Hair Salon as Sound Laboratory

Unknown Works is reimagining the hair salon in London as an acoustic experience space where haircuts, music and social interaction intertwine. In collaboration with salon owner John Paul Scott, the team transformed the Salt Salon near Borough Market into a hybrid space that combines a studio, a club and a meeting place. The architects' close connection to music was the starting point. Sound is not just background noise; it is a defining element of identity. This approach shapes the concept: the salon becomes a stage for events, including album launches, podcasts and parties. It is only through this programmatic openness that the architecture acquires its true significance. 

Video © Henry Woide 

The project occupies three floors of a Victorian grain store. The ground floor comprises a listening and event space featuring bespoke speakers, modular furniture and a mobile bar that can be used as a DJ booth or reception area. Above this is the haircutting room, while the top floor is a deliberately understated area for colour treatments. Historical features such as beams and trapdoors remain visible, complemented by new additions such as a translucent glass element that connects the levels visually. 

A large, centrally positioned mirror defines the colouring area. © Henry Woide  

The acoustic design is central to the project. Acoustic panels between the ceiling beams, asymmetrical shapes and furniture made from recycled foam all help to improve the acoustics. The layout also plays a role: An acoustic transition is created from the noisy market via a quiet stairwell into the salon. The music changes throughout the day, influencing the atmosphere and rhythm, while the architecture takes a back seat. 

… to the cold-formed metal panels of the wall unit. 
© Unknown Works 

Particular attention was paid to the loudspeakers. Their enclosures are made of galvanised steel sourced from recycled shelving that was originally used in the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Science Museum. The metal fronts were developed in close collaboration with sound specialists at Friendly Pressure. The result is a hybrid system in which the acoustic fine-tuning takes place inside the wooden enclosures and 3D-printed horn structures, while the metal surface forms the striking outer shell. The metal was gradually shaped using incremental sheet metal forming via a CNC-controlled mandrel. The result is robust yet deliberately contrasts with the historic fabric. 
 
Read more in Detail 4.2026 and in our Detail Inspiration database.