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Room acoustics – more than just numbers
Open office areas have become an integral part of the design of new working environments. The office stands for exchange, collaboration, integration and identity with the company. Many hard and soft factors are important in the design of such a place. Our specialty, room acoustics, is part of the feel-good factor of a room – a soft factor.
Room acoustics deals with the propagation of sound in rooms and is mainly measured using the reverberation time (1). In addition to the reverberation time, speech propagation and speech intelligibility also play a decisive role. Standards, guidelines and calculation bases help with the planning of optimal acoustic equipment.
Due to the complexity of modern rooms, however, it is not enough to simply rely on mathematical figures when planning room acoustics. Many interrelated factors affect the acoustics of the room and therefore require not just sound-absorbing materials, but specialist know-how:
Despite a sound report from an acoustics engineering firm confirming that the existing room acoustics equipment complied with the recommended reverberation times, the employees were complaining about noise pollution. The company therefore approached us and wanted to make use of our expertise to find a solution.
First, we inspected and analyzed the noise report – with the permission of the engineering firm. As this was flawless in purely mathematical terms, we decided to make an on-site appointment to feel the problem for ourselves. It quickly became clear where the sticking points were. In her acoustic concept, our interior designer focused on covering the reflective surfaces of the walls and increasing the diffusivity (2).
On the day of the installation work, we already received a lot of positive feedback from the employees regarding the improvement in room acoustics. You can see the long-term feedback in the 2nd picture.
We look forward to using our expertise to optimize the room acoustics in other existing areas of this company.
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(1) Reverberation time: The reverberation time describes the duration of a sound event until it decays in the room. In offices, this time should be significantly less than 1 second.
(2) Diffusivity: Diffusivity describes how the sound is dispersed in a room.
The final boss: acoustics in open-plan offices!
The underestimated importance of room acoustics – Part 5
In the modern working world, open-plan offices and New Work spaces are becoming increasingly common. In addition to the major demands of digitalization and new working methods that the future office brings with it, the issue of space plays a central role in restructuring.
Challenges in open-plan offices: Communication vs. concentration
Two opposing needs collide in open-plan offices: lively communication and concentrated individual work. These acoustic sound environments require a harmonious balance. Conversations between employees who need peace and quiet and those who need to exchange ideas can cause tension. It is important to design spaces that both promote communication and support concentration – a challenge that requires innovative solutions in room acoustics.
Effect of noise on health and performance
The profound effects of noise on our bodies and cognitive performance have already been described in Part 1 of this series of articles. An acoustically optimized working environment offers far more than just comfort. It not only increases satisfaction in the workplace, but also leads to noticeably greater precision in the completion of tasks and therefore to a lower error rate. Good room acoustics also help to reduce stress hormone levels. These findings underline the undeniable need for balanced acoustics, especially in open-plan offices and modern New Work spaces. Here, a well thought-out acoustic concept is a key factor for a productive and healthy working environment.
Designing New Work spaces: Colors and shapes as acoustic elements
Inspiration and modern design approaches are at the heart of the New Work concept. Colors surround us all the time and lend our surroundings expressiveness. Through the targeted use of color, we can emphasize the potential uses of a space, provide creative impetus and increase the well-being of users. Colors also enable intuitive orientation through visual lines and zoning, while at the same time subtly communicating the corporate identity. The design of New Work spaces aims to promote intuitive use, with colors and shapes serving as important design elements. It is particularly important to emphasize that acoustic elements are far more than just functional objects in this context. They can pick up on the architectural style of a space and develop it further, making them an integral part of the overall design and actively shaping the aesthetics of the space.
Back to room acoustics: so how do we equip an acoustically complex area?
The new standard: ISO 22955 for acoustic planning
In room acoustics, ISO 22955 has established itself as a new standard that deals specifically with the challenges of open-plan offices and similar spaces. Although this standard is currently only available in French and English, it is already being used in practice as it precisely addresses the needs of such spaces.
Acoustic elements: Focus on ceilings, walls and furniture
As the largest reflective surface, the ceiling plays a key role in acoustic design, especially in open-plan offices. However, over-attenuation can be counterproductive and lead to overly clear acoustics in which even quiet keyboard typing is perceived as disturbing (in Part 2 an illustrative example of this was given). To counter this problem, we often use ceiling baffles for open-plan areas. These elements promote the diffusivity of sound and act as breakwaters for speech noise, and they are also well suited to concrete core-activated ceilings.
The wall surfaces act as an ideal counterpart to the ceiling by providing pleasant basic attenuation and preventing unpleasant flutter echoes caused by horizontal sound fields. The third important component is the use of shielding elements that effectively reduce direct sound at the workplace. These elements not only contribute to acoustic optimization, but also support the zoning and structuring of the room, which also leads to visual calming. It is important to understand that speech sound that spreads in a spherical shape should also be treated three-dimensionally. You can find out more about this topic in Part 4.
Furniture is an often underestimated aspect of room acoustics. Although it cannot create a perfect acoustic environment on its own, it contributes significantly to the diffusion of sound. It plays a decisive role in strategic room planning. When arranging workstations, care should be taken to place closely cooperating teams in close proximity to each other, while teams with little need for interaction should be spatially separated. This well thought-out placement not only optimizes walking distances, it also reduces potential distractions caused by movement in the room. In addition, furniture fulfills important functions such as visual screening and zoning, which contributes significantly to the well-being of employees. These seemingly soft factors are crucial for holistic room planning and form an integral part of the overall acoustic concept. Careful selection and positioning of furniture can therefore significantly improve not only the functionality but also the acoustic quality of an open-plan office.
Holistic project planning for optimal working environments
The success of modern working environments depends to a large extent on well thought-out room acoustics, which should be included in the planning right from the start. Holistic project planning that takes acoustic aspects into account at an early stage is the key to achieving optimum results. Both for new buildings and when redesigning existing rooms. Without careful acoustic design, open office concepts cannot develop their full potential. New Work and Open Office thrive on the individuality of the spaces, which are tailored to the specific needs of the users. In order to do justice to the complex sound environments in these modern working environments, we rely on sound expertise and a wide range of design options. This holistic approach enables us to create workspaces that are not only functional and acoustically balanced, but also promote inspiration and well-being – the basis for productive and satisfied work in the world of New Work.
A room is more than just four walls. It is a network of many individual factors and details that need to flow together seamlessly. The fusion of room acoustics, interior, interior design and functionality can be the basis for an inspiring place. This is not only a place for productivity, but also for communication, collaboration and shared inspiration. A space that promotes well-being is more than the sum of its parts. It is a place where people develop, ideas flow and community is created.
There is no “one fits all” concept. Every room needs to be considered differently due to its geometry, materials and usage characteristics. But every company also has its own individual requirements. Each space is reassessed individually and adapted to the respective requirements. Only when all the details such as space planning, room acoustics, appearance and functionality come together does the room find its tone and become a lively place for collaboration.
Courage to change: defeating the acoustic boss together
Have the courage to change, the courage to create and the courage to approach your project holistically. We from apn® are at your side. With our comprehensive acoustic know-how, sound advice and careful planning, we will accompany you from the initial idea to the final implementation. Together, we’ll turn even the acoustical boss of an open-plan office into child’s play.
WELLENBRECHER: Shaping the space
Our joint event with Sedus and Gabriel was a complete success. The spectacular backdrop of the IDX22 provided the stage for our event “WELLENBRECHER: Shaping the room” yesterday, Wednesday.
In addition to Gabriel’s great location, our highlight was the Sedus product sneak preview. The furniture will only be officially presented at ORGATEC in Cologne and is already whetting our appetite for more. We from apn® shared our know-how with the participants with presentations by Mirko Bruhn, Hinnerk Brüne and Caroline von Zimmermann on the topics of hearing, sound waves and room acoustics solutions. Delicious snacks and refreshing drinks rounded off the afternoon.
Many thanks to all participants for this afternoon full of exciting insights and inspiring conversations!
OFFICE+OBJECT
The recently published anthology OFFICE+OBJEKT presents 44 outstanding projects for offices and the like. Our planning office apn® concepts projects is also represented with the conversion of the university library of the West Coast University of Applied Sciences. In collaboration with stücker Büroeinrichtungen and Steelcase, we transformed the library into a modern, smart workspace.
“For the West Coast University of Applied Sciences, it was particularly important to us to design the rooms and spaces in such a way that the students are equipped for the new ways of working so that they can successfully enter the world of work. Because this is exactly where our skilled workers of tomorrow learn and grow. For us, one thing is certain: No New Work without New Education,” emphasizes our captain.
The OFFICE+OBJEKT anthology is now available. Here you can see the first impressions of the project.
Acoustics? We do that with movable walls!
The underestimated importance of room acoustics – Part 4
“A few partitions are enough to improve the acoustics.” You often hear this sentence when it comes to optimizing room acoustics. There are numerous suppliers of movable walls on the internet and your trusted office furniture store also has a whole range of them on offer. Partitions can be useful for creating zones and providing visual screening, as visual distractions can also disrupt concentration. But from an acoustic point of view, partitions alone are not enough. This is a very simplistic approach and does not do justice to the complex issue of room acoustics.
Diverse sound sources in the office
There are many sources of noise in an office: Conversations, telephone noises, keyboard clatter and other sounds. In addition, the sound sources move and change as we move around the room and don’t sit still at our desk. For example, we walk over to our colleagues to discuss something. The next moment, a phone call is being made in another corner of the room. Walking routes are sometimes more and sometimes less frequented. Partitions alone cannot fully cover these diverse and dynamic sound sources.
Subjective perception of room acoustics
Above all, room acoustics are one thing: subjective. Hearing is a sense that we cannot switch off; everyone finds sounds and conversations more or less disturbing. What is pleasant for one person may be disturbing for another. Room acoustics are therefore a key factor in well-being and are not just judged purely on the basis of measured values, but are a combination of many factors. If we feel very comfortable in a room, we will behave accordingly. It is therefore important to carry out comprehensive acoustic planning that takes into account the needs of all users.
Influence of room geometry and materials
The room geometry and the materials used also have a major influence on the acoustics in the room. Particularly in modern concrete buildings with hard floors and large window fronts, partition walls alone cannot compensate for the reflective surfaces. In addition, the requirements vary greatly depending on the intended use.
Sound propagation in detail
Let’s take a closer look at sound propagation: sound travels in three dimensions and can bend around obstacles and penetrate through materials. Although partitions can block direct sound between two points, they do not prevent sound from propagating along other paths. In offices, speech is the biggest source of distraction. This is why we focus our attention in room acoustics on the frequency ranges relevant to speech. Speech sound does not propagate linearly, but spherically from the speaker. This means that the sound is reflected first from the ceiling – the largest reflective surface in the room. Speech sound is also reflected from the walls and from reverberant furniture or obstacles. Sound therefore spreads in three dimensions and must therefore also be captured in three dimensions.
Measures to improve the room acoustics
In order to capture the three-dimensional propagation of sound, we need balanced basic damping across the ceiling and walls. Room division measures create acoustic boundaries and zoning. Partitions and table tops are ideal for attenuating sound directly at the workplace. The right height is particularly important here.
In ISO 22955, various measurement set-ups for room acoustic measures were tested and the best results for a balanced acoustic atmosphere were achieved with three-dimensional occupancy. This means: with measures on the ceiling, the wall and the room. It should be noted that this is not about full-surface coverage, but about targeted measures that result in a harmonious mixture of attenuation, diffusivity and shielding. For example, ceiling absorbers and corresponding shielding and zoning elements are installed above the workstation, with additional wall elements at ear height for workstations close to walls. However, over-attenuation should be avoided at all costs. We reported on an illustrative example in Part 2 of this series of articles.
In smaller offices, room partitioning measures play a lesser role, with the ceiling and walls taking center stage. In narrow rooms in particular, wall coverage is extremely important, as otherwise horizontal sound fields create an annoying flutter echo.
Conclusion: Holistic three-dimensional acoustic planning
The topic is complex and must be considered as such for an optimal result. Partition walls alone are too one-dimensional and cannot acoustically optimize the room acoustics in their complexity. Half-hearted planning can therefore lead to expensive revitalization costs. Holistic acoustic planning includes not only movable walls, but also other measures such as ceiling panels, baffles, wall absorbers, special room dividing elements, screening or curtains. These products can help to absorb sound or provide diffusion, creating a more pleasant and productive working environment. It is important to consider the specific requirements and circumstances of each room and develop a customized solution.
Partitions can be part of the solution, but they cannot optimize a room acoustically as a whole, because due to
- Various sound sources
- Room geometry and materials
- Sound propagation
- human perception
…room acoustics require holistic planning.
We are happy to advise you – holistically, comprehensively and three-dimensionally.
New Work needs New Education
New Education and New Work: shaping the future together
The world of work is changing rapidly and the education system must also adapt to this change. “New Education” is the key to fully exploiting the opportunities of hybrid working and learning and forming a strong partnership with “New Work”. Now is the time to actively shape the future of education and work and seize the opportunities of this new era.
Why New Education?
“New Education” goes beyond traditional educational approaches and promotes the development of skills that are essential in the modern working world. These include digital skills, critical thinking and the ability to collaborate in (virtual) teams. These new educational approaches not only support professional development, but also lifelong learning, which is becoming increasingly important in a constantly changing world of work.
The synergy of New Education and New Work
“New Education” and “New Work” are not separate concepts, but complement each other. While “New Education” ensures that learners acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to be successful in the new world of work, “New Work” promotes flexible working models and a healthy work-life balance. Together, they create a working and learning environment that is not only efficient, but also sustainable and fulfilling.
Actively shaping the future
It is up to us to actively shape the future of education and work. By integrating the principles of “New Education” and “New Work” into our everyday lives, we can promote a culture of continuous learning and innovation. Let’s seize the opportunities of this new era to create a better, more flexible and inclusive world of work.