Audit of Auditoriums in an Academic Setting, Ghana

Abstract

Auditorium buildings are special structures needing much attention for it to function properly. Generally, consideration should be given to seating, sightlines, and acoustic requirements. In addition, the design should ensure performer-audience intimacy as much as possible. The focus of the study is to review design strategies for auditoria on the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi campus towards compliance and to develop solutions for improvements that will enhance the performance of 4 selected auditorium facilities. Case study, observation and measurements were the main strategies used. The results revealed that the approaches involved in auditorium designs are shape, volume, surface boundary dimensions and materials, stage, seating, foyers and sightlines. These parameters are grouped under acoustical, functional and programmatic parameters. Reverberation time calculated was high which indicated speech intelligibility problems, hence, improvement efforts were made to change the floor materials from polished tiles to carpeted floors, and high absorption wall claddings. In the process, the reverberation time was reduced from 1.47 - 2.23 to 0.84 - 1.73 for the studied buildings. The study recommends strict adherence to standards and guidelines, and for designers to have a keen focus on designing these special buildings. A renovation effort when undertaken, will lead to improvements in the performance of the selected buildings.