Sound Museums Event a ReSOUNDing Success!

Last week, City, University of London hosted the event ‘Sound Museums: Designing for Inclusion, Wellbeing, and Community,’ in partnership with Charcoalblue, Apex Acoustics, the Institute of Acoustics, and SPARC (Sound, Practice & Research at City). This event focused on the vital role of acoustics in enhancing visitor experience in museums and how sound design can promote inclusivity and wellbeing in public spaces.

Charcoalblue’s Sound Innovation Scholar, Professor Laudan Nooshin, hosted the event’s half-day deep dive into current practice around sonic justice as part of the AHRC-funded project ‘Place-making Through Sound: Designing for Inclusivity and Wellbeing’ (2023-24).

The half-day event featured a series of presentations bringing together museum and heritage professionals, access specialists, acousticians, exhibition designers, sound and AV designers and architects. The aim was to share perspectives and ideas on how to create more sonically equitable, welcoming and healthy spaces, with acoustic environments that cater to diverse audiences, emphasizing the importance of accessibility and cultural sensitivity in sound design.

Our colleagues Amanda Brecknell, Milo Fox, and Laudan Nooshin contributed significantly to the event’s discussions through their compelling presentations. Amanda Brecknell, an Associate Director, chaired sessions which included talks from members of Buro Happold, Apex Acoustics, and the Bartlett School of Architecture. Milo Fox, an Acoustic Consultant, delivered a presentation on the incorporation of acoustic design into historic museums and galleries. Laudan Nooshin curated and hosted the event, as part of her research on the cultural dimensions of sound in public spaces, advocating for designs that resonate with diverse communities.

We are incredibly proud of our colleagues’ contributions to this event, helping drive discussions forward and reflecting our commitment to innovation and community engagement in the field of acoustic design.