Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Acoustics in common house--not always desirable

[Laura Fitch (lfitch]

Hi Rick - while I appreciate the music that you have brought to our
common house, I would not trade our acoustic treatment for improved
concerts.  I have known way too many communitiies who have failed to
put in enough acoustic treatment and it is always a disaster.  You can
have a community without top-notch concerts, but cohousing is defined
by dining together!   There is nothing worse than a noisy dining
environment!

Laura Fitch, AIA, LEED-BD+C
Kraus-Fitch Architects
110 Pulpit Hill Rd.
Amherst, MA  01002
lfitch [at] krausfitch.com

Board Member, Cohousing Association of US
www.cohousing.org

On 2/23/12, Richart Keller <richart.keller [at] gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi all
>
> A word of caution about sound-deadening acoustics:
>
> When you are considering acoustics in the common house, make sure that you
> have included provisions for concerts if you think that you might want to
> include music as a potential use.  In particular, don't expect to rely on
> electronic amplification for all types of music.  Some kinds of music,
> particularly chamber music (string quartets, etc.) or even acoustic folk
> sound much better in a resonant room--without external amplification.  Also,
> it is easier for the musicians hear each other while they play--important
> for sound balance and for a well-integrated ensemble.  A sound-dead room is
> not likely to attract professional quality musicians in those genres.
>
> Rick
>
>
>
> Richart Keller, AICP
> Pioneer Valley Cohousing
> 120 Pulpit Hill Road #25
> Amherst, MA 01002
> 413-835-0011
> 401 486-2677 (cell)
> (richart.keller [at] gmail.com)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kathy Kelly [mailto:kksantacruz [at] gmail.com]
> Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2012 4:34 PM
> To: Cohousing-L
> Subject: Re: [C-L]_ Acoustics in common house
>
>
>
> Hi Melanie,
> This sounds great and affordable! Do you have pictures posted somewhere? It
> would be great to see how it looks. Thanks, Kathy Santa Cruz, CA
>
> On Sat, Feb 18, 2012 at 9:27 AM, Melanie Mindlin <sassetta [at] mind.net> 
> wrote:
>
>>
>> There are a number of ways recommended to dampen the noise in the
>> common house.  Rugs, for example, would help a lot but of course we
>> want to be able to do easy clean up in the dining area so they are not
>> appropriate.  We tried pieces of rug glued under the tables, which
>> didn't make much difference and came unglued.
>>
>> Then we saw some lovely homemade acoustic panels in the common house
>> of our nearby cohousing community in Bend, Oregon.  These are about
>> 30" square (the exact size is not important) made out of 2x2 wood with
>> some light canvas type cloth stretched over the frame and filled with
>> blue-jean insulation batts on the top.  These are hung from short
>> chains (about 2-3"
>> long) from hooks in the ceiling.  They are in a regular pattern with a
>> couple of inches between the panels and can be taken down for cleaning if
>> necessary.  We made them ourselves over several community workdays.
>>
>> We are quite pleases with the results.  Not only are they attractive,
>> but they really work.  Since we did all the work ourselves the cost
>> was very reasonable and they're out of the way where nobody has to
>> bother with them.  It was a little tricky working around our existing
>> light fixtures, but we calculated the whole pattern and size of panels
>> ahead of time to fit around them.
>>
>> Melanie Mindlin
>> Ashland Cohousing Community
>>
>> Begin forwarded message:
>> >
>> > From: Holly McNutt <holly.mcnutt [at] gmail.com>
>> > Subject: Re: [C-L]_ exclusive dinners vs community dinners- Mary Ann
>> > To: Cohousing-L <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
>> > Message-ID: <E81F6155-038F-4568-951B-266EE24C18DA [at] gmail.com>
>> > Content-Type: text/plain;     charset=us-ascii
>> >
>> > Mary Ann - If/when you find some good noise abatement solutions,
>> > pleas
>> let me know Thanks, Holly
>> >
>> > Visionary Properties
>> > www.visionaryproperties.vpweb.com
>> > holly.mcnutt [at] gmail.com
>> > (303) 447-2339 direct
>> > (303) 517-4180 cell
>> > (303) 447-8204 fax
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>>
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