Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)
Pratt Institute
Tulane University
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Temple University
University of Oregon
Cranbrook Academy of Art
Studying acoustics at school.
I have the opportunity to take an acoustics course at school next semester and I am seriously considering whether it is a good option.
I understand that acoustics fall under the scope of consultants. What I am interested in is solely learning the architectural application of it, rather than the full science behind it.
I have also been told that with the exception of soundproofing principles the rest is really irrelevant to the work of an architect. Do you agree with this?
Could you possibly suggest which material within acoustics would be beneficial to know, so that I have a better idea of what to focus on? I am asking because I understand that the subject can be quite extensive and technical in nature, so I don't want to sacrifice useful time on studying irrelevant material.
Thank you in advance.
just wait until you’re in court with a client angry that the cooling tower piers were too short and the anchor bolts transfer vibrations into their class a penthouse suites. Not your responsibility you cry out, blame mechanical! Sorry, but they are your subs. You should have talked to them about it.
I am not trying to avoid hard work or learning about acoustics at all. I just looked into the course reader and it's just equations page after page. I don't find this to be applied enough, but rather abstract science. Could you enlighten me on what level your acoustics knowledge is as a practicing architect?
Acoustic calculations are actually part of my arch license exams.
OK. Where are you practicing? I am based in a European country and I don't think this is a requirement here. Despite that I want to develop the required knowledge. It's perhaps difficult to quantify this but what amount of the acoustic knowledge you developed at school transfered into your professional role? Also, in regards to your first post, wouldn't that depend on the quality of your consultants?Cheap projects often equals low quality consultants.
I practice in Canada and acoustics and their calculations (it's not hard, it's just not intuitive like forces) are part of our professional exams and it is taught in most under-arch bachelor degrees. My point with the story above is that you need to have a good handle on the general scope of acoustics and how it impacts each party involved in building design. In my case, it was not a cheap building (the hint was in class A) but because we are prime we have to ensure the client's requests are understood and acted upon by all. Further example, one of the biggest source of litigation in my area is against firms that undertake scopes outside of their comfort/knowledge... wanna guess who the biggest culprit is (after interior designers)? It's acoustic.
I have a different take than NS. I don't recall any questions about acoustics on our (Canadian) exams at all. We sure didn't learn about it in school - I don't even think the word was mentioned. We follow Code and use product reps and/or acoustic consultants when necessary (maybe twice in my career). Having said all that, it's probably a valuable skill / knowledge to have that could help you stand out from the crowd of job applicants. But maybe not. It's just not a topic that even comes up, except at the beginning of multi-unit residential projects. So we design above and beyond the bare minimum, only for those extras to be deleted later on for cost savings. Whatchagonnado?
BB, acoustic calcs were added to the Exacs a few years back. I don't know if those questions are still on the current version.
I took my exams in 2015 I think.
I have also been told that with the exception of soundproofing principles the rest is really irrelevant to the work of an architect. Do you agree with this?
I don't agree. STC ratings are required by code. You pretty much also should know all the 'tricks' like staggered junction boxes, seals, properly specified furring strips, material properties, space volume effects and insulation. It does come up all the time in the real world... and it is the architect's role to design this stuff. Some use acoustic consultants, but normally that's on special use projects like recording studios, auditoriums, theatres, etc. I've hired some on other weird stuff like sound mitigation on sites (heavy loaders for public works doing acoustic screening from the residential neighborhoods). Oddest one I did was a holistic 'health center' where they did scream therapy or a close second with indoor gun range in a strip mall. The class would cover not only walls, floors, etc. but also site concerns and mitigations. It is worth taking. Clients tend to be pissed about shit acoustics and noise pollution and having to retro-add acoustic solutions... hence the lawsuits.
I also think I remember some general principle stuff on the ARE.. like reverberation and materials.. but might be confusing it with some CE course.
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