A multipurpose space has to work differently from one hour to the next.

In schools and community facilities, the same hall might be used for a basketball game in the morning, a whole-school assembly after lunch, and a performance or community event in the evening. That range of use creates two requirements that have to be resolved together: acoustic control and durability.

The acoustic challenge

Multipurpose halls are typically large-volume spaces with high ceilings and hard surfaces, creating a highly reflective acoustic environment. The resulting reverberation can become a problem across the different activities the space needs to accommodate.

The challenge also extends beyond the room. Sporting activity, amplified events and large groups can generate breakout noise that affects adjacent classrooms, surrounding buildings or nearby properties.

Within the room: Sound absorption

Control reverberation to suit the activity – speech intelligibility for assemblies, crowd noise management for sport, clarity for performance.

Beyond the room: Sound transmission

Limit breakout noise reaching adjacent classrooms, surrounding buildings or nearby residential properties.

Key point

The acoustic brief needs to consider both sides of the problem: sound absorption to control reverberation within the space, and sound transmission to control where that noise travels.

Why durability complicates the acoustic brief

Specifying for acoustic performance alone isn’t enough in a multipurpose space. The same walls and ceilings that need to control reverberation and limit sound transmission can also be exposed to repeated impact from balls and sporting equipment.

A material that performs acoustically but can’t withstand the environment creates an ongoing maintenance problem and, as the system degrades, potentially an acoustic problem too.

1. Acoustic degradation over time

As surface finishes are damaged by repeated impact, the acoustic performance of the wall or ceiling system can diminish – compounding the maintenance issue.

2. Ongoing repair costs

A material that can’t withstand the environment generates recurring remediation work across the building’s life.

3. Single-measure specification fails

Specifying around acoustic performance alone, without accounting for impact resistance, leaves a gap the environment will eventually exploit.

Acoustic performance and impact resistance within the same system

At the centre of Durra Panel is a dense core manufactured from highly compressed straw. Depending on the system configuration, Durra Panel can contribute to reducing sound transmission through the building envelope.

Where greater sound absorption is required within the room, an acoustic finish can be combined with the Durra Panel system to control reverberation, while the broader wall or ceiling construction can be configured around the project’s sound transmission requirements.

System capability

Durra Panel’s compressed straw core provides a robust, impact-resistant surface suited to high-use environments – allowing acoustic performance and impact resistance to be considered within the wall or ceiling system itself.

Designing for the complete brief

Multipurpose spaces are a useful reminder that specification can’t be built around a single performance measure.

Durra Panel systems can be configured to suit your project’s requirements, combining wall and ceiling systems that address sound transmission, acoustic finishes for sound absorption, and an impact-resistant panel suited to demanding sporting environments.

Get started

Designing a multipurpose space?

Speak with the Durra Panel team about configuring a system around your project’s acoustic and durability requirements.

Whether you’re in early specification or finalising your design, our team can help you navigate the acoustic and durability requirements together.

Architecture & Design Team

Durra Panel

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