EFFECTS OF STRUCTURAL OPENINGS ON ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE IN CONTEMPORARY MALAYSIAN PROTESTANT CHURCHES ACROSS VARYING ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXTS

Authors

  • Goh Jia En Department of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
  • Nazli bin Che Din Department of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia. , Centre for Building, Construction & Tropical Architecture (BuCTA), Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0072-1177

Keywords:

Structural Openings, Surrounding Context, Sound Parameters, Church Acoustics, Sound Absorbing Materials

Abstract

This study examines the influence of structural openings and the surrounding on the acoustic properties of contemporary Protestant churches in Malaysia. The lack of adequate natural lighting and ventilation in numerous modern Protestant churches can adversely impact the worship experience and the building's atmosphere. Poorly planned openings that lead to inadequate ventilation and insufficient natural light may adversely affect congregants' comfort and spiritual experience. This study aims to identify optimal openings and contextual elements for acoustic design in places of worship, balancing practical and aesthetic considerations. Churches with different sizes of openings and surrounding context which are soft landscape and glass facades were stimulated and analyzed. In general, the stimulation of church without surrounding context, the larger the openings, the lower the reverberation time. If the church opening is next to soft landscapes and the sound source is inside the building, larger opening will decrease the reverberation time and vice versa.

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Published

2026-06-30

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Articles

License

COPYRIGHT: All rights reserved. No part of this journal may be reproduced, copied, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without proper written permission from the publisher. Any opinions expressed in the articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.