Blue Hill at Stone Barns combines a working farm, restaurant, and educational center in a collection of restored barns that are part of the Rockefeller family estate.

Dining rooms can be noisy places, thanks to the clatter of dishes and cutlery, numerous hard surfaces, and raised voices. This would have been especially problematic at Blue Hill, where the former barn's tall, cavernous ceilings could catch noise and cause reverberation. But Shen Milsom & Wilke, working closely with Asfour Guzy Architects, specified that the ceiling vaults within the spacious main dining room and the smaller private dining room feature a seamless, plaster-look finish called BASWAphon. Applied in curved bays between the structural trusses, BASWAphon's insulated backing and tiny pores absorb sound, while its monolithic finish is suited to the restaurant's rustic interior.

To keep the outdoor terrace serene, the rooftop mechanical equipment was carefully sized and located as far from the seating area as possible. Steps were also taken to attenuate any unavoidable noise from the air handling systems. Guests will be able to hear the crickets instead of the sounds of the exhaust fans.