Acoustical Design

When considering the design concept of a new or renovated space, acoustics play a very important role. Whether designing for the aging population, a medical facility, a home or an office building, the acoustics can have a positive or negative effect on the occupants. The articles we have chosen for this months edition focus on creating the optimal acoustical environment for a variety of age groups and facilities.

Tish Lewis and the Currier Design Team

Four acoustic terms you need to be familiar with

Reverberation
Reflections
Absorption - Noise Reduction Coefficient
Isolation – Sound Transmission Class (STC)
Learn more about these terms and how they affect a space. See complete article.

A New Way to Think About Room Acoustics

Some basic overall questions about the acoustical design of a room include: how much will it cost, what will it look like, how much better is it going to sound? This article offers helpful information when considering three aspects: Aesthetics, Budget, and Sonic Benefit.
See complete article.

Acoustics: Absorb, Block and Cover

How do you know if a space has poor acoustics? Employees easily overhear conversations and take comments out of context. Bosses unintentionally leak confidential business agreements. Doctors in an adjacent room are overheard discussing another patient’s treatment. Students’ scores dip. Patrons shout across the table during dinner.  This article explores the ABCs of acoustics (absorb, block and cover). See complete article.

Achieving Effective Acoustics

Most evaluations of the acoustic environment focus only on the quantity, or volume, of sound. In so doing, noise control strategies have been pursued in the “Quest for Silence” – the notion that good acoustics are achieved when the sound levels in a space are as low as possible, with zero being the best is a flawed assumption.......  This article explores blocking, covering and reducing noise depending on the desired result and environment. See complete article.