Silence is the new luxury
For a long time, acoustics was treated largely as a technical concern—a sound quality to be addressed in home theaters, auditoriums, recording studios, and other spaces where sound was obviously an important, if not the central, element.
Quality of space
But all that is changing.
Today, acoustics is becoming part of the experience of architecture and interiors. It has become not just a quality of sound, but a quality of space.
Hotels, offices, malls, restaurants, institutional spaces, and even homes are increasingly judged not merely by how they look but by their noise levels as well—and with that, how one feels when occupying them. It is now a measure of the enjoyment of a space.
And perhaps this is because silence or even just relative quiet has become increasingly difficult to find.
In a highly urbanized environment, being able to carve out some quiet is a luxury that not many can enjoy. We live surrounded by sound: Traffic, construction, conversations, public announcements, music coming from establishments and devices, our neighbor’s weekend karaoke festival, and—need I add—the blaring sirens of politicians’ HPG escorts.
Noise has become such a normal part of urban life that it has embedded itself into the everyday environmental quality that we experience. It is so normalized that we sometimes stop noticing it.
Sensory performance
This is why sensory performance is becoming an increasingly important part of design. A beautiful room with a crowd that is constantly echoing and humming and where conversations from the next table can be heard, or where traffic noise penetrates the bedroom at night, are all areas that can be more pleasant had the acoustics performed well.
Most spaces do not require intensive acoustical treatment, as good acoustics does not equate to absolute silence.
The objective of acoustics is not to eliminate sound so you can hear a pin drop, but rather, to control unwanted sound so that what we want to listen to becomes clearer and more comfortable to hear.
In a restaurant, that would mean being able to converse with the person across the table without hearing every conversation around you.
In an office, it means being able to concentrate without being distracted by conversations happening workstations away. In a hotel room, it means not hearing the corridor, the elevator, the plumbing, the guest next door, or the footsteps in the room above you.
At home, it can simply mean being able to close a door to hide away and enjoy the silence, just like I am in my bedroom at this very moment—just me and the low, pleasant hum of the airconditioner.
Controlling noise
Most of noise control efforts come down to mainly three things.
First, keeping unwanted noise from entering a space. Second, preventing sound from traveling between spaces. Lastly, reducing excessive reverberation once sound is already inside.
Acoustical comfort does not necessarily require complicated solutions. Many of the decisions are basic architectural and interior design decisions made early in the project conceptualization.
Floors matter. Solidly installed wood flooring performs differently from hollow. Hollow spaces amplify the sound of footfall and can eventually create creaking noise. Underlays, acoustic mats and properly detailed floor assemblies can substantially reduce transmitted sound.
Doors and windows matter even more. Sound finds its way through small gaps. Modern acoustic doors and windows therefore rely not only on double-glazed panels, thicker glass, and solid materials, but also on perimeter seals, drop seals and properly detailed frames.
Walls need mass and separation. Where privacy is important, wall construction becomes critical. Solid masonry block walls, multiple layers of gypsum board, insulation within wall cavities, staggered or isolated framing and full-height partitions extending above the ceiling and onto the slab soffit above can improve sound separation between rooms.
Ceilings can do much of the quiet work invisibly. Acoustic mineral-fiber ceilings, perforated gypsum boards, wood-wool panels, thick structural slabs, acoustic plaster and micro-perforated timber systems can absorb sound while still becoming part of the architectural language.
Then there are the softer elements. Carpets, rugs, curtains, upholstered furniture, padded walls, and fabric-covered acoustic panels help reduce reflected sound and reverberation. Furniture placement, ceiling geometry and configuration of rooms can affect how sound behaves.
Valuable qualities
Perhaps all this concern with sound and noise represents a broader shift in how we think about luxury.
For many years, luxury in places was defined largely by what could be seen: Expensive finishes, beautiful furniture, dramatic lighting, and carefully composed spaces.
But some of the most valuable qualities of a space cannot be seen. Uncompromised privacy, temperature that is pleasant, good air circulation, natural daylight, and a low level of sound.
In our increasingly dense and noisy cities, perhaps one of the greatest luxuries architecture can offer is something remarkably simple: A space where we can wallow in the quiet.
The author is a principal architect of Asuncion-Berenguer Inc., a full-service architectural and interior design firm recognized for designing experiences and spaces that elevate everyday living through thoughtfully crafted environments. Contact her through [email protected] or @isabelbasuncion
