large concert and rehearsal halls, such as the two-storey Bach Hall, a dining hall and administrative rooms. Photo 1: Makis Photography
The ceilings' substructure consists of a Halfenschiene rail, which was statically calculated in advance and attached to Pi-beams using special acoustic suspension systems. Photo 2: Günter Nagel Bauleistungsservice GmbH
The owner and client of the 1,500 m² Music Academy is the Bund Deutscher Blasmusikverbände (BDB), which represents around 200,000 members from approximately 1,000 associations in south-western Germany. The academy provides courses and further education for all ages and abilities. Guests can choose from 70 single, double and family rooms located on the upper floor, while the ground floor comprises rehearsal and conference rooms of various sizes. The ground floor contains large concert and rehearsal halls, including the two-storey "Bach Hall", a dining hall and administrative rooms.
The room makes the music
The newly created concert and rehearsal rooms in Staufen boast variable acoustics, making them particularly special. They can be flexibly adapted to meet the needs of musicians and provide ideal conditions for a variety of ensembles, including choirs, big bands, wind orchestras and symphony orchestras. It is particularly important that musicians can hear themselves and each other clearly.
Special absorption hangers capable of bearing loads up to 400 kg each were imported from England specifically for the construction project. About 600 hangers were attached to the concrete ceiling using heavy-duty anchors. Photo: Günter Nagel Bauleistungsservice GmbH
Variable room acoustics
The "Bach Hall" is impressive in both acoustic and architectural terms, with an unusual geometric floor plan: right angles and parallel walls were completely avoided to ensure the best conditions for uniform sound distribution. The scale-like structure of the wall cladding, stucco and wood panelling, trapezoidal window niches and rising ceiling heights all contribute to even sound distribution in all directions. The hall is also equipped with acoustic curtains that can be operated at the push of a button depending on the desired acoustic requirements and reverberation time.
Complex and diverse
"An outstanding sound experience can only be achieved on the basis of optimal spatial acoustics", explains project manager Günter Nagel. "The acoustic measures taken at the music academy were exceptionally complex and varied. In every hall, it was crucial to provide ideal conditions for installing curtain rails, acoustic elements, inspection openings and ventilation ducts. When constructing the substructures, we had to consider the various room heights to ensure that the systems met the required acoustic specifications. Accordingly, different drywall constructions were needed for each room. Certain sound insulation details even extend into the substructure itself."
A complex interplay of vertically and horizontally mounted Rigips Rigitone Activ'Air perforated boards, integrated air-conditioning units, Rigips moulded parts at transitions, and ISOVER sound insulation slabs for sound absorption. Photos: Günter Nagel Bauleistungsservice GmbH
Absorption hangers up to 400 kg
The ceiling substructures in the concert and rehearsal rooms consist of a Halfenschiene rail that has been statically calculated in advance and attached to Pi-beams using special acoustic suspension systems. "We installed a UA-profile every 80 cm. Afterwards, a substructure of CD-profiles was mounted to support the cladding. For this construction project, we imported special absorption hangers from England that can bear loads of up to 400 kg each. These were fixed to the concrete ceiling using heavy-duty anchors. In total, we installed around 600 hangers of this type."
Rigitone acoustic ceiling boards from RIGIPS
Approximately 5,000 m² of ISOVER Akustik SSP 1 sound insulation slabs were fitted to the substructures in the concert, rehearsal and lounge rooms to optimise room acoustics and absorb sound from the ventilation ducts. Around 2,000 m² was used for the ceiling constructions. The cladding was installed both vertically and horizontally using Rigips Rigitone Activ'Air 8/18 Q boards and Rigips moulded parts. "Since all heating, ventilation and sanitation installations had to be accommodated within the ceiling design, positioning the acoustic elements to achieve an aesthetically pleasing overall appearance and interplay between ceiling and wall surfaces was a major challenge. The smooth moulded parts for partial sound reflection into the room were mounted at precisely specified intervals. Any remaining sound reaches the ceiling above and is absorbed by acoustic foam elements installed on the reverse side of the moulded parts. This has enabled us to achieve the desired overall room acoustics", says Günter Nagel.
The smooth moulded parts were initially installed at precisely specified intervals. These parts provide partial sound reflection in the room, while the remaining sound reaching the ceiling above, between the moulded parts, is absorbed by acoustic foam elements installed on the reverse side. Photos: Makis Photography
Best acoustics and healthy living
The finishing team created particularly high-quality ceiling surfaces in the concert and rehearsal rooms using Rigips Rigitone Activ'Air, contributing to outstanding acoustics and room quality. The board, which has continuous perforation, boasts excellent acoustic properties and factory-chamfered and primed edges, enabling a visually seamless ceiling appearance. According to DIN EN 14190, the acoustic ceiling boards are equipped with acoustic fleece on the reverse side and feature special Activ'Air room-air-cleaning technology, which reduces air pollutants such as formaldehyde sustainably.
To improve the sound insulation of the guest room partition walls, the finishing experts used Rigips Die Harte. This paper-coated gypsum board, which meets the requirements of DIN EN 520, Type DFIR, offers high surface hardness, a dense gypsum core and a closed surface. It is ideal for wall and ceiling systems that require high resistance to mechanical loads and stringent sound insulation.
The high-quality ceiling in the spacious lounge, which has numerous skylights, is made using Rigips Rigitone Activ'Air. This impressive board has excellent acoustic properties and factory-chamfered, primed edges, enabling a visually seamless ceiling appearance. Photos: Makis Photography
Proven fillers for high-quality surfaces
As a high-quality surface finish was required in Staufen, Rigips VARIO joint filler was used. This product is characterised by good adhesion, extremely low shrinkage and very high joint strength. It was used to fill the installed Rigitone Activ‘Air acoustic boards and wall systems, and to create Q3 surfaces. The finishing experts also achieved excellent results with the ready-to-use, very smooth, manually and machine-applicable fine filler ProMix Plus, which complies with DIN EN 13963/Type 3A. As a result, the music academy now has high-quality wall systems with particularly smooth, even surfaces of the highest Q4 standard.
Project data:
Client: Bund Deutscher Blasmusikverbände, Staufen
Architect: Bez + Kock Architekten Generalplaner GmbH, Stuttgart
Drywall Construction: Günter Nagel Bauleistungsservice GmbH, Teningen
Rigips Area Manager: Christian Schuller, SAINT-GOBAIN RIGIPS GmbH
The finishing team has created outstanding ceiling surfaces with Rigips Rigitone Activ'Air, contributing greatly to excellent acoustics and room quality. Photo: Makis Photography