Acoustics case study

Westfield, White City

Background

As our shopping habits have changed over time so have the locations where we shop. The growth of the Mega-store and the development of US style shopping complexes have given architects the scope to design some fantastic spaces. Building Regulations still apply to these new spaces and mean that innovative solutions have to be found.

Challenge

With the continued growth of large commercial and retail developments it has become increasingly important to create the right ambiance for the complex.

Solution

For the Westfield shopping complex at White City SRL provided acoustic design advice so that all Building Regulations around noise were met. With the design of the complex including many levels and large atrium spaces it was essential to design the acoustics so that the PA system was intelligible in case emergency announcements had to be made. Within the complex certain areas were designed to be quieter to encourage a calmer ambiance such as within the Designer Village. With such a large number of outlets all under one roof the issue of plant noise could have been a problem, but by being involved from an early stage we were able to include noise reduction measures into the design. A multi screen cinema was also included in the development and we were able to advise on the shell design to make sure that breakout noise did not affect the surrounding development.