Key Lessons

1. Thanks to the variety of options available today, integrating acoustic treatments in a space design does not mean you have to sacrifice form for function.
2. To achieve excellent acoustic design you should start early, design for function, collect feedback, understand the path sound travels, know your treatment options and make friends with an acoustician.
3. Acoustics influence to the way people perceive and experience the aesthetics of a space.
4. The basic acoustic design process consists of five steps: Understand, identify, set goals, treat and evaluate.
5. Professional acousticians can provide general guidance, address specific challenges, and help achieve goals in critical listening environments.
6.  If you have a small budget you can keep costs down by planning for acoustics early, defining expectations and priorities, not wasting product, and mixing cheaper materials with more expensive ones.
7. The way sound behaves in an indoor space depends on the acoustic characteristics of surface materials and the location of boundaries and objects.
8. There are four main strategies for managing acoustical issues: Absorb, Block, Cover and Diffuse.

Major insight:

Acoustics are both an aesthetic and functional element of design that should be integrated into the design process as early as possible.