Architects and Acousticians: are they able to understand each other?

Alicia Muckenhirn

Good architectural projects need a suitable understanding between the various members of the design team. But can really people as different as an architect and an acoustician reach such an understanding? One is mainly concerned with the appearance of the building (and what it costs too!), while the other one usually happens to be concerned with plenty of non visible items. Does it mean that as long as it does not interfere with the architect’s vision of space, it’s acceptable? Each member has a goal to reach on the project. And more since regulations and labels are increasingly discerning. So the point is: does the architect really understand and integrate the acoustic elements the acoustician gives to him? And, inversely, does the acoustician know the impact of his recommendations on the architect’s work? Through her professional experience as an acoustic engineer and her education as an architect, the author submits in this paper a few illustrations of those points.

Domaines: Acoustique [physics.class-ph]

Alicia Muckenhirn. Architects and Acousticians: are they able to understand each other?. Acoustics 2012, Apr 2012, Nantes, France. ⟨hal-00811130⟩