The Role of Acoustic Reviews in Influencing Restaurant Acoustics
Invited paper
Marshall Day Acoustics Ltd
Monday 1 june, 2015, 18:20 - 18:40
0.9 Athens (118)
Abstract:
Noisy cafes and restaurants are gaining considerable notoriety throughout New
Zealand, and, it seems, the world. Despite some examples of great venues using
sound absorptive treatment to reduce reverberation times, and suppressing the
cafe effect, architects and interior designers continue to ignore basic
acoustic advice, and build noisy, quasi-industrial shells. Thankfully, public
awareness of the ability to effect change is now growing, with increasing
press coverage of the issue.
This paper looks at a subjective rating system for the end user which has now
been in operation in New Zealand for more than 10 years. The Cafe & Restaurant
Acoustic Index (CRAI) allows members of the public to complete a simple rating
for any dining venue that they visit. On-line rating and smartphone apps are
available, and the Acoustical Society of New Zealand (ASNZ) publishes ratings
in its quarterly journal
A number of examples of treated and untreated venues are given, along with
snapshots of some of the recent press coverage on the issue. We also explore
whether the system is producing any benefits for the community, and what else
can be done acoustically to improve our dining experience?