{"id":24537,"date":"2022-12-08T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-08T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freshcup.com\/?p=24537"},"modified":"2022-12-09T10:56:48","modified_gmt":"2022-12-09T16:56:48","slug":"chatter-in-the-cafe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/freshcup.com\/chatter-in-the-cafe\/","title":{"rendered":"Chatter in the Caf\u00e9: How To Control and Manage the Noise"},"content":{"rendered":"

Caf\u00e9s are versatile spaces where people come to catch up with old friends, meet a date, hold a business meeting, work solo, and relax over coffee and tea. While caf\u00e9s certainly look like the ideal spot for any of these purposes, how they sound can tell a whole different story.<\/p>\n

Modern design can sometimes mean the acoustics of the environment disrupt the people trying to enjoy the space. High ceilings, exposed brick, and bare metalwork create a chic, trendy vibe favored by many caf\u00e9s\u2014but that can easily translate into a noisy environment. The bare-bones aesthetic offers little to no sound absorption, and customers find themselves straining to hear one another (and their own thoughts) over the mingled sounds of coffee being made, music, and competing conversations.<\/p>\n

How can caf\u00e9 owners get a handle on the acoustics of their space and improve their customers’ experience?<\/p>\n

Caf\u00e9s are versatile spaces where people come to catch up with old friends, meet a date, hold a business meeting, work solo, and relax over coffee and tea. While caf\u00e9s certainly look like the ideal spot for any of these purposes, how they sound can tell a whole different story.<\/p>\n

Modern design can sometimes mean the acoustics of the environment disrupt the people trying to enjoy the space. High ceilings, exposed brick, and bare metalwork create a chic, trendy vibe favored by many caf\u00e9s\u2014but that can easily translate into a noisy environment. The bare-bones aesthetic offers little to no sound absorption, and customers find themselves straining to hear one another (and their own thoughts) over the mingled sounds of coffee being made, music, and competing conversations.<\/p>\n

How can caf\u00e9 owners get a handle on the acoustics of their space and improve their customers’ experience?<\/p>\n

Why Acoustics Matter<\/span><\/h4>\n

Working daily in a caf\u00e9 may make caf\u00e9 owners and employees immune to the noise and how it carries around the space, but customers are taking notice. People have begun using the\u00a0<\/span>SoundPrint app<\/span><\/a> as a decibel meter for venues like restaurants, bars, and caf\u00e9s. The crowdsourced app ranks venues as “quiet,” “moderate,” “loud,” or “very loud,” and users can search for venues around them based on noise level<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
The KireiUSA EchoFold along the top of the bar creates visual motion while deflecting and absorbing sound. Photo courtesy of ARCO\/Murray<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/h4>\n

“It is kind of like Yelp for noise,” says founder Gregory Scott. SoundPrint, which now has approximately 55,000 users and 80,000 submissions, was born out of Scott’s personal experience living in New York City and trying to date as someone with hearing loss. He would try to Google quieter venues to find places that would allow him to better hear and connect with another person, but finding somewhere was a hit-or-miss experience.<\/p>\n

Since developing the app, Scott has found it difficult for people to subjectively determine how noisy a spot is because high noise levels have increasingly become the default. “Typically, people are very inaccurate in assessing noise levels because [venues] have gotten so loud,” he says. “People have a hard time deciphering what a safer noise level is.”<\/p>\n

Venue managers and owners can use a decibel meter or an option like SoundPrint to understand the actual noise levels of their spaces. Just because a venue is noisy doesn’t mean it has to stay that way: SoundPrint is also working to connect spaces with suppliers, designers, and consultants that can help optimize acoustics.<\/p>\n

Sound Design from the Ground Up<\/span><\/h4>\n

Caf\u00e9 design is about engaging the senses. Owners and managers want people to love how their coffee, tea, and food taste, in addition to liking the look of the space and feeling comfortable enough to linger over their cups.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Venture Caf\u00e9 at the Cambridge Innovation Center in Philadelphia uses baffles and acoustic spray to control noise and sound. Photo by Sidi Gomes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“The auditory sense particularly has a big impact,” says Sidi Gomes, principal designer at\u00a0<\/span>Cambridge Innovation Center<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(CIC). “The reason it is not weighted as much as its visual counterpart\u2026it leaves its mark at an almost subconscious level, so it is easy to forget to design for it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Caf\u00e9s that have yet to open their doors can incorporate sound design into initial design plans, ensuring pleasant acoustics are a part of its aesthetic from the beginning. As part of a larger project, Gomes helped design a caf\u00e9 (Venture Caf\u00e9) for the CIC Design Studio space. He incorporated elements like acoustic spray on the ceiling, hanging baffles, and areas for reflected sound to escape into the caf\u00e9 design.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
D\u00e9cor, such as pillows, can help dampen sound. Photo by Sidi Gomes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“At this point, [acoustics are] ingrained in my design thinking and process, so I just do it from the get-go since it is a crucial design element,” he says. Venues taking a DIY approach to designing their space can research and incorporate acoustic solutions, while those hiring a designer can ensure acoustics are considered part of the overall process. “You just need to be able to describe the type of space you want well, and then [professional designers] should be able to help you put in the right elements to achieve them,” says Gomes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Acoustic Solutions<\/span><\/h4>\n

Caf\u00e9s are not libraries: There is no expectation of complete silence or demands that patrons talk in hushed whispers. However, noise levels can be managed so people can comfortably hear one another and concentrate. New and existing caf\u00e9s can use various acoustic solutions to manage sound better.<\/span><\/p>\n