Reverberation Time Analysis in the Design of Performance Halls Hosting Animals

The combination of different functions in performance halls makes a properly suitable acoustic design difficult. Moreover, performance halls hosting animals should be created with appropriate acoustic comfort conditions for both people and animals. The research focuses on the reverberation time in the acoustic design of performance halls hosting animals. In this paper, the reverberation time of a performance hall in Turkmenistan is analyzed. The analyses were performed using Autodesk Ecotect software, a BIM (Building Information Modeling) based software. In the evaluations, reverberation times were analyzed according to the changing stage configurations due to different functions and according to the sound absorbing materials used in the hall. In the analysis, the performance hall's reverberation time at the design phase was determined in the range of 1,08-1,33 s for 1000 Hz with varying conditions. In conclusion, suggestions were presented to improve the acoustic performance of performance halls hosting animals, which have an important role in improving the quality of life of individuals with mental disorders and in the application of Animal-Assisted Therapy.