ArAc – Multibook of Architectural Acoustics

Karolina Jaruszewska

The ArAc project demonstrates an innovative approach to education and professional development of architects in the area of acoustics. The main purpose of the multibook is to fill the gap in technical literature innovatively and to increase architects’ awareness about the role acoustic comfort plays in the life of humans.

Welcome page of ArAc.

A key assumption for the work on the multibook was to create a tool that would become an inspiration for an architect at the designing stage. The architect’s job requires skills in combining a number of components and expertise in various areas. The way in which the created urban space or interiors will affect the acoustic climate, and thus the feelings of users of a given space. The multibook contains a number of practical concepts that organise the acoustic and architectural designing components and objective-subjective acoustic parameters in a systematic way. This type of knowledge is most useful in conceptual design works related to architectural acoustics, as well as in mutual understanding of different priorities that architects and acoustician working together may have.

One of a key issue to be addressed are examples of acoustic projects in several facilities in Europe: KONSERTHUS in Stavanger, KRAAKHUIS (MUSIC CENTER DE BIJLOKE) in Ghent, NOUVEAU SIECLE in Lille, MUSIKINSEL in Rheinau, ENSEMBLEHAUS in Freiburg, CAMPUS ONE in Karlsruhe and VOLVO CONSTUCTION EQIUPMENT in Poland.

Case studies have been presented in a form of video tutorials. Each video presents acoustic solutions, assumptions of a given project and shows the way in which fantastic results were achieved.
A form of the video tutorial enables “hearing the space”, hearing the difference, while looking at a specific solution and architectural space.

Case studies based on the examples of world-class facilities.

In the design process, there are a lot of elements that architects must take into consideration and coordinate in the scope of the project. It is a very responsible task as there are long – term consequences involved. A very important element of “design puzzle” is acoustics – a part of overall integrated design process.