Acoustics in a New Church Building
When planning a new building, people usually begin by talking to an architect. This may not be the best starting point when planning a church because most architects are not experts in many of the features that make a church building work well. These features include Acoustics, Sound System, Visual projection systems, Lighting (including lights that enhance the effectiveness of the projector), Heating and Ventilation.
We find that the church building committee often assumes the architect knows all about these areas and leaves them to design the ideal building, only to discover that these issues have not received the attention they deserve. If these items are not attended to early in the planning process, you may discover you have left it too late to include the facilities the church requires or you may end up with a building that does not meet your needs.
Ventilation - ventilation in an auditorium must be quiet.
Lighting - You must have suitable directional lighting at the front of the room and manage it well so it does not interfere with the data projector. High powered projectors are expensive, so careful planning when you design the lighting will allow you to save money on a data projector.
Acoustics – Acoustics is a specific area of expertise and church acoustics are complex. The room is different from a theatre as the congregation attending a church event will usually participate in the singing. Theatre acoustics do not work well in a church because the room will absorb too much of the sound and the congregation will not hear each other well.
The Sound System and the acoustics need to be considered together when designing a room, so you should include them early in your planning.
CRC can help you explore a variety of ideas relating to sound systems and acoustics, or provide contacts.
When planning a new building, people usually begin by talking to an architect. This may not be the best starting point when planning a church because most architects are not experts in many of the features that make a church building work well. These features include Acoustics, Sound System, Visual projection systems, Lighting (including lights that enhance the effectiveness of the projector), Heating and Ventilation.
We find that the church building committee often assumes the architect knows all about these areas and leaves them to design the ideal building, only to discover that these issues have not received the attention they deserve. If these items are not attended to early in the planning process, you may discover you have left it too late to include the facilities the church requires or you may end up with a building that does not meet your needs.
Ventilation - ventilation in an auditorium must be quiet.
Lighting - You must have suitable directional lighting at the front of the room and manage it well so it does not interfere with the data projector. High powered projectors are expensive, so careful planning when you design the lighting will allow you to save money on a data projector.
Acoustics – Acoustics is a specific area of expertise and church acoustics are complex. The room is different from a theatre as the congregation attending a church event will usually participate in the singing. Theatre acoustics do not work well in a church because the room will absorb too much of the sound and the congregation will not hear each other well.
The Sound System and the acoustics need to be considered together when designing a room, so you should include them early in your planning.
CRC can help you explore a variety of ideas relating to sound systems and acoustics, or provide contacts.
For more information on acoustics, please contact Gordon Prier.
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