Sound masking is a critical component of acoustic design. In certain situations, subtle background sound is enough to mask the volume of a conversation in an open space. This is why there is often a radio or TV in an open-plan office.
When designing an optimal acoustic environment, architects should consider a variety of elements to address noise control and speech privacy. Elements added either Absorb, Block, or Cover sound, and are collectively called the ABC’s of acoustic design.
Register to our ‘Specifying Partitioning’ RIBA CPD for more information on acoustic performance.