From PET Bottles to Architecture: Sustainable Acoustic Elements at NXT74

How can sustainable materials be concretely integrated into architecture? At the new employee center “NXT74” of NürnbergMesse, this becomes clearly visible: more than 56,000 PET bottles have been recycled and are now part of the ceiling structure. The installed acoustic elements combine function, design, and resource efficiency in a tangible application.

Written by Johanna Köhler

An office with one person at a desk next to a large window, plants, and honeycomb ceiling panels with acoustic elements.

Anyone looking up inside “NXT74” – the building is named after the founding year of NürnbergMesse – will notice them: the ceiling cells in which the acoustic elements are embedded. At first glance a design detail, at second glance a key element of spatial quality. In total, around 2,800 small and large elements have been installed across an area of approximately 600 square meters.

But this solution goes far beyond pure functionality. More than 56,000 recycled PET bottles have been incorporated into the materials used. What was once a disposable product is now part of a modern building, demonstrating how circular economy can be implemented in practice.

This is part of a holistic approach: the renovation of NXT74 was carried out in cooperation with the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB). As with Halls 3A and 3C, NürnbergMesse is aiming for DGNB certification for this project. The acoustic elements are just one component of a broader sustainability concept that ranges from the use of sustainable building materials to accessibility and energy supply.

Seating area in front of a large window with a person in an armchair, a bookshelf, and ceiling panels with acoustic elements. — Our new work environment shows how sustainable materials become part of modern design concepts.

From waste product to innovative material solution

The fact that recycled materials are now used in architecture demonstrates how the handling of resources is changing. Materials are no longer simply discarded but are deliberately further developed and transferred into new applications.

“A waste product becomes a high quality construction material when it results in a solution that is both functional and visually convincing,” says Thomas Späh, Business Unit Manager at SPAEH designed acoustic – the company responsible for implementing the acoustic elements in NXT74. Recycled PET, he explains, demonstrates exactly this potential: “It offers excellent acoustic performance while also opening up new possibilities in design.”

Its properties make the material particularly suitable for indoor applications. It is lightweight, dimensionally stable, and highly effective in absorbing sound. At the same time, it can be processed with precision and flexibly integrated into different spatial concepts. The result is a material that meets multiple requirements simultaneously – functional, aesthetic, and sustainable.

Sustainable materials in practice

Concrete examples such as NXT74 show how such material concepts can be applied in practice. “Projects like this help make sustainable solutions tangible and experiential,” says Späh.

At the same time, it becomes clear that while sustainable materials are becoming increasingly established, they are not yet widely used across the industry. “Awareness of new, sustainable materials is still comparatively low,” explains Späh. This is precisely why reference projects are gaining importance.

Two people in a workshop setting are standing at a table with a sustainable acoustic element and tools. — SPÄH designed acoustic demonstrates how recycled PET is used to create functional and aesthetically pleasing acoustic solutions.

Design, function, and spatial impact
Sustainable materials are often considered primarily from an environmental perspective. However, their potential goes far beyond that. In the field of room acoustics, the installed elements fulfill several functions simultaneously: they improve acoustic quality, structure surfaces, and contribute to the overall atmosphere. “Sustainability and design are not contradictory – rather, they create new possibilities for shaping spaces,” says Späh.

This approach is clearly visible in NXT74. The felt like surface of the acoustic elements blends into the interplay of concrete, glass, and wood, complementing the overall interior design. At the same time, they contribute to a pleasant working environment by improving acoustics and creating a calm, balanced atmosphere. The result is a holistic concept in which sustainability is not treated as an add-on, but as an integral part of modern architecture. Projects like NXT74 demonstrate how this approach can be translated step by step into practice – and how individual material decisions can shape spaces that combine function, design, and resource efficiency.

What is still not yet standard everywhere is being realized here: a way of building that rethinks existing resources and lays the foundation for future working environments.

Author

Johanna Köhler

Online Editing // PR Trainee