- Holy Trinity Church, Frome recently underwent a major re-ordering project and part of that process involved removing the wooden flooring and the wooden pews. Whilst the end result provided a stunning interior, the ceramic floor and new seating created an acoustic challenge that could not be overcome by simple adjustments on the sound desk. The echo was a really significant problem and detracted from the overall enjoyment of the building.
- In a church or large hall balancing the needs for music and the spoken word can be an issue requiring fine tuning of the reverberation.
- We needed to subdue the echo without losing the ‘sharpness’ that was required for the various choirs and orchestras that use the church
- Hard surfaces reflect sound energy within a room, which means it takes longer to die away. This causes speech sounds to overlap and become muddled – rather like disturbing sediment in clear water.
- Holy Trinity Church is renowned for its beautiful Burne-Jones stained glass windows so a delicate approach to the design and layout were very important.
- Careful acoustic measurements were carried out and these were used to inform our own calculations.
- The solution of multiple panels fitted into the ceiling space and on the walls, not only achieve the desired acoustic benefits required, but sit perfectly with the design and beauty of this magnificent church.
