Auditory visual perception: acoustic distractions in mass timber versus concrete office spaces
| dc.contributor.author | Bain, Olivia | |
| dc.contributor.author | Montiel, Michelle | |
| dc.contributor.author | Summers, Lily | |
| dc.contributor.author | Yauk, Michael | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2020-02-25T23:28:18Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2020-02-25T23:28:18Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2019 | |
| dc.description | 10 pages | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | Designing for acoustics in relation to human health is becoming an increasingly relevant topic in the architectural profession. In an office environment, auditory stimuli such as the sound of traffic, office chatter, or impact noises (including as footfall or a chair dragging) from the floor above may cause small distractions throughout the course of the day. Based on research studies reviewed and compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO), the repetition of auditory stimuli could have compounding effects on occupants’ health and productivity. This study looks at the implications that auditory stimuli can have on office workers in two different building typologies; a mass timber building constructed of nail laminated timber (NLT), and a traditional masonry building. The comparison of these two typologies allowed us to assess if being surrounded by a biophilic elements such as wood gave users an “acoustic forgiveness factor” when exposed to the same types of auditory stimuli. Three biometric data sets were gathered to analyze unconscious emotional and physical responses to auditory stimuli: Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), heart rate, and emotional response (measured as valence) through the novel use of a facial recognition software. This small pilot study showed users of the conventional, masonry building were more likely to have a physical and emotional response to auditory stimuli in comparison to the inhabitants of the mass timber building. Further research with more participants and more controls in the study are needed; however, the results of this study imply that working in a mass timber building may provide an “acoustic forgiveness factor” to its occupants. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1794/25199 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | en_US |
| dc.publisher | University of Oregon, Dept. of Architecture, Portland Program | en_US |
| dc.rights | Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0-US | en_US |
| dc.subject | acoustics | en_US |
| dc.subject | health | en_US |
| dc.subject | mass timber | en_US |
| dc.subject | auditory stimuli | en_US |
| dc.subject | biometric response | en_US |
| dc.title | Auditory visual perception: acoustic distractions in mass timber versus concrete office spaces | en_US |
| dc.type | Other | en_US |