With many schools today, the lack of space together with growing program demands creates many dilemmas. You may need to convert your school gymnasium into a multi-purpose facility, to act as an auditorium as well as gymnasium. This will involve some acoustical challenges, as each of these functions has quite different requirements in sound transmission properties.

This guide will help you understand more about the acoustical requirements when setting up a multipurpose school auditorium.

Understanding Acoustical Criteria

The majority of existing school gyms were not originally designed with a great deal of consideration for their acoustical properties, as they were intended for the sole use of sporting activity.

The multi-purpose school auditorium will need to "wear many hats", and a compromise in acoustics will be necessary. It will need to accommodate musical concerts, dramatic performances, graduation events, meetings and assemblies and also successfully function as the school gymnasium and sporting venue.

The sound must be evenly distributed throughout the multi-purpose auditorium, at sufficient volume and free from reverberation.

The acoustics need to suit musical performances and speech transmission, without the interference of background noise.

Achieving An Excellent Compromise

Naturally, budget constraints will prevent most schools from going ahead and getting a complete gym overhaul. Fortunately, placing acoustically absorbent materials on the interior surfaces of walls and ceiling is a workable and efficient solution.

Creating a desirable acoustical environment relies on specialised knowledge concerned with

• The science of sound transmission

• The properties of different materials in relation to sound absorption and reflection

• The measuring of sound reverberation and distribution

Creating the best acoustical environment involves a great deal more than simply mounting some sound absorbing materials on the walls. Many factors include room shape, type and finish of material; optimum placement, as well as aesthetic appearance, need to be considered.

Understanding the Work of an Acoustic Engineer

Obviously the technical aspects are beyond the realm of school administrators and require the skills and expertise of a qualified acoustic engineer. Their professional assistance will design an individual solution for your gymnasium. It will involve taking the acoustical measurements of the auditorium area and then recommending the appropriate sound absorbing materials and optimum arrangements for them.

A multi-purpose auditorium can be a perfect solution for your school, allowing you to offer a more diverse range of programs without the need for a costly new building. Luckily, with the information in this guide you will now know that the acoustics do not have to be compromised and you can rest assured that the sound quality will be suitable.

For more information and advice, contact a business such as Audiometric & Acoustic Services.