Chamber Hall Threshold Design and Acoustic Surface Shaping with Parametric Modeling

From physical model building to analysis by computer simulation, digital technology has undoubtedly advanced the realm of acoustic prediction. But common computer prediction programs that exist today are still essentially digitized applications of the analog model building process. Being: construct a model, analyze, make adjustments and repeat until the desired results are achieved. By implementing a parametric approach to model building it allows for design changes and the significance of those changes to be recognized in real time, an invaluable tool in the development of a sound-sensitive space. Utilizing the 3D software Rhinoceros and its scripting plug-in Grasshopper, it becomes possible to easily visualize crucial first-order reflections relative to surfaces that can be controlled and manipulated in very precise ways. This software is becoming more popular amongst architects and designers, and the prediction process will be an extension of this software into the field of acoustics.