At CBRE relocated Singapore city-centre office, Simon Long, senior director of client technology at CBRE, envisioned a workplace where wellbeing and focus take precedence, shaping the atmosphere through the integration of Moodsonic’s innovative soundscaping technology.
Long aspired to implement a fully networked audio system; however, budget and time constraints initially raised questions around feasibility. Despite these challenges, his vision was successfully achieved with the help of Valeo Technology, a specialist provider of wellbeing-led technologies. They led the design and delivery of the Moodsonic solution, working with local installation partner Esco and Hewshott consultants. This collaboration led to in-depth discussions with Bluesound Professional, who together designed a tailored audio system using 120 BCS300 PoE speakers, mostly used in pendant configuration with the addition of the pendant kit.
The system now delivers coverage across the office, supporting 14 distinct zones—including front-of-house and back-of-house areas, focus rooms, wellness spaces, quiet zones, bathrooms, and café areas—creating a cohesive sound environment throughout the workplace.
Marcus Rose, owner and director at Valeo Technology, said: “It sounded amazing from the first moment we turned the speakers on—crystal clear. From the moment employees step out of the lifts, soundscaping is immediately present, setting the tone for the workplace experience.”
The space is intentionally immersive, guiding movement and behaviour through sound as much as through architecture and visual design. The office has been deliberately split into distinct sections to support different ways of working, communicating, and interacting, encouraging choice and autonomy rather than simply sitting at a desk all day.
Rose added: “The sound solution delivered exactly what the workplace required: flexibility, scalability, and a future-proofed approach to audio.”
Should the office layout evolve over time, zones can be easily reconfigured by decoupling and regrouping speakers through BluOS software. The decentralised nature of the system also ensures ease of control, allowing each speaker to be individually configured to suit the needs of different spaces or occupants.
While Moodsonic soundscaping operates as the default setting throughout the office, the system also allows for flexibility in use. For example, if teams want to change the music in certain areas on a Friday afternoon, they can temporarily switch to their preferred streaming service via the BluOS app and just as easily revert to Moodsonic when required.
By analysing multiple data sets including occupancy sensors, air quality, lighting levels, and Moodsonic acoustic data, the team can gain a real-time understanding of how the office is performing at any given moment. If an area is consistently underutilised, is it too bright, too loud, or otherwise uncomfortable? Are focus rooms and meeting spaces being used as intended, or is there a need to reconfigure layouts or provide additional rooms? This data-led approach enables continuous optimisation of the workplace environment.
As organisations look to encourage people back into the office, experience has become critical. Sound plays a major role in this, shaping mood, behaviour, and comfort in ways that are often subconscious yet deeply impactful.
The outcome at CBRE won the Inavate APAC Award 2025 Corporate Project category and Rose said: “It’s a real-world blueprint for how scalable, smart audio and intelligent soundscaping can elevate these types of buildings.”
Reflecting on the project delivery, he concluded: “Despite the tight deadline and limited budget, everyone involved came together to deliver an amazing multi-zone Moodsonic soundscaping experience powered by Bluesound Professional speakers. It’s been truly wonderful.”