What is involved in architectural acoustics and, more specifically, in church acoustics?
Churches are “assembly spaces,” i.e., buildings that accommodate a group of people gathered for praise, celebration, rites and rituals — elements of the worship practices of specific religious denominations. The general form of the building involves a relatively small presentation area (a sanctuary or chancel) and a large seating area (the nave) where the congregation or assembly sits, listens, and participates in the worship service. This architectural form has much in common with a performance space, but with significant distinctions. One key distinction is that in performance halls, the audience is a passive group observing the event but not actively participating. In a liturgical space, however, those seated in the congregation/assembly area take part in the service through their spoken and sung responses in prayer, hymns, and other ritual parts of the service. A more detailed and multifaceted presentation of church acoustics from a variety of perspectives c
