To tap into the built environment’s full potential to improve well-being, one needs to better understand not only how noise negatively affects occupants’ physical and mental health, but the ways in which “the sonic aspect of buildings can be intentionally articulated to achieve a richer, more satisfying built environment: one that responds to the ear as well as the eye.”
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Fitness centres present architects and designers with unique challenges: large, open areas with few walls, tall ceilings, and often exposed ductwork—none of which is conducive to sound absorption. Like esthetics, lighting, and air quality, sound is an integral component of the club experience. If managed well, it complements and enhances the environment.
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What is “acoustical equity”? And how does one achieve it? These are significant questions, particularly considering the fact the Center for the Built Environment’s (CBE’s) post-occupancy survey dataset—one of the largest in the world—shows poor acoustics remains the most significant source of dissatisfaction among workplace occupants.
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The Toronto Centre for the Arts (TCA) was originally built to offer a mix of smaller theatres, a recital hall, and one main stage for various performing arts presentations.
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Flood, fire, blizzards, and ice storms are among the major natural disasters having an impact on the built environment in Canada. Among the least-discussed, and most misunderstood, are seismic events. Yes, there are regular earthquakes in this country, and, yes, they can be significant enough to have negative effects on buildings and occupants.
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