Sound Health
April 1, 2006
Music can reduce stress, enhance relaxation, reduce muscle tension, and evoke an emotional response. A fast, upbeat tune gets your pulse racing; a leisurely one can slow down the pace. Hospitals are inevitably places that produce stress. Patients and family
Lawsuit against Apple’s iPods
February 1, 2006
In a previous blog post, we talked about the dangers of using earbuds to play music at excessive levels. While the article was not specific to Apple’s iPods, it did reference the iPod manual’s warning that hearing loss can occur
The San Francisco GSA Federal Building – Green Acoustic Design Considerations
December 1, 2005
Incorporating a modern glass facade, the new GSA Federal Building in San Francisco will be a 600,000 square foot building 240 feet high, 120 feet long, but just 60 feet wide. Among the many green features, this narrow, 18-story glass
Texlon, an Alternative Cladding System
December 1, 2005
One of the most underestimated criteria in people’s perception of their environment is the acoustic ambience. This is true whether the building is a large atrium, a foyer, a hospital, or a restaurant. The internal acoustics of the space has
Tracking Cameras – Push to Talk AND be Seen
December 1, 2005
We see lots of innovative uses of technology but one big area is in Distance Learning applications. Thorburn Associates recently completed a project for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Pharmacy that pushes the envelope for
Conference Highlights: AIA Virginia, Design-Build, IAAPA
December 1, 2005
AIA Virginia: As part of our continuing commitment to support the architectural industry, Thorburn Associates presented a 2-hour session “Understanding Acoustics: What to Look for During a Design and Construction Site Visit” at the 17th annual Architecture Exchange East, held
Way to Go! Federated Department Stores Receives Retailer of the Year Award
September 1, 2005
Congratulations go to Federated Department Stores (Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s) for receiving the “VM+SD/Peter Glen Retailer of the Year” award at the International Design Conference in Chicago, September 21-23. Honored as a “master of department store reinvention”, Federated embraces change and is
Wireless Projection
September 1, 2005
Several clients are asking about wireless projection and if it should be included in the design of their facility. Wireless projection can be done in different ways. The first and most common method is where the laptop and projector communicate
Video-conference With Your Cell Phone??
July 1, 2005
It seems that Maxwell Smart’s shoe phone did not set the bar high enough. Nor did AT&T’s Videophone demonstration at the 1964 World’s Fair. Soon, we will be able to video-conference between our mobile phones. Demonstrated earlier this year in
Acoustical Plaster
May 1, 2005
At the AIA National Conference in Las Vegas earlier this month, Pyrok introduced their new acoustical plaster system. In the past Architects and Interior Designers have been concerned with the rough texture finish of Pyrok’s original systems. The new acoustical