Enhancing Acoustic Control in a Conference Centre

Abstract

In this modern era of global connectivity, organized meetings have become increasingly evident, driven by the need to collaborate or share knowledge, research and experience with others, and these gatherings can best be achieved in a dedicated space like a conference centre. This research work evaluated the importance of designing a conference centre with optimal acoustics and sustainable design. A major challenge facing conference centres is that of ensuring optimal acoustics in meeting halls, and this is crucial for facilitating clear and effective communication among delegates. This study provided a facility of international standard, within an acoustically optimized environment, for conferencing, among various stakeholders, including international organizations, corporate bodies and government agencies. For a detailed understanding of the research topic, an in-depth examination of some existing conference centers in Nigeria and a study of some selected international conference centres as well as the review of relevant literatures were made. For a deeper insight of the research topic, qualitative method of data collection was used. Data was gathered from both primary and secondary sources, with precautions taken to maintain accuracy, reliability, and validity of the findings. The result from the findings revealed that surfaces like walls, floors and ceilings made of concrete, wood or metals can reflect sound leading to an increase in echo and reverberation time, also, parallel walls and ceilings can create reverberation and echo, as it causes sound waves to bounce forth, creating a wave pattern that could be heard as repeated reflection of the original sound. To address this issue, the design of the main auditorium and some smaller meeting spaces deviated from a perfect square shape to irregular shapes to help divert sound waves and create a more dynamic environment void of echo and prolong reverberation time. Apart from

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