Nov 2024
Acoustics and ETFE: when transparency is a feature
Why malls and pools love it, and where to draw the line.
ETFE is acoustically live. In a shopping mall or a swimming pool, that liveliness reads as atmosphere — the buzz of a busy space, the pleasant reverberation of water. Clients often specify it deliberately for that reason.
Where it doesn't work is anywhere you need quiet: offices, teaching spaces, concert halls, hospital wards. The foil is too thin and too light to block airborne sound, and rain noise on the outer layer can be noticeable in heavy weather.
The fix isn't to abandon ETFE — it's to zone it. Use ETFE over circulation and social space, and drop to a heavier build-up over sensitive zones. Get this decided at RIBA Stage 2.
Working on a scheme where this matters? Talk it through with Lyndon.