What about creating an acoustic Ivy League? In the race for academic rankings, universities are losing the comfort of student well-being. Do academic buildings have a chance to follow the path of office buildings and, like corporations, also compete for their staff with the comfort and design of their buildings? We take a look inside universities, where learning goes hand in hand with friendly acoustics.
The most coveted universities in the world are the famous Ivy League, or elite universities in the United States including Harvard, Yale and Princeton. Their popularity is primarily due to their academic level. He is the determinant of prestige. But among the younger generation, comfort in life stands on a par with career and financial success. That's why teaching institutions around the world, including those in Poland, are paying more and more attention to the quality of the interiors in which students sometimes spend several hours a day.
We take care of the brain, ears and psyche
The holistic approach of university authorities, especially private ones, translates directly into buildings. Renovations or the construction of new edifices set architects a straightforward task: it has to be not only in accordance with regulations, but also designerly, environmentally friendly and with a good impact on the well-being of students.
University spaces can therefore surprise with their attention to distinctive interiors. At Belgium's Oskar Romero College in the city of Dendermonde, the architects opted for bright yellow interiors. The spaces even brim with energy, and the turquoise seats of the chairs and sofas, not only fail to calm the interior, but actually put the students almost in a state of summer activity. The strong tones of the walls are colorfully matched perfectly with Knauf Ceiling Solutions' grid of metal ceilings.
There are no such bold solutions at Polish universities yet, the colors introduced into the interior enliven the lecture halls, but rather create an atmosphere of concentration. In the lecture hall of the Collegium Medicum at Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, the main accent of the design is the calmly toned soft seating - green, dark blue and gray complement the white of the acoustic ceilings and the wooden lining on the walls.
Sometimes designers look for a compromise to combine tranquility with a touch of energy. White spaces, for example, are decorated with red accents on the walls or strikingly colored furniture.
Regardless of the architect's vision in these educational facilities, one denominator is common, the interior is not only to look nice, but to be acoustically friendly for students. The enormity of acoustically improving solutions on the market makes it possible to select solutions for any interior. Although in such large spaces as lecture halls or university corridors, the most effective way to control unwanted reverberation is to install acoustic ceiling tiles or free-hanging acoustic islands or vertical Baffle panels, explains Sebastian Staniewicz of Knauf Ceiling Solutions.
White and bright colors in lecture halls or common areas of the university help illuminate the interior, so the building does not use too much electricity. It is ecological and economical. The Paris-based studio Ateliers 2/3/4, which specializes precisely in the architecture of educational facilities, offices and urban planning, has opted for bright colors. This harmony of industries can be seen in the educational building in the city of Vincennes, which was handed over a few months ago according to their design. The stone, minimalist interior spaces are almost the same as the lecture halls. Sand tones dominate, with no patterns, light and shadow reflecting off the planes. The study room is equipped with acoustic mineral panels from the Sonic Element line, and the tables have movable casters, making it as comfortable as a conference room in a modern office building.
Many campuses are located outside the city center. Being surrounded by trees, green spaces and away from busy streets promotes concentration. But not all areas within the buildings themselves remain quiet. Corridors, sports halls or student cafeterias are a real challenge for architects. Noise levels here can reach up to 70-80 dB, which is comparable to the agonizing noises on a busy street.
The role of strong neutralization of reflected sounds is crucial. The installed solutions, for example, acoustic panels must have the highest possible sound absorption coefficient αw = up to 1.00. Such parameters are fulfilled by, among others, the Heradesign Superfine Alpha series of wood wool panels with an additional acoustic layer. An additional plus is their very high resistance to mechanical impact and damage, which often happens in game rooms or crowded common spaces.
"Are we the ones having an exam today?" or a classic from student life.
Official research on the ill effects of acoustics on students' health and concentration mostly covers elementary schools. Concern for their hearing and psyche is focused on the youngest children. The recommended noise level for classrooms of no more than 35 dB ensures good speech intelligibility. These standards are generally met by small computer workrooms at the university, as are libraries.
However, even the best-designed university interiors are not always able to keep students' attention and focus on their studies. The energy of youth is governed by its own laws. That's why university authorities sometimes "let their guard down" and reach for an interior design somewhat reminiscent of a student club. An example is the AGH in Cracow. Metal, openwork ceiling panels have been installed here, which catch the eye with large, circular perforations designed specifically for this place. Their level of sound absorption is not great. However, it certainly allows you to take your mind off your books, especially in spring, when the annual holiday and the pleasant Latin word iuvenalia are already looming on the horizon of student daily life.
For more information about the company: https://knauf.com/pl-PL/p/produkty/sufity-i-absorbery-scienne-35568
