L’Occitane LOSGEPFLEGT podcast booth amidst an open office

High speech intelligibility even in challenging acoustic monitoring environments.

French manufacturer L’Occitane, with 1,500 stores in over 85 countries, has been running the podcast and YouTube channel ‘Losgepflegt’ since 2021. To produce the content in-house we have created the L’Occitane LOSGEPFLEGT podcast booth in Düsseldorf for up to four people.

What was special about our podcast booth was that an entirely new space had to be created amidst an open office, which needed to be acoustically isolated from the daily office noises. Additionally, it should visually blend into the premises without standing out as an outsider

Anja and Julia I L’Occitane podcast LOSGEPFLEGT

Definition of the necessary architectural and room acoustic requirements.

After a joint inspection and acoustic measurements, we defined the necessary architectural and room acoustic requirements. This was as part of an overall acoustic planning. This allowed us to establish an optimal geometry for the space to be created. The sound insulation values of the partition wall and soundproof door were determined not only based on the acoustic optimum but also considering budget and usage. Unlike other audio productions, occasionally noticeable external noises are not a decisive factor for podcast productions. Instead, these can be interpreted as an expression of an authentic production environment. However, effective soundproofing is still essential to enable professional production and maintain focus on the content.

L’Occitane LOSGEPFLEGT podcast booth I first geometric ideas

The specific acoustic challenge of our project was to completely isolate the sounds from the office spaces, such as those from the copy machine, conversations, etc., from entering the podcast booth.

Anja and Julia I L’Occitane podcast LOSGEPFLEGT

Anja and Julia I L’Occitane podcast LOSGEPFLEGT

The prerequisite for a natural sound of recorded voices.

Effective room acoustic design is a prerequisite for a natural sound of recorded voices and ensures high speech intelligibility for the listener, even in challenging acoustic listening environments (e.g., in a car). At L’Occitane, we utilized high-quality wall-mounted and ceiling-hung absorbers of type A115 to prevent disruptive reflections and achieve a professional acoustic environment.

Content creators are increasingly aware that good sound leads to a measurably longer listening duration. L’Occitane is now at the forefront of this!

Markus Bertram I Owner and Managing Director mbakustik GmbH

The consultation and collaborative planning with mbakustik were straightforward, professional, and, above all, tailored to our needs and on par. This was precisely because we were offered only what was necessary and not more than that. Other service providers had provided offers for recording booths that far exceeded our requirements for a podcast booth. They even created the entire plan for the drywall installers and electricians, ensuring a seamless approach.

Anja and Julia I L’Occitane podcast LOSGEPFLEGT