Architecture Research

Office Collection
 About Architecture
Research Office
Architecture Research Office is the New York City firm led by
Stephen Cassell, Kim Yao, and Adam Yarinsky. Founded in
1993, ARO has earned a reputation for elegant, innovative,
and imaginative architecture born out of relentless exploration
and engagement.

Through investigation, analysis, and testing, Architecture

Research Office creates designs that unite the conceptual
and the pragmatic within a strong, compelling vision. This
research-driven process enables the firm to operate on
a wide variety of projects spanning strategic planning,
architecture, and urban design, and to craft elegant solutions
to seemingly intractable problems. From a 1,000-square-foot,
low-income, sustainable housing prototype to a proposal
to reinvent the role of ecology and infrastructure in New
York City, ARO’s work is materially sensuous, intellectually
rigorous, and socially engaging.

Architecture Research Office received the 2011 Cooper-

Hewitt National Design Award for Architecture, and the
American Academy of Arts and Letters honored the firm with
their 2010 Academy Award for Architecture. The firm’s work
has been exhibited widely and is in the permanent collections
of the Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago,
and the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.

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 Natural Material Story
Manufactured in Germany—where the history of FilzFelt’s
felt mill goes back 155 years—wool felt is one of the oldest
man-made textiles. To produce felt, raw wool undergoes
a wet felting process that involves matting, condensing
and pressing the fibers. Felting, the natural characteristic
of most animal fur to entangle and form matts, creates a
textile superior to synthetic fibers. Natural characteristics
include an inherent durability and resilience, excellent dye
ability producing highly saturated colors, and natural flame
resistance.

A high standard of dye processes in Germany and content

of 100% wool make this product biodegradable and earth
friendly. Felt also has a life cycle that is substantially longer
than other synthetic materials. And since wool felt is made of
sheep’s wool and viscous staple fibers, this means that after
the felt product has been used or become worn out, it can
be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner as it is
100% biodegradable.

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 “Intellectually engaging and
materially sensuous design
creates a resonance between
idea and form.”

– Architecture Research Office

6 Martha’s Vineyard House by Architecture Research Office 7

 Architecture Research
Office Collection
As workplaces become more open, enable multiple work
styles, and foster collaboration, controlling sound and
minimizing distractions becomes essential. The Architecture
Research Office Collection combines the natural beauty of
100% Wool Design Felt with repetition and pattern to create
acoustic architectural finishes that are elegant and easy
to install. Solutions for the wall, ceiling, and dividing space
allow acoustic and privacy customization by combining
standard components.

ARO Block, Plank, and Shingle evoke movement and are

quietly animated by light and shadow. Composed of 100%
Wool Design Felt mounted to high-performing acoustic
substrates, these wall systems enable variation across large
areas by combining standard modules. ARO Baffle provides
optimal acoustic absorption and creates subtle patterning
across the ceiling. And a reinterpretation of FilzFelt’s
standard Hanging Panels, ARO Array investigates stasis
and movement with transformational geometric patterns
that provide varying privacy. Combined with the Hanging
Panel Track System, the panels provide different degrees
of privacy and enable flexible space division with visual and
acoustic separation.

The ARO Collection is a 2015 Interior Design HiP

Performance Wonder award winner.

8 Custom ARO Plank 1 Bench in 170 Asche and Custom Red, ARO Array 4 Hanging Panels in 170 Asche, ARO Plank 3 in 170 Asche 9
 ARO Block
ARO Block is a series of modular acoustic tiles that add
sound control in a customizable, easy-to-install system.
Available in several standard shapes inspired by geometry,
spoke systems, and architectural shingles and cladding,
ARO Block tiles are 100% Wool Design Felt mounted to
an über-thin 10mm acoustic substrate. 62 wool felt color
options allow for endless configurations and one-of-a-
kind sound softening solutions that install wall-to-wall or in
small areas to add color, texture, and unique patterning.
ARO Block arose out of a need to resuse post-industrial
remnant material at FilzFelt’s manufacturing facility. This
material is generated from FilzFelt’s CNC cut products and
projects and tends to be narrow strips that require smaller
or modular products.

10 ARO Block 1 in 102 Kirsche,105 Rost, 116 Orange 11

 ARO Block 4.1 + 4.2 in 170 Asche, 175 Graphit, 274 Senf

12 ARO Block 3 in 272 Royal, 284 Himmel, 286 H’Blau, 423 Hellgrau ARO Block 2 in 378 Oliv at Caltech Sloan-Kellogg 13
 ARO Plank
ARO Plank is a wall system composed of modular planks
that assemble to create
standard patterns, yielding a
continuous, acoustically
absorptive architectural finish.
Modules that are composed of felt-covered acoustic
substrate and available in four standard configurations.
The planks install quickly and easily with FilzFelt’s Interlock
Mounting System and are available in 62 colors of 100%
Wool Design Felt.

The ARO Collection is an 2014 Interior Design HiP

Performance Wonder award winner.

14 ARO Plank 1 in 378 Oliv, 384 Lind, 713 Kiwi at Stanford University 15
 ARO Plank 4 in 170 Asche

16 ARO Plank 2 in 686 Enzian at The San Diego Union-Tribune ARO Plank 1 in 170 Asche + Custom Wood at Dropbox 17
18 ARO Plank 5 in 100 Wollweiß. 124 Gelb, 131 Honig 19
 ARO Shingle
ARO Shingle is a wall system composed of individual
courses that create a continuous, shingled effect when
patterned across a larger surface. ARO Shingle 1 has
two distinct tile profiles and the tile rows are offset to
create multiple pattern readings. The tiles overlap each
other vertically and horizontally and an acoustic substrate
backs each tile. Courses attach to vertical strapping with
FilzFelt’s Interlock Mounting System and choose from a
wide range of colors to create endless patterning with the
individual shingles.

20 ARO Shingle 1 in 170 Asche 21

22 ARO Shingle 1 in 150 Weiß. 170 Asche, 175 Graphit, 200 Natur, 300 Anthrazit 23
 ARO Baffle
ARO Baffle is a felt ceiling system that adds texture,
color, and acoustic performance to any space.
The system is composed of individual, acoustically
absorptive baffles with a folded shape or chamfered
edge that combine to create a continuous, open ceiling.
Individual baffles can be arranged at varied spacing
allowing the integration of lighting and mechanical
systems and are available in 62 colors.

24 ARO Baffle V2 in 312 Lagune 25

26 ARO Baffle 1 in 170 Asche 27
 ARO Array
As workplaces become more open, enable multiple work
styles, and foster collaboration, controlling sound and
minimizing distractions becomes essential. The Architecture
Research Office Collection combines the natural beauty of
100% Wool Design Felt with repetition and pattern to a series
of hanging panels designed to allow acoustic and privacy
customization.

A reinterpretation of FilzFelt’s standard Hanging Panels, ARO

Array investigates stasis and movement with transformational
geometric patterns that can be used individually or in series.
Combined with FilzFelt’s Hanging Panel Track System, the
panels provide different degrees of privacy and enable flexible
space division with visual and acoustic separation.

28 ARO Array 1 + ARO Array 3 in 170 Asche 29

 ARO Array 1 in 170 Asche

30 ARO Array 4 in 170 Asche 31

 ARO Block 1 ARO Block 2 ARO Block 3 ARO Block 4 ARO Shingle 1

ARO Plank 1 ARO Plank 2 ARO Plank 3 ARO Plank 4 ARO Plank 5

ARO Array 1 ARO Array 2 ARO Array 3 ARO Array 4 ARO Array 5

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© FilzFelt | [email protected] | filzfelt.com
02/19