Finding the right balance ⚖️ Merging Aesthetics with Acoustic Comfort

Finding the right balance ⚖️ Merging Aesthetics with Acoustic Comfort

In my last post, I pointed out the importance to crafting memorable moments when designing healthy buildings that people want to return to.

📝✔️ I also acknowledged that green or healthy building certifications can overwhelm us with a vast number of credits and requirements. Aiming for incremental improvements in every aspect might raise the average score but might not lead to the ideal healthy building.

Yet, there are of course things that we need to get right… which I’d like to focus on next:

Take a look at the image. 🖼️ Would you want to work here?

At first glance, it seems like a nice blend of an old monumental space and a modern office space. But think about it – what would the sound quality be like in such a space?

🔊 Reverberation time, or the time it takes for sound to decay by 60 decibels (hence the name RT60), plays a crucial role in how we perceive and experience spaces.
In an office environment, depending on the type of work and space, we'd expect a certain range (between 0.5 and 0.8 seconds) for optimal communication and comfort. But in the large chambers of a historic church, this can easily extend beyond 2 seconds.

💭 So, what I like you to take away from these recent posts is that a healthy building is not about ticking all boxes and making all spaces alike with the same “right” conditions everywhere. Our brains are not wired to have everything equal. But it also means that not all spaces can be extravagant and memorable. We need to strike the right balance between creating memorable experiences and ensuring the right level of comfort.

💡 Next to acoustics, this balance applies to most aspects of a healthy building. Are there specific elements you'd like to delve deeper into for future posts? (acoustics, lighting, air quality, thermal comfort, etc.?). Let me know in the comments 💬

#HealthyBuildings #HumanCapital #SinESG #ESG #sustainablearchitecture