Abstract:
Five case studies of applications of scale model impulse response tests on actual building projects will be presented to illustrate the ways that these methods can become an integrated part of the architectural design process. Case study 1 explores the acoustical and architectural design for the basic shape of a vaulted ceiling in a small auditorium. Case study 2 examines the refinement of balcony details in an 1800-seat performing arts facility. Case study 3 examines the changing of a small portion of the rear wall of an historic concert hall. Case study 4 examines the acoustical effects of sound propagation through an acoustically transparent lattice in a large concert hall. Case study 5 examines propagation of noise into a community from a partially enclosed, open-air firing range. The use of the impulse response tests in each of these instances provided the design team with a mechanism to enhance the understanding of the team members of the acoustical phenomena in question. The results of these studies point to the need for additional research to build a more direct link between the complex impulse responses heard in actual rooms and the acoustical qualities of the rooms. [Work supported by NSF.]