Universal Music Publishing Group required a workspace that would reflect its global brand identity and support music-critical activities such as listening sessions, recording, and creative collaboration. The project was located in a former power station in Shanghai, an aged building with dark interiors and poor acoustic preconditions. The existing structure included wooden slabs and beams, which offered limited isolation performance and required careful treatment to enable high-quality sound environments.
The program also included four songwriting rooms placed on the upper floor, directly above the main office spaces. These rooms were intended for music and voice recording, making it essential to achieve robust sound insulation to prevent transmission between floors. Additionally, the use of open-plan areas, glass partitions, and hard reflective materials introduced further risks of reverberation, sound bleed, and lack of confidentiality.
For a company where sound quality is central to daily operations, these issues had to be addressed meticulously. The challenge was to design an acoustic environment that would meet the standards of artists, producers, and executives, while preserving the clean and modern aesthetic envisioned by anySCALE Architecture.
Delhom Acoustics was engaged from the design phase to develop a tailored acoustic strategy for the entire headquarters. Our team collaborated with anySCALE to analyse the impact of materials, space layout, and functional zoning on acoustic performance.
We defined room-specific acoustic targets, implementing box-in-box solutions for recording areas, enhanced insulation for confidentiality, and absorbent finishes to improve sound clarity. All acoustic elements were integrated discreetly, ensuring the visual identity of the workspace remained intact while optimizing audio playback and speech intelligibility.
The new headquarters offers a sound-optimized environment where music playback, collaboration, and private discussions coexist without compromise. Reverberation in open areas has been reduced, and the critical listening rooms now deliver studio-level quality. Meeting spaces achieve the necessary acoustic privacy, while maintaining Universal’s aesthetic and operational standards.
Delhom’s expertise in acoustic design for creative office spaces played a key role in achieving a workplace where sound enhances creativity and productivity, reinforcing Universal Music’s leadership in the global music industry.
