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beautiful spaces, small architecture

Acoustics critique on “Small Remodel, Big Ideas: Tiny Townhouse into Cool Condo”

See photos and design description on this completed project here: Small Remodel, Big Ideas: Tiny Townhouse into Cool Condo to follow my acoustics review below. This is an absolute visual gem.  The designer Ong & Ong separated the service spaces from the main living spaces with a gorgeous water walkway.*   This helps to separate the possibly more noisy parts of the house (kitchen!) from the quieter parts of … Continue reading Acoustics critique on “Small Remodel, Big Ideas: Tiny Townhouse into Cool Condo”

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urban noise

呼喻中國的建築產業：水泥房倍增都市噪音！

看網上說中國近十五年的水泥用量竟然是美國百年來的30倍，覺得有點不大對勁。想證實這個數字卻又無從算起。不管，只知道中國建築業是不管三七二十一的如火如荼進行著。我的學習背景教導我認識現代建築、現代建設的噪音問題。因為大量的水泥墻面會加強噪音，車輛與人口活動的噪音無法消去，導致都市社區越來越吵鬧，噪音問題日趨嚴重。 提議都市的整體綠化建設，大量採用能幫助消音的外墻面，增加社區內、大樓上的樹木與植物，來緩和都市噪音的問題。同時，這些作業也需要高科技和膽大細心的設計，否則會造成日後更多的其他問題。建議設計師們別太浪漫，得謹慎小心的選購建築材料（消音材料通常較難保養，需革新）。同時，綠化建築所用的各種樹木植物也需特別細心的照顧，會形成一筆可觀的營運開銷。 Continue reading 呼喻中國的建築產業：水泥房倍增都市噪音！

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Noise exposure on Burrard Bridge

   Driving through Burrard Bridge brought me nearby the building-underway close to the off ramp near the Downtown end of the bridge.  What I saw was of high acoustical concern.  On the Burrard Bridge (traffic) side, the facade or cladding material appears to be fully glass. Now, unless this is some specifically sound-proof glass or other highly functional acoustical triple or four panel glazing*, I … Continue reading Noise exposure on Burrard Bridge

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Berkeley is Ranked the #4 Architecture University in the World

Berkeley is Ranked the #4 Architecture University in the World. My alma mater.  However during my condensed undergrad architecture education there before 2000 I did not hear nor learn about construction methods, building envelope, building science (including energy efficiency and solar design topics), and acoustics.  I did however learn design theory, drawing, and hand-building models. Continue reading Berkeley is Ranked the #4 Architecture University in the World

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beautiful spaces, small architecture

How does this space sound?

Check out this gorgeous space (click here to see the full visual glory of it all, dreamy!)  But, let’s think a little deeper and imagine with our aural sense as hedonistically and perfectionistically as our over-indulged visual one.  Because of the extensive glass windows, open floor plan and the small size of interior space, it might very well be susceptible to unwanted exterior noise intrusion.  Different people sharing the … Continue reading How does this space sound?

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green architecture, small architecture

Sound-friendly small architecture

In the architectural world, small buildings and tiny spaces are all the rage. From 50sf apartments in NY, to 4m wide slivers of multistory homes tucked between Tokyo towers, hypersensitive visual sense of aesthetics might very well be clouding good judgment in terms of sound sense and sound living: small spaces are prone to poor acoustics, noise, and have no sound privacy if these issues … Continue reading Sound-friendly small architecture

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