How Does Sound Affect You?

The environments in which we live greatly influence both our productivity and our happiness; however, when considering the design of these environments, acoustics are very often left by the wayside. Julian Treasure explains why this is not a good idea…

Learning To Hear

In this TED talk, Treasure explains how hospitals are getting noisier – leading to a corresponding increase in dispensing errors by staff (not to mention contributing to overall stress and other consequent performance dilution), and the creation of an environment that is not particularly conducive to rest or recuperation for patients.

In education the impact is also significant; according to one study, for a student sitting four rows back from the teacher in a standard classroom, intelligibility is reduced by 50%. About half way through this talk, there is a powerful example of how the addition of acoustic treatment to a classroom can radically improve this intelligibility factor…

However, there are practical reasons for open plan office space, for example; not least being the cost of giving every employee their own room, particularly in urban areas. This article from the BBC covers some more ground on the modern workspace, including how the modern worker is impacted by their environment – incorporating factors such as ambient noise levels, light and space – and how different approaches are being taken (or not taken) to address these issues…



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