Commercial Architecture November 2017 - 6

DEPARTMENT

the architects

Simulate Sound
Before You Build
Acoustical auralization system
facilitates decision making for
architects and their clients, optimizes
the design process, and effectively
communicates project outcomes.

Above. Post-construction adjustment of spaces such as this can be
expensive and not always effective. The Cerami Immersive system
simulates acoustics in a variety of conditions, resulting in a facility that
meets performance expectations.

Victoria Cerami and Matthew Rosenthal
Left. A fully realized BIM model generates the best possible auralization. The resulting immersive audio simulation is experienced in the
Cerami sound booth.

Cerami & Associates, New York

rchitectural renderings, building-performance
calculations, energy modeling and, of late,
evaluations of impact on occupant wellness

simulate the sound of the environment with added or

are all essential components of the planning and design
processes. Often missing from these studies is the val-

reduced exterior noise for different times of the day, or
and disruptive, and may alter the architectural design.

with different exterior glazing options, along with interi-

ue of acoustical design which, ultimately, is essentially

The system curates the project's acoustical signature

invisible. The costs of acoustical solutions are typically

or environment, offering an opportunity to associate val-

imbedded in a design budget, and most clients assume

ue with previously "invisible" elements, helping manage

Cerami Immersive empowers an owner or end user to

the project team will achieve the best possible acoustical

expectations among project stakeholders. Our consul-

communicate their expectations, creating clear parame-

outcome.

or conditions such as variance in occupancy or HVAC
systems under different loads, based on season.

tants still provide written recommendations based on

ters for the project team. Immersive simulations can even

Because "acoustical renderings" are not common in-

our acoustical analysis. But what we experience through

be used to communicate base-building design criteria to

dustry practice, architects and their clients cannot be au-

our ears is not always easily captured in words. Simula-

prospective tenants, aiding owners in lease negotiations

tomatically confident about how a built project will

tions are agnostic and "speak" for themselves, providing

before or after occupancy. Architects may also find im-

sound. A project's acoustical signature can have an enor-

an accurate depiction of the end result and a basis for

mersive auralizations to be a reasonable substitute for

mous impact on occupant comfort, therefore also poten-

well-informed decisions.

certain kinds of mock-ups, offering a path to cost savings

tially affecting tenant satisfaction and owner revenue. As

To generate an auralization, we're able to work with

just one example, 60% of office workers responding to a

any architectural model as a source. A set of two-dimen-

survey from researchers with the Center for the Built En-

sional schematics will suffice, though a fully realized

Victoria J. Cerami is CEO of Cerami & Associates Inc., a 100-per-

vironment said that they believed they would be more

BIM model may help produce a more-accurate result. We

son global provider of outcome-focused building solutions for

productive in an environment with either reduced overall

also engage in programmatic discussions with the archi-

high-profile projects, with offices in New York, Philadelphia, and

noise levels or more privacy, or both (cbe.berkeley.edu/

tect and end user to get an idea of how a space will be

Washington. Matthew Rosenthal, CSI, CDT, is an acoustical engi-

research/acoustic_poe.htm).

used. The result is an immersive audio simulation, which

neer with Cerami & Associates Inc. His focus is currently in acous-

we typically conduct in a dedicated "sound booth" in our

tical and VR modeling and auralizations.

For just these reasons, our firm has created a design
tool called Cerami Immersive that adds the acoustical

and optimized design and construction timelines. CA

offices.

dimension to a person's experience of an as-yet-unbuilt

The auralizations can include multiple architectural

project. The system produces immersive auralization, es-

scenarios for comparison, providing a listening experi-

sentially an acoustical rendering that translates building

ence that varies greatly, based on design elements, finish-

information data into a simulation of what a space will

es, and programmatic possibilities. The system also offers

sound like. Architects and their clients are immersed au-

a tool for reverse engineering a desired acoustical out-

Interview With
Matthew Rosenthal

rally in a design, and use their experience to establish

come. By changing the elements of design and layering

Learn more about the Cerami Immersive system

design benchmarks for the project outcome. This is far

them into the model-then immersing the architect or

and acoustics in general in our interview with

preferable to the alternative-experiencing the quality of

client in several auralizations based on differing configu-

Victoria Cerami and Matthew Rosenthal at

sound only after the project is completed, at which point

rations-we can assist with determining how to achieve

commercialarchitecturemagazine.com/architects.

interventions to improve acoustics are likely to be costly

the stated design objectives. For example, the system can

COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T URE

NOVEMBER 2017

commercialarchitecturemagazine.com

http://cbe.berkeley.edu/research/acoustic_poe.htm http://www.commercialarchitecturemagazine.com/architects http://www.commercialarchitecturemagazine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture November 2017