Bronson Commons
Mattawan, Michigan

Acoustical consulting services were provided to support the design of this new 100-bed skilled nursing facility, which will be seeking LEED certification. Of particular concern to the design team was the acoustical environment in the facility's large spaces, including the 5,000 square foot Cafe and Main Lobby, the 2,500 square foot physical Therapy space, and the 2,000 square foot long-term dining room.

People with age induced hearing loss have a more difficult time communicating in loud or acoustically reverberant spaces. As such, the project design team recognized that a more stringent criteria for noise and reverberation control needed to be achieved in these spaces then would need to be achieved in similar spaces with younger users.

Soundsape Engineering worked with the project design team to design spaces and systems that would achieve these enhanced acoustical goals. We analyzed the design of these spaces and assisted the project architect in incorporating the necessary types and areas of acoustical finishes to control sound reverberation; worked with the project mechanical engineer to design noise control for the HVAC systems; and reviewed the food service design with respect to noise generation in the large Cafe.