Institute for Digital Media Technology (IDMT), Ilmenau, Germany

Object Type
Universities

Client
Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, München

Architects
Staab Architekten, Berlin

Completion
2008

Expertises
Room Acoustics
Building Acoustics

In the new institute building for the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, workplaces were created for the research team led by Prof Brandenburg, one of the inventors of the mp3 audio format. In addition to office, meeting and seminar rooms, the building houses several specialised acoustic rooms of the highest quality.

On the outside, the building with its façade made of GRP panels appears calm, even slightly technical and functional. On closer inspection, the finesse is revealed. For example, there is a large anechoic chamber whose walls do not reflect any sound thanks to the wedge-shaped lining with absorbers. This room was installed completely decoupled from the building on elastic bearings so that no ambient noise can interfere with the precision measurements taking place in it.

Three further rooms were planned as special listening rooms in accordance with ITU guidelines BS. 1116-1, which enable listening tests at the very highest technical level free from visual and acoustic interference. Müller-BBM Building Solutions worked closely with the architect and user to design the building's structural and room acoustics as well as the highly sound-insulating room-in-room construction and interior design of the special rooms. Construction supervision was supplemented by metrological inspections both during the shell construction phase and on completion of the building.

Image Copyright
1 Werner Huthmacher
2 Werner Huthmacher
3 Werner Huthmacher
4 Fraunhofer IDMT