PORTFOLIO

Similarly to light and colour, sound plays a huge role in the success of a design. A space can look visually amazing but if the acoustics are wrong and music is played that doesn’t have the correct tempo and pitch it can work against the concept and purpose of the design. Sounds affect people in varied ways and can alter human behaviour and thoughts.

The design of a space can affect the acoustics in a room and this will have an effect on the use of the room. Ceiling height and insulation are more structural and basic variants that affect a rooms acoustics. Lower ceilings mean sound doesn’t travel as far whereas if a ceiling is high, like in auditoriums and theatres, sound is amplified and travels further.  Soft furnishings, like carpets, curtains and cushions can stop echoes and be used as sound dampeners. This is why in offices, schools and some shops carpets are used so the noise levels don’t get to high or overwhelming. As well as fabrics, plants can act as sound insulation as they deflect sound waves.

The rhythm of music played can mean users of a space work harder, relax, learn and remember easier and change pace with the music. For example, a designer could create a gym that works perfectly with a great floor plan and workout zone specific lighting to ensure the users are pushing themselves and using the gym to its full potential but, if slow music is then played the users will go at a slower pace and feel more relaxed rather than invigorated. When music is played it is proven that humans move to the beat and if it has a faster tempo they will move faster and not realise because they are just in time with the beat, meaning they could workout longer and think the workout was easier. A lower tempo is more relaxing and better for work environments with a slower rhythm being less distracting and pace more similar to a resting heart beat is more comfortable for relaxing.

The tone and pitch of sound in a space can alter the mood. For a more relaxed experienced, in spa’s for example, music with a low pitch is best and music that has a lower volume and has slow changes rather than frequent and rapid music changes. When you combine the low pitch with a slow tempo and soft furnishings, this creates the perfect setting for a very successful, spa like setting. High pitched sounds are more energising and raise the mood especially when played in a major key, this music is used often in gyms. A minor key is more depressing but is still invigorating. The volume of music is key to the productivity of a room as well as the louder the sound the harder it is to concentrate so only simple physical tasks can be completed but if you have work to do or creative tasks a lower volume is best.

White noise is proved to help memory and concentration. It is the combination of all frequencies and pitches at once and can be quite difficult to listen to but if played at a low volume it helps with concentration. Schools, offices and hospitals often have a form of white noise or some natural sounds are similar to the synthetic white noise, like waves or fire that are used to help work be completed. This high frequency, low pitched, low volume noise is also used as a sleep aid, in particular for babies.

Soundscaping is super important in design and should be considered when implementing a design and the client should have an idea of what rhythms and tone will work best for the design.