Constructing a residential building is far different from making a commercial building or an institute. Although, the structural layout makes the biggest difference because by looking at its curb appeal, people can clearly tell either this particular building is a house, an office, an institute, a hospital or is a bank but there are various other consideration and complications, which a layman can’t tell but a professional architect in Pakistan can.
When it comes to designing and constructing a bank, a professional has to take care of its architectural acoustics, which basically deal with sound management in a building. As a bank is a place to be visited by the number of visitors and where maintaining a peaceful ambience is necessary; therefore, using special architectural acoustics here, becomes a need. Its purpose is to maintain a good sound within the bank’s building so that the noise of people, telephone and outside environment may not affect the proper working.
Preliminary Step – Making Acoustic Regulations
Only professionals can devise a solution for reducing noise in a building when they get to know about its intensity, types and other related details. Therefore, the first step they take is observing the expected sounds in a building such as the noise of photocopying machine, people’s noise, walking sounds, telephone’s bells and so on. In the similar way, they will have to consider various other factors such as CO2 level in the air, relative humidity, temperature and light intensity.
Why there are taken special steps in improving the sound regulation inside a bank’s building? As described earlier, it is necessary to promote proper working inside a bank but other major factors are – health and safety issues. Let’s get to know about different kinds of noise.
Kinds of Noise
- Airborne Sound
This is produced by the vibration of surrounding air particles. For instance, from the voices of the people inside the bank, due to telephone sound and through other machines’ sounds. The airborne noise through all these sources travels via floor, ceiling and wall structure. To measure the intensity of noise through each source, the professionals will conduct an airborne acoustic test for further processing.
- Impact Sound
The kind of sound is produced from the building parts itself –for instance, from the sound of footsteps. Therefore, to reduce this noise, the professional architects in Lahore recommend acoustic floor system. However, before its installation there is conducted an acoustic impact test which lets the professionals to devise a more appropriate solution.
- Flanking Transmission
This is basically the transmission of sound from one place to another within the bank indirectly. The sound transmission occurs through the adjoining parts of the building. For instance — through wooden floor, doors and windows and even through walls.
Promote a More Quiet and Peaceful Ambience inside a Bank
After taking proper sound tests and measurements, the professional architects design acoustic of a bank’s building which are then implemented everywhere from ceiling to floor. This is how a more quiet, and peaceful ambience inside a bank not only improves the work environment for the employees but it also leaves a good impression on the visitors as they can truly feel the difference in the indoor atmosphere. While experAmer Adnan Associates ®
What’s the Trend in Pakistan?
Do you think that the banks in Pakistan are constructed while keeping the architectural acoustics? The trend is not so common in the country as a very few banks have this kind of architectural features but it is likely to emerge in the near future. Khurram Shahzad Butt, the Manager of NIB Bank Ltd Alllama Iqbal Town Branch Lahore, during his interview with Amer Adnan Associates ® also recommended the use of special building acoustics for banks’ construction in Pakistan.