# Quick question



## ghost rider (Dec 29, 2010)

I'm finishing up a job a new hospital and the architect created this one room that is completely round vinyl floors flat drywall ceiling and half the room is floor to ceiling glass. They put some kind of acoustic panels like 1.5 inches thick on the rest of the walls.

The room sounds terrible and if you stand in the center the sound is amplified dramatically and sounds like you are in a sewer pipe.

They are trying to find a solution but I think nothing short of a professional analysis and then maybe. What did they think it would sound like and how could they design something like this and hope it would any better.

I tried to tell the guy about this forum but he was not that interested, sounded like he just wanted a band-aid solution.

So why does it sound so bad?


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

Concave surfaces are the worst thing for any kind of decent acoustics. A round room is like one huge lens focusing all the sound to the center which is what you are hearing. Plus the glass is pretty harsh sounding and pending how thick it is can resonate at lower frequencies.

Most architects and designers don't give a thought to sound. I try to work with people all the time who do something and then can't live with the acoustic results.

Best bet in that room is to get a lot of furniture, tall sculptures, etc. that will help absorb or break up sound and look visually appealing from both sides of the glass. Other than that, tear it down and start over (only half kidding.)


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## ghost rider (Dec 29, 2010)

I think they are stuck with it. Its a small room maybe 16 ft diameter. The glass is like 1/2 inch thick curved with the walls.
I think its just an architectural wet dream it looked good on paper but they had no idea how this would effect the audio.

Thanks for your thoughts.


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

If they're stuck, get as much 'stuff' in there as possible to absorb or break it up. Kind of all you can do.


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