PERMATA PINTRA

AUDITORIUM

ACOUSTICAL ANALYSIS
Name :- Permata Pintar Auditorium
Location :- University Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi,
Selangor
Total fixed seats capacity: 600
Year of completion: 2014
Built up area: 2670 m

Located on a 20.15-acre land in the University Kebangsaan

Malaysia campus in Bangi, the Permata PintRA
Auditorium is the newest addition to the campus' collection
of facilities. The auditorium features 3 interconnected
levels, equipped with a lobby, auditorium hall, stage and
back of house facility. It's auditorium primarily
accommodates lectures, convocations, and the school's
musical theatre programmes
 Ground floor First floor Section b-b

Section a-a
 1. AUDITORIUM DESIGN

Form and shape

-The auditorium is designed in a fan
shaped form to propagate sound equally
throughout the auditorium hall. However,
due to the minimal splay angle of 16.5
degree (the recommended being 30 - 60
degrees), the form bares close resemble to
a regular end stage auditorium.
Therefore, audiences face relatively in the
same direction which make layouts such
as this suitable for lectures or slide-based
presentations. The stage also utilizes a fan
shaped form to prevent flutter echoes
which occurs between parallel walls.
 AUDITORIUM DESIGN

LEVELLING AND ARRANGEMENT OF

SEATS AND STAGES

The auditorium has a narrow plan and the seats are

arranged in straight stepped rows. The side rows are
angled towards the stage, still being able to see ⅔ of
the stage. Sound will travel in a straight path from the
stage and reach every corner of the auditorium by
reflection of sound. The distance between the center of
the stage to the last row of the seat is 22.5m which is
beyond the ideal range of unamplified speech from
source to listener. The seats are staggered such that the
audience have unobstructed views and receives direct
sound.
However, a deep overhanging balcony creates an area
of sound shadow above 6 rows of seats at the center.
 AUDITORIUM DESIGN

3 FACADE ALMUNIUM CLADDING

AND HYPERION COMPOSITE
CLADDING
-Aluminum cladding; being a hard, reflective
and smooth surface material, is in a way a
good sound reflector where sound energy
bounces off the material and back to the
surroundings as shown in the topmost figure
of the site plan. Arrows shows surrounding noises that are
being reflected back from the aluminium
However, in this case where lightweight steel-
frame is sandwiched in between aluminum cladded façade of the auditorium
cladding on the exterior and the Hyperion
composite cladding on the interior surface of
the facade, the sound insulation from
surrounding noises can hardly be reduced
because of the opening (as shown in the above
blow-up section, in yellow) between the
facade shell and the concrete masonry wall
that enclosed the main auditorium.
 AUDITORIUM DESIGN

FAÇADE-COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION
Lightweight steel-framed (LSF)
construction has the potential to reach high
standards regarding the functional
performance of buildings. However,
because lightweight steel-framed buildings
have low mass and the connections
between the outer and the inner sheathing
of the walls are usually rigid, provided by
steel studs, noise can still penetrate fairly
easily despite a slight reduction.
 AUDITORIUM DESIGN

WALL CONSTRUCTION
When high-frequency sound energy
absorption is not necessary, the open
area of protective facings simply needs
to be more than roughly 10% to control
reverberation time or noise buildup
within rooms. As a result, a wide range
of textures and forms can be used to
meet this criterion. However, when using
absorption to control echoes, protective
facings should have a higher percentage
of open surface from multiple, closely
spaced openings. A protective cover is
used to conceal the sound-absorbing
substance behind most facings.
 AUDITORIUM DESIGN

High Shell -
SOUND REFLECTING FORESTAGE Stage Ceiling > 9
CANOPIES
meters high, side
Sound-reflecting panels, suspended in front of
walls < 15meters
the proscenium, reflect sound energy from the
stage to the audience and decrease the initial- apart and shell 9
time delay gap. These panels are known as meters deep
forestage canopies, extended the orchestra
shell into the auditorium. This extension can
: Sound reflection
enhance the direct sound needed for intimacy
forestage canopies
and can also reflect sound energy from the
as seen from the
orchestra pit back toward the pit. The openings auditorium. (left
between the panels allow sound energy to flow and right)
into upper volume so it can contribute to the
low-frequency reverberation in the main
auditorium below.
Sound Reflecting Forestage Canopies
Sound reflecting forestage canopies that are
non-adjustable, suspended from the ceiling.
Sound reflection forestage canopies as seen
from the auditorium. (left and right)
 AUDITORIUM DESIGN

MEZZANINE BALCONY –
CANTILEVER CONCRETE BEAM
AND SLAB
The presence of a mezzanine gallery
aids in shortening the distance between
rows of seats and/or increasing seating
capacity. To prevent echoes, the
overhang is kept shallow (depth is less
than twice the opening height) and the
soffit is slanted as shown in the
figures.
 2. ACOUSTICAL COMPONENTS

2.1 Sound Absorption Components

-To provide noise control and reduce interior
noise, various sound absorption materials were
used throughout the Permata Pintar Auditorium.
The primary method is to provide treatment and
finishes for the floors and seating.
i)Floor - Loop Pile Carpet
Carpeted flooring is implemented throughout
the auditorium flooring except the stage. The
main purpose of this is to completely absorb
surface noise from footsteps, eliminating
distractions during events.Loop Pile carpet is a
type of carpet made from uncut loops of yarn.
It is less efficient in absorbing sound compared
to cut pile carpet. At Permata Pintar, the carpet
is glued directly to the concrete floor,
preventing hard contact with the floor and thus
attenuates impact sound
 ACOUSTICAL COMPONENTS

ii)Stage - Fire-Resistant Safety Curtains

On the stage of the Permata Pintar auditorium,
safety curtains made of medium Velour are
employed. It is not only a sound absorber, but it is
also fire resistant, preventing a fire on stage from
spreading to the remainder of the auditorium. To
provide noise control and reduce interior noise,
various sound absorption materials were used
throughout the Permata Pintar Auditorium. The
Safety curtains in the auditorium.
primary method is to provide treatment and finishes
for the floors and seating.
iii) Auditorium - Upholstered Seating
Arc One Plus Auditorium seating is used at Permata
Pintar auditorium. Except for the region below the
chairs, they are densely upholstered. When the seat
is occupied and pressed down for use, the fabric
upholstery adds extra sound control to the theatre.

Seating at Permata Pintar

Auditorium
 ACOUSTICAL COMPONENTS

2.2 Sound Reflection Components

-Ceiling - Gypsum Plaster
The auditorium's forestage canopies are built
of gypsum plaster. Gypsum plaster is a low-
frequency sound-resonating and absorbing
substance. It reflects all other frequencies of
sound, ensuring that sound transmission
from the stage reaches the opposite end of
the auditorium.
-Wall - Cement Plaster Location of plaster ceiling in the
Cement plaster is used as a finish for the auditorium .
underside of the mezzanine balcony as well
as the walls at the stage area. Hard cement
plaster wall is relatively smooth. Thus, it has
very low sound absorption but high sound
reflection

Underside of mezzanine balcony

 ACOUSTICAL COMPONENTS

Stage - Composite Timber Flooring

The finish for the stage floor and stairs is
made of composite timber flooring. The
flooring does not serve as a good sound
absorber due to its hard and smooth surface.
The lack of shock absorbing acoustic
underlays creates some unwanted noise
such as footsteps. Sound waves are
reflected when they hit the surface. i
Auditorium - Perforated Plastic Seating
Base
The plastic base of the seatings are designed
with indentations. When the tip-up seat is
unoccupied, these indentated facings act as
multiple sound depersion devices to weaken
and absorb high-frequency sound with each
 ACOUSTICAL COMPONENTS

-Railing - Glass Panels

Glass railings are used at the mezzanine
gallery of the auditorium. The glass panels
which are 6mm thick are able to block
direct sound from the stage. This leads to
the decrease in sound intensity level at the
mezzanine gallery as the audience only
receive diffused sound from the stage.
-Wall - Zenbes CMU Blocks
Concrete masonry unit (CMU) blocks are
modular building blocks made of concrete
(Cavanaugh, Tocci & Wilkes, 2010). Walls
at the seating area are made of Zenbes
CMU blocks. The blocks with hollow cores
are custom made to function as sound
trappers and sound diffuser.
 ACOUSTICAL COMPONENTS

2.3 Sound Diffusion

-Permata Pintar Auditorium uses CMU Blocks as a
sound reflector and diffuser.
The diffusion materials and treatment are dependent on
auditorium usage, just as the size and volume are
affected by utilisation. CMU block walls with hollow
cores that encircle the auditorium operate as sound
trappers.
The Sound Intensity Level (SIL) was measured from
several locations across the auditorium. The sound's
spatial dispersion was then investigated.
Distribution of sound
2.4 Sound Propagation
- The Sound Intensity Level (SIL) were measured
using a sound meter from a constant sound
source. The measurements were taken from 10 points
spread out evenly throughout the
auditorium. From the measurements, we observed that
sound dispersion from the sound source
to the back of the auditorium have a minimal
attenuation in sound intensity levels in exception
 ACOUSTICAL COMPONENTS
2.5 Sound Reflection
Sound reflections occur when incident sound energy
collides with hard surfaces. Acoustic reflections are used
to spread and reinforce sounds. The auditorium is
reflected by CMU bricks.
Because of the form of the theatre, there is no unique
concentration of sound. The auditorium's fan-shaped
design distributes sound uniformly to all seating areas
via sound reflection. The sound distribution allows
spectators to hear a similar quantity of sound from every
seat in the theatre excluding the sound shadow area.
1.Ceiling reflection patterns
The ceiling design is articulated and inclined gradually
from the stage towards the back of thehall allowing
sound propagation in the auditorium to be reflected
towards the audience in even
distribution, retaining the sound intensity further with
reverberation. The inclined ceiling design
can contribute more useful sound reflections compared
to a flat horizontal ceiling thus the
auditorium has wider useful ceiling reflections.
 ACOUSTICAL COMPONENTS
2.6 Sound Delay
Reflected sound beneficially
reinforces the direct sound if the time
delay between them isrelatively short,
with maximum of 30msec. However,
echo occurs when the time delay
exceed40msec for speech and
100msec for music. Echos are Sound reflection towards the front row
probably the most serious of room
acoustical defects thus most of the
auditorium designs were to avoid
echos.
Time Delay = R1 + R2 – D /0.34
Time Delay = R1 + R2 – D/0.34
= (7.6 + 8.2) - 10.4/0.34=
15.88msec < 30msec
 ACOUSTICAL COMPONENTS

3.Reverberation Time
The amount of time it takes for reflected sound to fade away is
referred to as reverberation time.
As a result, it is critical to calculate the reverberation time for
Permata Pintar Auditorium in order to identify its response to
acoustic sound and its suitability as a certain space type, in this case
an academic auditorium, based on its time. The Sabine's Formula is
used to calculate the reverberation time for the Permata Pintar
Auditorium. To calculate this, the surface area and absorption
coefficient of the components (as determined by the materials
tabulation in Chapter 3) are multiplied by 500 Hz.
reverberation Time using Sabine’s Formula,
Reverberation Time = 0.16 V/A
Volume of Auditorium = 7390.23
RT = 0.16 (7390.23)/1712.01= 0.6907 sec
The Permata Pintar Auditorium has a reverberation time of 0.6907
seconds, indicating that it is ideal for lecture and meeting rooms. As
a result, the reduced reverberation time made it ideal for lectures
and speeches. The low reverberation time is influenced by the poor
reflecting efficiency induced by the walls' less complex trapezium
shape, the inflexible concrete block walls, and the non-adjustable
ceiling height that is solely confined to particular applications.
There is also a higher proportion of soft absorbent materials than
hard reflecting materials. This prevents additional sound from being
reflected, lessening the room's reverberation time.
Problems Detected
Squeak created by the entry and exit door could be heard from the
auditorium.
Outside of the auditorium hall, loud noises such as music played
loudly from the lobby could be heard from the auditorium hall.
Suggestions to Improve Sound Locking System of Permata Pintar
Auditorium Hall
Suggestions to improve the sound locking system by enclosing the
auditorium hall by having well-sound insulated vestibules before
entering the auditorium hall. The vestibules behave as a
sound trapper. Highly-sound insulated vestibules could absorb
unnecessary noise to prevent noise entering into auditorium hall.
Acoustical doors designed to reduce transmission of sound, that is
to attenuate sound.
Choosing heavy door panels and assembling the doors carefully to
ensure it is tightly sealed toprevent transmission of sound through
air. Choosing acoustical doors with Sound Transmission
CONCLUSION
Based on our data, we concluded that Permata Pintar Auditorium comes
into the lecture and conference room category, with a reverberation time of
0.69 seconds. This suits their main programme, which is to serve as a
lecture hall for Permata Pintar Programme students, but it is not designed
for other uses such as plays, musical or dramatic performances.
Aside from that, we noticed that the auditorium's design and shape
distributes sound uniformly, with only a small attenuation towards the back
row sitting. However, there are significant flaws in the architecture, as the
sitting below and above the gallery experiences sound shadow.
- Furthermore, the outdoor noise invasions are a severe flaw. Significant
noise might be heard in the auditorium due to the lack of vestibules, louvre
openings above the stage, and sound insulators behind the auditorium,
which could impact the quality of the programmes hosted there.