Sound Advice:
a quarterly newsletter for facilities + design professionals
Acoustics in Open Office Plans
Open office environments, like almost any other human space, suffer from an acoustical conflict.
On the one hand, we require an environment where we can effectively communicate with our coworkers. This means we must allow for clear vocal transmission between individuals. On the other hand, we only want our vocalizations to reach their intended target, rather than to the office at large. Unintended noise transmission is distracting and ultimately leads to low worker productivity, among other things.
Open office plans have the potential to be a nightmare, but with proper planning and foresight they can become successful acoustic environments. Appropriate building materials, furniture, and partitions play a critical role in acoustic quality. Sound masking is an equally important, but frequently overlooked, element of successful acoustical design.
To learn more about the complex requirements of open plan acoustics, continue reading at Sound Advice: Acoustics in the Office Environment, an acoustics resource blog.