Experiences with Gymnasium Noise and Vibration in Mixed-Use Buildings

In the past few years, we have been involved in the design of gymnasiums in mixed-use buildings. Gymnasiums generate both continuous and transient noise that can be difficult to control. Continuous noise includes amplified music and instructor voices during a class. Transient noises include weight drops and treadmills. In our experience, modern gyms generate noise levels comparable to nightclubs, so some leases have a criterion establishing allowable noise levels and vibration levels in some cases, in adjacent tenant spaces. When leases do not have such criteria, a more subjective approach is often necessary. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the trials and tribulations of several case studies involving various obstacles encountered during both design and construction. These cases demonstrate the challenges of trying to make a gym acoustically compatible with adjacent spaces in a building.