YDC Tour: Exploring 3DListening Technology

PAYETTE’s Young Designers Core (YDC) had the unique opportunity to hear about unbuilt environments and their long-lost history. Acentech’s innovative 3DListening Technology is able to transport your ears to places that do not yet exist or those that no longer do. In addition to these aural experiences, Acentech works all around the world providing a number of consulting services of which acoustics is one.

Our YDC visited their local office in Cambridge, home to the listening lab where clients can go to experience the acoustics of specific spaces before they’re built. Their technology is called 3DListening and has the ability to realistically simulate the acoustics of a space taking into consideration the size, materiality and activities of a given space. Through this demonstration, clients are able to hear the acoustic value of their decisions and designers are able to calibrate expectations. In many projects, the acoustics can make or break the success of the project.

Image courtesy of Acentech

One of the most powerful aspects of this technology was their ability to rapidly compare different design options of a single space. In the same space, we were able to experience it with minimal acoustical treatment, then with varying degrees and finally with a multitude of acoustical treatments. The differences between variations were significant and detectable with our own ears. Using the technology, everyone could directly understand the implications of each design and come to a consensus. It became clear how this tool helps designers, clients and users understand and participate in the acoustics of a project and how that can ultimately lead to more successful projects.