by Brianna Crandall — July 3, 2015—Furniture manufacturer Allsteel introduced new acoustic and aesthetic features for its Beyond portfolio of movable walls at the NeoCon 2015 contract furnishings show in Chicago June 15-17. The portfolio accommodates the constantly changing needs of the modern workspace with a level of flexibility and ease of installation and reconfiguration that Allsteel says is unmatched by drywall or other traditional constructions.
Acoustic performance
Allsteel’s Beyond portfolio puts a premium on acoustic privacy. The new Beyond plate-glass sliding door introduced at NeoCon continues this tradition by incorporating a number of innovations that enhance the modular system’s overall acoustic performance.
The new sliding door is available with an adjustable footer that, once the door is installed, can be lowered to minimize the gap with the floor, reducing sound transmission while still allowing the door to slide freely. The footer remains fully adjustable, so that if the doors are relocated, gaps of different heights can be easily accommodated.
The full-strike, sliding-door model offers a further acoustic enhancement. As the door closes, a drop seal is automatically activated, creating a sound seal between the bottom of the door and the floor. All plate-glass sliding doors now feature a new, more robust acoustic seal on their leading edge, which further inhibits sound transmission.
Low-profile base trim
Besides the product’s flexibility in installation and reconfiguration, Beyond is also aesthetically versatile, and the introduction of a new low-profile base trim adds a note of European minimalism to the modular system’s range of possible looks, says Allsteel.
A mere 2 inches high, the low-profile base trim aligns well with the narrow architectural moldings found in many of today’s “less-is-more” office interiors. The base trim also incorporates a polymer extrusion to create an acoustic seal with the glass.
Other introductions
Also at NeoCon, Allsteel announced the availability of its Mimeo task chair, which the company says is next step in the evolution of task seating solutions; new finishes for its Acuity chair and Relate family of chairs; and the addition of a versatile credenza to the Aware table collection that is suitable for various applications, including training rooms, conference rooms, open-plan meeting areas and active learning spaces.
