So Similar, So Different: Diving in the Physical and Acoustic Features of Two theatres. A Case Study

Abstract

Acoustics started to be studied as a science at the beginning of the 20th century (Beranek, 1992). Before that date, the design of acoustic spaces was based on a combination of trial and error and copying the shape and proportions of other previous successful venues. The reverberation time was the first parameter used to analyze the acoustic of a space. The reverberation time depends on the shape and size of the enclosure, the materials used in the construction of the room, and the way they are built. Some designers of the time ignored the influence that the shape and the proportions of the room have. Because of that, they only paid attention to the reverberation time, which has proven to be insufficient for an adequate acoustic design. Between 1900 and 1950 the importance given to the shape of concert halls and theaters decayed. There are some design aspects, especially in proscenium theaters, that are often taken for granted despite their relevance in architectural acoustics. A tight design in longitudinal section with deep boxes keeps the room volume small, providing a low reverberation time and limiting the distance from the last row to the stage, which is desirable, both visually and acoustically (Barron & Foulkes, 1994). © 2021. ArchiDOCT.All Rights Reserved.