Page 33 - Fall2021

Table 1. Worship priorities
Acoustical Characteristics
Architectural Elements Needed To Create This
Traditional music with orchestra and choir
Balance of early-arriving sound reflections and late- arriving reverberant energy, resulting in high levels of clarity and long reverberation times (1.8−2.2 s)
Generally rectangular in plan
Compact/efficient seating layout with shallow floor slope
Sound-reflecting surfaces located close to congrega- tion and platform: balconies, soffits, ceiling elements
Contemporary music (amplified)
Low levels of reverberation (<1.2 s typical)
Minimize discrete echoes from loudspeakers back to platform
Minimized room volume
Low ceiling Sound-absorbing wall and ceiling treatments
Wall shaping to avoid echoes and late-arriving sound energy
Preaching
High speech intelligibility
Acoustic feedback from the room/congregation Acoustic and visual intimacy between preacher
and congregation
Minimized footprint
Sound-reflecting surfaces located close to the con- gregation including balconies, soffits, and ceiling elements that direct sound back to the platform
Congregational participation
Early sound reflections between members of the congregation
Minimized footprint
Sound-reflecting surfaces located close to the con- gregation including balconies, soffits, and ceiling elements that direct sound back to the congregation
Thin apace (high aesthetic)
Cathedral-like sound Highly reverberant (>3 s) Poor speech intelligibility
Large acoustic volume Tall ceilings
Sound-reflecting materials (wood, stone, concrete, glass)
universal; even today, Orthodox Jewish congregations do not use sound reinforcement systems for their services.
Priorities
When a space is used for multiple activities and if those multiple activities do not all have the same acousti- cal requirements, the acoustics designer must choose which activity to design for. In our work, we like to engage the owner in this process. Ideally, the owner will provide not only a list of the anticipated activities that take place in that space but will also prioritize those uses. This is a great benefit to the acoustics designer and can help to determine, for example, the need for adjustable acoustics finishes or the need for a supplementary electronic sound system to provide for
a way to adjust the acoustical environment to better support a wider range of uses.
The balance in importance between the spoken word and music varies from ministry to ministry. Similarly, the importance of congregational participation varies. For example, in some ministries, the role of the congregation in the worship service is as important as the clergy’s role. In others with a far more presentational worship style, the importance of congregational participation is quite low. The nature of the worship service and the prioritization of the typical elements of a worship service can have a profound impact on the acoustical design strategy. Table 1 lists the typical elements of a worship service and the acoustics and architectural design considerations associated with each.
Fall 2021 • Acoustics Today 33