5.16 Creative Room Acoustics - Kent University 500 Seat Round Auditorium

Brief

As part of a large conference/educational building, Kent University proposed to build a 500 seat Auditorium. The requirement was to provide clear speech, minimising the need for a public address system. One of the main design challenges was fitting this space into a round building.

Design Scheme

The roundness of this building had to be considered carefully. Side wall reflectors placed at the correct angle were used to minimise sound focusing and enhance speech levels at the audience. Additionally, acoustic absorption was placed on the rear walls 12. The design of the ceiling was undertaken using mirror imaging methods, such that the ceiling angles reflected the spoken voice to the rear of the audience minimising the need for a sound reinforcement system.

The overall acoustic performance and the effects of design changes were all assessed by means of a detailed computer model of the space. This is a useful and sophisticated method of enabling design changes to be assessed and ensured that the maximum level of acoustic performance for the auditorium could be met.