Culture / Sport / Leisure

A leading and long-established specialist in the design of performance, sports and event venues, particularly facilities hosting amplified music (SMACs, arenas, etc.), LASA has more than 40 years of experience in the field and continuously conducts Research & Development programmes to develop innovative techniques dedicated to improving the acoustic quality of these spaces.

We apply this expertise across a wide range of cultural projects, including concert halls, theatres, auditoriums, music and dance schools, recording studios, museums, convention centres and libraries, as well as sports facilities such as arenas, stadiums and gymnasiums, and leisure venues including cinemas, shopping centres, aquatic centres and theme parks.

The growing expectations regarding listening quality, sound insulation from neighbouring areas, and the management of very low-frequency noise present new challenges and require conventional design standards to be re-evaluated and adapted.

Acoustic studies must begin at the earliest design stages through close collaboration between the architect, the theatre consultant or scenographer, and the acoustician, as the initial decisions regarding geometry and volume are critical to achieving the desired acoustic performance of the venue. Material selection, material placement, and geometric detailing are equally important factors influencing acoustic quality.

To optimise all these parameters, we deploy from the outset of each project a range of dedicated tools that have been continuously refined over the years, including the analysis of more than four decades of LASA measurement data and project feedback, proprietary parametric pre-design software, and advanced 3D numerical models capable of accurately predicting acoustic behaviour and key performance criteria.

Research and development on innovative acoustic wall and ceiling systems for these venues is another area in which LASA invests significant resources to address the challenges of contemporary projects. Examples include low-frequency resonators specifically optimised for arenas and very large-volume spaces, as well as laboratory testing of diffusive elements subsequently implemented in concert halls, both of which illustrate LASA’s commitment to innovation and acoustic excellence.