Bold Design Concepts, Less Noise
The Architecture of Comfort, Clarity, and Connection
Sponsored by Armstrong World Industries | Presented by Rebecca Sharkey, Sean Browne, and Liesl Heil Morell
Live Webinar Airing on November 10, 2026 at 02:00 PM ET
Every space you design tells a story shaped by the colors, textures, and forms you choose—yet how a space sounds fundamentally dictates how it is experienced. When acoustics fall short, even the most visually striking interiors can compromise comfort, speech clarity, privacy, and connection. A truly successful interior should sound as good as it looks.
Join us as we explore acoustics as an integral design element rather than a late-stage technical consideration.
Through contemporary ceiling and wall solutions, attendees will examine practical strategies for shaping sound while realizing bold design concepts across diverse interior environments. By examining real-world design challenges and applications, this session demonstrates how early collaboration unites acoustic performance, design vision, and human well-being—delivering spaces that look extraordinary, perform effortlessly, and foster meaningful connection.
Project: AIA Global Campus for Architecture & Design
Location: Washington DC
Copyright 2025 Judy Davis Photography. Licensed to and. provide by rthe American Institue of Architects. Used by Licensee with permission
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Rebecca Sharkey , is a Principal at EHDD with more than 20 years of experience shaping workplace and interior environments for mission-driven organizations around the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Her work focuses on translating organizational values into thoughtful, engaging spaces that foster connection, well-being, and belonging. She takes a holistic approach to design, integrating user experience, sustainability, and adaptability to create environments that reflect organizational culture and support the evolving needs of the people who use them. |
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Sean Browne, is Senior Manager of Codes & Standards at Armstrong World Industries, where he leads initiatives spanning acoustics, product performance, testing standards, and building codes. Drawing on extensive experience in research and development and expertise in building acoustics, he also helps advance strategic technology initiatives, including the application of artificial intelligence. Sean is an active member of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) and ASTM International. He holds engineering degrees from Florida State University and the University of Miami, and his technical work and research have been widely published in professional journals and industry publications. |
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Liesl Heil Morell , is an Architectural and Design Sales Manager with Armstrong World Industries, partnering with the design community throughout the San Francisco Bay Area to create sustainable, visually compelling, and acoustically optimized ceiling and wall solutions. With academic backgrounds in both Interior Design and Business, along with LEED and WELL accreditations, CDT and CCPR certifications through CSI, Associate Membership in IIDA, and supporting membership in AIA COTE, Liesl brings a unique ability to bridge the technical and creative aspects of architectural design. Her expertise in acoustics, sustainability, and product specification enables her to support project teams from concept through completion, helping turn design intent into successful built environments. Liesl and the Armstrong team were honored to collaborate with EHDD on the AIA Global Center for Architecture + Design. Armstrong proudly supplied the ACGI WoodWorks® Diagrid that features prominently in the community gathering area, as well as numerous other products that contributed to this unique project, beautifully integrating acoustical performance, warmth, and architectural excellence. |
Armstrong World Industries is a leader in the design and manufacture of innovative commercial ceiling and wall systems. At home, at work, in health-care facilities, classrooms, stores, and restaurants, Armstrong Ceiling & Wall Solutions offer interior options that help
create healthy, sustainable spaces that protect people and cultivate well-being and comfort so they can be at their best.
Armstrong is committed to developing new and sustainable ceiling solutions, with design and performance possibilities that empower its customers to create beautiful, high-performance residential and commercial buildings. Armstrong continues to grow and prosper for the benefit of all its stakeholders.
armstrongceilings.com/commercial
Originally published in Architectural Record
Originally published in September 2026
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Identify fundamental acoustic concepts—including sound absorption, sound blocking, reflection, and speech clarity—and explain their effect on occupant comfort, communication, and privacy.
- Evaluate the design and performance considerations of acoustical treatments for wall-to-wall ceilings, exposed-structure spaces, and wall applications.
- Compare how material selection, placement, and configuration of ceiling and wall solutions can influence acoustic performance while supporting bold design concepts.
- Describe how integrating acoustic considerations early in the design process can help architects and project teams create bold, inclusive, and high-performing environments that support connection, well-being, and diverse occupant activities.
