Acoustic Design
Acoustic Quality
The influence of architecture and the perception of quality and comfort are now widely recognized as being a multisensory experience. In most modern developments, the sense of acoustic quality will be key to the success of the development.
Performing art spaces require a specific acoustics: controlled for theatres to ensure the intelligibility of speech, reverberant for concert halls to emphasize the music, and somewhere in between the two for operas to enjoy the music whilst understanding the lyrics. All these spaces require their natural acoustics to work for the type of event. Most modern halls are also programming amplified events such as conference and music concerts; these types of events require a controlled acoustic environment. We therefore design spaces with variable acoustic systems to alter the acoustics.
We work on many types of buildings, and most of them, unlike a concert hall, require that the acoustic is not noticeable. When we design a museum or a gallery, we make sure that no excessive reverberation, no noise from building services and no vibration are perceptible. The visitor experience must be focused on the arts that the museum displays. The same principle applies to educational spaces, public buildings such as airports and train stations, and luxury developments.
“…I have worked with several internationally acclaimed acousticians, and I have to say that Sebastien stands out as one of the most personable, dedicated and professional. A fine proponent of what many consider a ‘black art’, He is not only highly skilled on a technical level but also a collaborator, sensitive to the often-competing demands of other disciplines. His success as an acoustician is not only about having a fine ear for sound and music, but it is also about his vision and how well he listens to the client and other members of the project team…”
Kerr Robertson
Kerr Robertson is former Director of Civic Design at Glasgow City Council Architects who served as an RIBA Trustee, undertaking several roles, including Interim Chair of the Board, Acting RIBA President, Honorary Secretary, and Chair of the British Architectural Library.
Room Acoustics
Room Acoustics aims to ensure that the acoustic response of a space is appropriate for its use. We use the Reverberation Time (RT) parameter or the STI (Speech Transmission Index) which measures the degree of speech intelligibility. But these are only two parameters among many others. For philharmonic concert halls, opera houses and other theatres, other objective acoustic parameters are used such as Early Decay Time, Musical and Vocal Clarity, Sound Strength, Lateral Energy Fraction and Stage Support (EDT, C80, D50, G, LF80, ST1).
All these parameters require expertise that the Studio Jouan team holds.
« Sébastien Jouan has been providing acoustic consultancy to Scottish Opera for more than 15 years, working on the Theatre Royal or with our orchestra on a variety of topics. I am very pleased to recommend the services of Studio JOUAN and delighted that Sébastien has founded his own agency. »
Alex Reedijk
Director
Scottish Opera
Building Acoustics
Building Acoustics ensures that the sound insulation performance between two rooms is adequate for their respective use.
We work with the architect from the start of the project to separate noise-sensitive or noise-emitting spaces and thus reducing the costs associated with complex, heavy and expensive constructions.
This also involves knowing the sound insulation performance (airborne noise and structureborne noise) of the various constructions proposed and their implementation (concrete, light constructions, wood and others). One important aspect is the difference between the in-situ performance (R’w, DnTw or DntA) and the laboratory performance (Rw or Rw+C) as the laboratory conditions are always tested with only the partition without any sound flanking from lateral partitions or floor below and above. In some cases, it is necessary to specify box-in-box constructions to ensure that a noise-emitting space does not disturb the adjacent noise-sensitive space.
« Alcôv called upon Studio JOUAN for a comprehensive acoustic design mission. This mission was made complex by the high level of requirement sought and by the specific features of the buildings (wood construction, demountable structures with a high concentration of multimedia technology). The advice of Studio JOUAN, both for the acoustic quality of the hall, the building acoustics, the treatment of the soundscape, and the creative possibilities, was particularly relevant and well-adapted. It is therefore with great pleasure that we recommend their work and the services they provide».
Augustin de Cointet de Fillain
President
Alcôv
Control of noise and vibration from building services and theatre equipment
The control of noise and vibration from building services and theatre equipment is fundamental to the success of a performing art centre or any other type of quality building.
The task for us is to ensure that building services or theatre equipment does not emit excessive noise or vibration. This includes the equipment itself but also all its extensions (ducts, pipes). These extensions generally penetrate the walls of buildings and reduce their acoustic performance.
We work closely with M&E engineers to ensure that the solutions chosen are appropriate for the spaces and that solutions are provided to reduce the propagation of vibration (springs, elastomer or visco-acoustic solutions) or noise by air transmission (sound attenuators).
“… I have known Mr Jouan since he was doing acoustic research with Glasgow School of Art. He has wide experience of the practical side of theatres, performance and exhibition spaces meeting varied audience needs”
Geoffrey Marsh
Director of Theatre and Performing Arts Department
V&A Museum
Soundscape Design
New buildings are also part of wider public spaces and communities. External soundscapes are also paramount to the success of a development. These require the acoustic study of these conditions, sometimes by recreating virtual versions of them, whilst sound art and sound markers are to be considered.
Soundscape design attempts to discover principles and to develop techniques by which the social, psychological and aesthetic quality of the acoustic environment or soundscape may be improved.
The techniques of soundscape design are both educational and technical.
“Studio JOUAN (…) was entrusted with an acoustic consultancy mission and a preliminary study for the Pyramid of the Louvre Museum. The study involved particularly innovative technical resources, notably for the auralisation and visualisation of the different proposed improvement options, with a demonstration carried out in the presence of the general management of the public institution. They were very impressed by the work carried out by Studio JOUAN and by the promising solutions recommended. The study was entirely satisfactory»
Arnaud Amelot
Director of Architecture, Maintenance and Gardens
Musée du Louvre
New Technologies and
Ecological Imperatives
We also know that spaces are undergoing a transformation: the use of audio and video multimedia tools, virtual, interactive and participatory environments – all these technological innovations are now integrated into buildings and their architecture.
But the world of construction is also one of the biggest contributors to global warming. New constructions must see their carbon footprint reduced, less glass facade and more wooden structure. Our team includes wood structure acoustic specialists.
Acoustics must therefore be completely adapted to all these innovations and our current objectives are therefore to rethink the acoustics of these spaces and help our clients achieve innovation, quality and acoustic comfort.
« Sébastien Jouan has been working with us for almost 7 years now, enthusiastically providing acoustic advice for the design and realization of the enclosed space that will host the future festival. His work, of course, focuses on the acoustic qualities of the venue, but his knowledge of musical production spaces, his passion for music and opera, and his familiarity with the network of professionals involved in such projects have greatly helped us to move the project forward. He has put us in touch with different members of the design and production team who are advising us as we speak».
Robert Heath
Director
Opéra Pléïades