Welcome to the Book of Acoustics
Preface
This is a handbook for architects and interior designers who want to create acoustically beautiful spaces that make people feel happier, healthier and more productive. Here, you’ll learn the fundamentals of sound control and everything you need to know to start feeling more confident working with acoustic treatments in your design projects.
When it comes down to it, it really is as simple as making people happy — whether they’re at work, school or conversing with friends over dinner.
A special thank you to the following.
This handbook was made possible thanks to the keen insights and guidance of experts, researchers and practitioners within the fields of acoustics, design and neuroscience.
Dan Bosnyak is a neuroscientist and Technical Director of LIVE Lab at McMaster University, in Hamilton, Canada. He specialises in psychology and the human auditory system. Dan is also a member of the McMaster Institute for Music & the Mind (MIMM), an interdisciplinary group of researchers including psychologists, neuroscientists, music theorists, musicians, dancers, media artists, m a t h e m a t i c i a n s , kinesiologists, health scientists, and engineers.
Dr Naglaa Sami Adbel Aziz Mahmoud is the Head of Interior Design at Ajman University, in the United Arab Emirates. She is also an instructor, researcher, lighting and acoustic consultant, and professional interior designer. Dr Naglaa lectures on the psychology of interior design, Islamic interiors, and interior lighting and acoustics.
Tine Wagenmann is the founder of Studio Llots, an architecture and interior design agency based in Dusseldorf, Germany. She is also an expert on mindfulness and wellbeing and holds workshops on these subjects. Tine specialises in the development and design of flexible living and working spaces.
Andrew Carballeira is a Principal Consultant at Acentech, a leading acoustics consultancy based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is a member of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) and the Audio Engineering Society (AES), and a board certified member of the Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE). Alongside acoustic engineering, Andrew is a professional musician and avid outdoorsman.
Dr Luis Gomez-Agustina is the course director of the UK Institute of Acoustics (IOA) Postgraduate Diploma at the London South Bank University (LSBU), UK. He is a Senior Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy and is also leading the development of the new Acoustic Apprenticeship at LSBU. Luis has authored and co-authored over 30 publications in journals and conference proceedings on acoustics topics and is a reviewer of four acoustics journals.
