Designing for the Ears: the movement highlighting sound as an essential element of architectural design. Recife, Rio, and Fortaleza in 2025; new editions in 2026.
For many years, acoustics was seen as a detail—something solved “later,” when noise was already a problem, reverberation disrupted the experience, and the quality of the space was compromised. But 2025 marked an important shift for architecture and design in Brazil.
With the event “Designing for the Ears”, the country began discussing sound as part of the design from the very beginning, just like we do with light, layout, textures, or ergonomics. The initiative opened space for a cultural change: architects, designers, engineers, and industries are finally seeing sound not as a technical issue but as an opportunity to create more human experiences.
Promoted by Trisoft, Arkflex, and Ambi, with technical partnership from Audium, the event became a living movement of education and awareness, bringing together specialists and professionals around a shared purpose: creating environments where acoustic comfort is natural, sustainable, and part of the identity of the space.
In 2025, the event took place in Recife (July), Rio de Janeiro (November) and will soon arrive in Fortaleza (December), establishing itself as one of the most relevant national gatherings on acoustics applied to architecture. And the movement continues to grow: in 2026, new editions will reach Rio Grande do Norte, Maranhão, and Minas Gerais, along with other regions to be announced soon.
This article celebrates this journey and shows how Brazil is learning, at last, to design for the ears—and not just for the eyes.
- When sound enters the project, everything changes
Acoustics is invisible, but deeply perceptible. It defines:
- • whether a restaurant is pleasant or exhausting;
- • whether a hotel delivers rest or frustration;
- • whether an office supports productivity or drains it;
- • whether the experience is immersive or uncomfortable.
Designing for the Ears emerged from the need to place sound at the center of the conversation. It proposes that architects and designers see acoustics as a design element—not a problem, but a resource.
Sensory architecture understands that comfort is not only visual: it is something you feel. And sound is a fundamental part of that feeling.
- Three cities, one purpose: educate, raise awareness, transform
2025 was the year the event took root nationally. Each city contributed an important layer to the movement.
Recife — July 2025
The Recife edition opened the cycle with strength. The audience brought real challenges from the Northeast, such as:
- • urban noise impact;
- • high-reverberation bars and restaurants;
- • acoustic needs in schools and churches;
- • solutions for hybrid offices.
It was an edition of awakening. Many professionals shared that they had never attended an event that explained acoustics so clearly and so connected to local realities.
Rio de Janeiro — November 2025
Rio delivered technical depth and aesthetic sensitivity.
Key topics included:
- • sensory architecture;
- • sustainable materials applied to acoustics;
- • well-being in collective spaces;
- • noise reduction in hospitality and social environments.
were discussed intensely.
This edition attracted many hotel and commercial architecture professionals—reinforcing acoustics as a strategic differentiator.
Fortaleza — December 2025
Fortaleza closes the 2025 cycle with high expectations.
The edition doesn’t just end a year: it opens a new phase of national expansion for 2026.
Once again, the Northeast becomes the stage for transformation—but now with an even more mature and collaborative event.
- Lectures that united technique, sensitivity, and purpose
The event stood out for the quality of its speakers and the complementarity of perspectives.
Débora Barretto — The responsibility of architectural acoustics
One of Brazil’s top references, Débora discussed:
- • the role of architecture in acoustic well-being;
- • the importance of national norms;
- • the social responsibility of designing healthy spaces;
- • how sound perception affects health, focus, and coexistence.
Her talk was a milestone in awareness.
Maurício Cohab (Trisoft) — Acoustic sustainability and circular economy
Maurício presented:
- • the impact of recycled PET on acoustics;
- • the power of high-absorption, clean-fiber solutions;
- • how sustainable design can transform the sector;
- • the importance of circular economy in architectural materials.
He brought data, real applications, and a visionary perspective.
Jean Chimelo (Arkflex) — Corporate environments and human performance
Jean addressed:
- • how sound affects productivity;
- • flexible workspace trends;
- • acoustic challenges in hybrid offices;
- • the role of absorption in reducing stress and auditory fatigue.
A very practical and relatable talk.
Fernando (Ambi Acoustics) — Wooden acoustic panels
Fernando presented a refined view of wood applied to acoustic solutions.
He highlighted:
- • the natural beauty of wood panels;
- • how texture, relief, and design elevate acoustic performance;
- • the integration between technology and nature;
- • examples in corporate, commercial, and cultural spaces.
A talk that blended technique with sensibility.
- The round table: where technique meets reality
The round tables brought together local architects, designers, and specialists.
It was the most dynamic moment of each edition, with debates such as:
- • How to convince clients to invest in acoustics?
- • Why do so many public spaces still suffer from reverberation?
- • Which solutions work best in hot and humid climates?
- • How to balance aesthetics, cost, and performance?
The exchange of experiences transformed theory into practice—and practice into learning.
- Education and awareness: the true DNA of the movement
Designing for the Ears is not a technical event.
It is a movement.
It exists to:
- • democratize knowledge;
- • strengthen sensory thinking;
- • connect architecture and engineering;
- • demystify acoustics;
- • bring sustainability into the conversation;
- • train more conscious and human professionals.
It doesn’t provide ready-made answers—it inspires new questions.
And that is how movements grow.
- Looking ahead: 2026 will be a year of expansion
The success of the three editions in 2025 opened the path for natural expansion.
“In 2026, the movement expands to new Brazilian states—including Rio Grande do Norte, Maranhão, and Minas Gerais—and additional regions to be announced soon.”
The purpose is clear:
to bring knowledge where it truly transforms realities.
Sound is part of life—and should be part of design.
Designing for the Ears is not just an event.
It is a new way of thinking about space.
It is an invitation to design with more sensitivity.
A movement that grows because it resonates—with those who design, those who build, and those who inhabit spaces.
The architecture of the future is sensory, human, and sustainable.
And it begins with what we feel—including what we hear.
Want to participate in the next editions of Designing for the Ears?
Follow the updates and prepare for a new way of designing—more human, sensory, and sustainable.
