Oldham D., Hetherington R., Farrimond B.

Research has established the factors which contribute to good acoustical conditions in auditoria. The challenge now is to ensure that these research findings inform the design strategies of practising architects. The underlying premise of this paper is that good acoustical design is a generator of architectural form for auditoria and that architects relate best to visual information. Good acoustical design can only be enhanced if architects can readily perceive the spatial qualities of prospective auditoria. A set of design rules based upon acoustical principles is presented by means of a simple interface which lead to an outline specification for an auditorium. Specific dimensions can then be provided by a user and these are used to generate 3D models of a space in a virtual environment. The user is then able to investigate the nature of the space from the perspectives of both performers and audience. In future work it is planned that auditory experiences will also be possible.