What is architectural acoustics?
Architectural acoustics unifies architecture, physics and engineering. It is the practice of designing sound within a physical structure to achieve clarity, symmetry, envelopment, vibrancy and warmth.
Factors influencing good architectural acoustics include the functions and audience of the space; the constraints and limitations of the structures; the nature of audible sound sources and their wavelengths within the space; the sizes and shapes of the space; and the material types, density, finishes and textures for the passage of sound waves.
At Trinity, our team of specialists deeply understand the ways in which the three disciplines of architecture, physics and engineering connect. We can help you to enhance desirable sound and manage unwanted sound throughout your space or structure.
Who needs architectural acoustics?
Have you ever been in an elegant concert hall, watching an amazing performance, only to notice that the sound seems disjointed from the actions? Or perhaps you have dined in a funky new restaurants serving beautiful food, only to find yourself shouting to be heard by your dinner companions?
Have you been in a large hall such as a convention centre or train station, where you found it nearly impossible to understand the important announcement? Maybe you were at a basketball game where the sounds of crowd cheering, shoes screeching and the scoreboard buzzer drove you mad?
These are some of the many unfortunate situations that can arise when architectural acoustics are not designed properly or implemented well. A building may be aesthetically pleasing, but disastrous to our ears and very costly to retrofit. That’s why it is essential consider architectural acoustics from day one of development planning and design.
Trinity has provided acoustics solutions for all sorts of scenarios such as the above, as well as buildings including:
- Hospitals and health buildings
- Office buildings and tenancy fit-outs
- Retail, commercial and industrial premises
- Auditoriums and concert halls
- Educational facilities
- Multi-purpose facilities
- Residential buildings
- Sports venues
Many government agencies and local authorities also require certification of acoustic designs and construction, where specific acoustic objectives must be met as a condition of development approval. The certification may take the form of a statement from a qualified acoustician, a certification from a registered practising engineer (RPEQ) or a statutory declaration.
Why Choose Trinity
- A diverse and balanced team with creativity, scientific expertise and practical skills
- Innovative solutions that integrate new ideas with proven approaches
- Broad international experience from Brisbane to New York to Dublin and beyond
Trinity capabilities
Trinity provides full acoustic services from concept design to practical completion, in a range of scenarios and settings.
Design
- Acoustic design, including acoustic isolation, room acoustics, and building systems noise and vibration control
- Design of room finishes to achieve acceptable internal acoustics
- Detailed design of acoustically sensitive spaces
- Recommendations for minimising structural-borne/ regenerated noise due to vibration
- Design of building envelopes and internal partitioning to achieve vertical and horizontal privacy
- Acoustic privacy for speech and music
External noise and vibration
- Analysis of external air or ground vibration effects and how to manage them
- Construction noise and vibration
- Permanent noise or vibration sources, e.g. traffic, rail, equipment
- Internal building vibration assessment
- Vibration pre-feasibility studies
Review and testing
- Comprehensive acoustic assessments covering every area of the acoustic environment
- Review of mechanical plant noise and design of control measures
- Acoustic testing onsite or in laboratory – walls, floors, windows, ventilation etc
Compliance and certification
- Green Star design and as-built acoustic certification
- Green Star assessment and reporting
- Building Code Australia compliance and certification
- Form 15 and form 16 building certification (Qld)
- Queensland Development Code MP4.4 certifications
Modelling and software
- Acoustic virtual reality – experience your project acoustics in real-time during the design phase
- Advanced 3D modelling of room acoustics and sound insulation
- Use of tools and software such as SoundPlan, CadnaA, Insul, ODEON and more
How we work
At Trinity, we tailor our approach to suit your needs, helping to ensure you achieve your sound objectives and meet end user requirements.
We work closely with architects, planners, developers and constructors, providing acoustic advice from project inception throughout the whole project cycle. We can help you to identify your internal noise level and sound quality goals, and then bring together the right people, products and approaches to achieve those objectives.
We add immense value by bringing insights based on our local experience over the past 30 years, alongside international knowledge and experience contributed by our sister companies, Cerami in New York and AWN Consulting in Dublin.
Contact us today to find out how we can help provide archite4ctural coustic solutions for your next project.
