A feature of building acoustics, specifically room acoustics, that often doesn’t receive the attention it should is the aesthetics of any treatment specified. Admittedly for some rooms and spaces the appearance is of minor importance; plant rooms for instance are not normally noted for the way the décor of the walls contrasts with the delicate shade of ‘Galvanised Grey’ of the bare ductwork!
For public buildings such as schools, theatres, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets the appearance can be of equal importance to the acoustics; there is little merit in having a beautifully decorated hotel lobby, for example, if the reverberation is such that speech intelligibility is seriously impaired. Acoustics consultants can easily get carried away designing the ‘perfect acoustic’ for a space and neglecting the fact that any treatments and furnishings must blend-in with the character of the space being treated and with the décor of other areas in the same building.
Design teams working on public and commercial building projects usually include an interior designer and frequently compromises have to be made between acoustic performance and aesthetic design. At NAS we work closely with an associate company (ycid@yasminchopin.com) that has particular expertise in designing interiors, particularly of commercial and public buildings, that work acoustically. This coordinated approach saves significant time in the design process and is proving popular with architects and designers generally.
