Experiencing Design Through Sound – How SoundLab® Auralisations Can Shape Major Infrastructure and Building Design Projects.

We recently had the pleasure of being invited to the launch of the Arup SoundLab®, held at STEAMhouse Birmingham and in partnership with Birmingham City University, which explored a fascinating side of how sound research can inform spatial design and also celebrated the new facilities installed there.

The event was co-hosted by Arup who offer an innovative, immersive solution to understanding and experiencing the soundscapes of various projects, from railways to wind farms, aiding in the design process by providing clients and stakeholders with objective, quantifiable information in an accessible format. By simulating soundscapes, such as those of high-speed trains passing through different environments, SoundLab® facilitates informed decision-making and fosters constructive dialogue between designers, engineers, clients, and the public.

Through auralisations, SoundLab® allows us to hear the potential impacts of projects firsthand, promoting transparency and trust. SoundLab's versatility extends even beyond infrastructure projects, being applied in diverse settings like music design, where it helped create a reverberation chamber for Björk's Cornucopia tour. Overall, SoundLab® enhances design outcomes by offering immersive experiences and enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions based on real-world conditions.

This event was not only celebrating the SoundLab® facilities recently installed in STEAMhouse, but also introducing the ideas and facilities to local businesses who now have a unique opportunity to access high end, very progressive sound design tools that help clients audibly appreciate the effect spaces have, and discover the incremental changes that can be made to improve audio performance.

Angus Deuchars commented:

Arup is delighted to share its SoundLab® technology with Birmingham City University. The exciting location of the STEAMhouse in Birmingham’s Innovation Quarter makes it well-positioned as an intersection of research and development, professional practice and academia. SoundLab® is a collaborative environment where users can hear and understand how design choices can shape future experiences – this ability will bring together research expertise and industry knowledge to impact our respective fields in new and meaningful ways. Arup has used this advanced technology to inform the design of some of the world’s best regarded arts and culture venues, and major transport and energy infrastructure programmes. We look forward to the innovative outcomes from this partnership.

Joseph Huddleston, Business Design Development Executive at Squaredot, said of his experience at the event, “Thanks to Angus Deuchars and the Arup team for kindly inviting us to such an innovative and fascinating event. It was great to see attendance from the regional design industry, research community and Universities alike; a chance to discuss some of the fascinating initiatives presented as well as learn more about the tangible impact that sound design can have on the spaces around us as well as those we design."

For more information on the SoundLab please contact Angus Deuchars - midlandsmarketing@arup.com

For further information on STEAMhouse, the Digital Labs and membership see - Digital Development Labs in Birmingham - Grow your Business (steamhouse.org.uk)