Sandy Brown was appointed in 2018 to carry out a design review of the RIBA Stage 4 design proposals for the Campus Central development at the University of Stirling. The development was a part refurbishment of an existing foyer and part new-build extension. The accommodation includes open-plan collaborative research and student services spaces, enclosed project, meeting, seminar, and 1-2-1 rooms, retail and catering facilities, and a new box office for the Macrobert Arts Centre.

The key acoustic issues on the project were the control of sound insulation between the enclosed rooms and between the newly formed atrium and the adjacent Macrobert Arts Centre cinema screen, and the control of reverberation in the various spaces.

The design proposals were appraised, and recommendations were given where needed to meet the advised criteria. This included guidance on partition specifications, interface detailing, and ventilation cross-talk control. Sound absorbing treatments included perforated timber rafts and wood wool slab ceilings. Guidance on helping to minimise construction noise, particularly to the sensitive auditoria in the Macrobert Arts Centre, was also given. We undertook site inspection visits during construction and acoustic tests on completion. Further tests were also undertaken on behalf of the Contractor to help successively resolve sound insulation issues.