Education

Good acoustic design is fundamental to the success of buildings for education.  The correct acoustic conditions are a critical part of providing an appropriate and positive environment conducive to learning and teaching.

The acoustic design of the building requires careful consideration of:

  • Site location and layout to minimise the potential impact of existing noise sources on the development and noise from the development affecting nearby noise sensitive receivers;
  • Internal ambient noise levels, due to external sources (including rain noise) and ventilation plant serving a space, to provide appropriate conditions for speech intelligibility, work requiring concentration, recording music and performing arts;
  • Internal finishes and room shape to provide appropriate conditions for clear communication of speech and, music performance and teaching.
  • Internal sound insulation, to limit the potential impact between different education activities occurring at the same time;

A small example of relevant projects, which AEC has worked on, include:

  • Project SCaN (Student Centre & School of Nursing), Manchester University – New buildings for student and teaching accommodation, including 1000-seater lecture theatre capable of being sub-divided;
  • Redmonds Building – Liverpool John Moors University – New building with central atrium, there arge lecture theatres, TV studio, radio studio, seminar rooms and offices;
  • LICA Building – University of Lancaster – BREEAM outstanding arts building with seminar rooms, imagination lab, music rooms and multi-use hall;
  • All Saints West Building, Manchester Metropolitan University – New School of Law building, including teaching rooms, adjacent to busy main roads;
  • Darlington College – New Teaching Building for a wide variety of courses, including Media Studies
  • Longley Park , Sheffield – New Teaching Building including Music and Drama Practice Rooms
  • Macclesfield College – New Building for a wide variety of courses, including Workshops
  • Performing Arts Building , Faculty of Health & Business Building, and Department of Technology Building,
  • UCLan – New Buildings for a variety of courses