ACOUSTICAL DESIGN OF HALLS

AND STUDIOS

BUILDING SCIENCES II

Anqa Parvez
May 2021

University of Kashmir
School of Architecture
ACOUSTICAL DESIGN OF HALLS
In architecture, a hall is a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and
walls. A hall can be classified into many kinds depending upon the
function taking place inside it.
As far as acoustics are concerned, defects observed in large halls
include:
 Excessive Reverberation – Caused by insufficient absorption.

 Echoes – Caused by unsuitable shape or remote reflecting

surfaces.
  Sound Foci – Formed by concave reflecting surfaces.
 Dead spots – Formed by irregular reflection of sound.

 Insufficient Sound Volime – Caused by lack of reflection or

excessive absorption.
 Coloring of Sound Quality – Caused by selective absorption or
uncontrolled resonance.
 High Background Noise – Caused by poor sound insulation or
noisy air conditioning system or poor door and window fittings.
Taking these defects into consideration, following conditions should
prevail for good acoustical properties in a hall:
 Sound source should be of adequate intensity, sound amplifiers
must be installed if necessary.
 Sound foci and dead spots should be avoided, by avoiding
curvilinear interiors and using sound diffusers to spread sound
evenly.
 Boundary surfaces should be designed to minimize echo and to
have desired reverberation time by having absorbents installed.
 The number of absorption units required to give desired
reverberation is calculated by Sabine’s formula:
A1 = A – A2,
where A = number of absorption units, A 1 = quantity of absorption,
A2 = quantity of existing absorption.

 Outside noise should be properly avoided by applying good

insulation materials.
 Greater loss of sound and frequency must be avoided by adjusting
absorbents to give optimum reverberation and using reflective
surfaces about the source of sound, wherever deemed essential.

So, for the design of halls, by considering the defects and properties,
the principles and factors for good acoustical conditions include:
 Site Planning and Landscaping -
Noise Survey of the site is important and also its location should
be at a less disturbing place, otherwise sound treatment would be
expensive. Orientation and placement of air conditioning and
openings should be arranged to reduce noise levels within the hall.
 Dimensions (Size) –
Size should be in accordance with the number of audience
required and in proportion to the generated sound intensity, i.e. it
should have enough space for sound to properly propagate
throughout the space. Floor area should be calculated by taking
0.6 to 0.9 sqm per person. Height is determined by considering
ventilation, presence of balcony and type of performance.
 Shape –
Levels of reverberation, echo and other sound defects depend
upon the shape of the hall. A fan shaped floor plan is preferred
with side walls not more than 100 degrees with the curtain line.
 Also, for better vision and synchronization of sound, farthest seat
should not exceed 23 meters from curtain line.

 Treatment of interior surfaces –

Ceilings and walls should provide favourable reflection of sound in
good acoustics design. Rear walls should be either flat or convex
to avoid sound foci and dead spots. Sound absorbers can be
provided wherever deemed necessary.
 Seats and seating arrangement –
Arrangement of seats is preferred to be in concentric arcs of
circles, with width of seats between 45 to 56 cm. The back to back
distance of chairs in successive row of seats should be between
45 to 106 cm, and these seats should have to be raised over
preceding ones for better sound and vision.
Where balcony is provided, its projection should not be more than
twice the free height of opening of balcony recess. If balconies are
too deep, sound shadow may occur in the seats present
underneath, which can be rectified by providing sound reflectors.
ACOUSTICAL DESIGN OF STUDIO
Studio is a big room or hall where sound is picked up by a microphone
and is either recorded or broadcast. It includes radio broadcasting
stations, television station and sound-recording studio.

In a studio, perfect sound proofing is necessary, along with having

variable reverberation time, due to variable pitch and frequency of sound
produced there. In order to achieve good acoustic design –

 The studio walls should be of rigid construction to properly insulate

and exclude exterior noise.
 The studio should be rectangular in plan with height, breadth and
length proportions a 2:3:5. Ceiling is recommended to be flat.
 Outer surfaces of the walls should be sound reflecting surfaces,
while the interior surface should be sound absorptive.
 Noise level should be maintained down to 20 to 30 db.
 Openings should eb minimum to avoid exterior noise.
 Air conditioning machinery should be placed in a way that it is
isolated and the noise produced is completely insulated.
 Echo and near echoes should be eliminated in a studio.
 To control reverberation rate, heavy draperies and curtains should
be used.
 To achieve variable reverberation time, hinged panels or shutters
can be used, with one surface of rotatable panel of absorptive
material and the other one of reflective material, and also by
providing rotatable cylinders in the ceiling of the studio. Each
cylinder has three sectors provided with three different absorptive
materials.
 If there are more than on studio is a building, the placement should
be in a way that both studios lie in the same floor. In no case
should the two studios be above one another, a gap of at least one
floor should be maintained between.