Case Study: George Brown College achieves quieter classrooms and public spaces with Thornton Tomasetti acoustics design

George Brown College builds Limberlost Place’s 174,914 ft² mass-timber campus with Thornton Tomasetti

George Brown College faced the challenge of designing quiet classrooms and public spaces for its new mass-timber Limberlost Place building. The open design, timber structure, and large ventilation passages created significant potential for noise issues, threatening the functionality of its new architecture school. Thornton Tomasetti's acoustics team was engaged to address this challenge.

Thornton Tomasetti implemented a series of innovative, collaborative solutions. These included designing sound-absorbing ceiling systems, adding a sound-insulating layer within the floors, and developing specialized baffles and heating units that doubled as acoustic panels within the air-transfer passages. This integrated approach successfully mitigated noise from footfall, ventilation, and adjacent spaces, contributing to the project's goal of achieving LEED Platinum certification.

George Brown College