Barcelona Airport Terminal One

Anyone who has ridden in a luxury automobile has likely noticed the dramatic difference in perceived interior noise between luxury and economy cars. Today, the same technology used to dampen noise in cars is being used in building architecture.  In many building types ranging from airports, train stations, concert halls and office buildings, isolating interior spaces from exterior noise is critical, and acoustic laminated glass effectively reduces sound transmission between indoor and outdoor spaces.  This fact can be seen in the new airport situation in Barcelona, Spain.

Air travelers arriving at Terminal One of Barcelona’s Airport, designed by Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura, are welcomed by dramatic vistas of laminated glass featuring Saflex advanced acoustic interlayer.  Because of the sheer volume of glass used, safety and noise was paramount in material selection.  Glass can be the weakest link in the transmission of noise into a building.  Therefore the glazing design was a paramount decision in an airport where overhead jet engines and air traffic are heard on a minute by minute basis.  Saflex advanced acoustic interlayers were used in the laminated glass to help reduce the perceived noise in the terminal, reducing fatigue for the travelers.  Laminated glass also was chosen because it adheres to the interlayer and remains in its frame if impacted or broken, which makes it safe for overhead, and vertical glazing applications.   The laminated glass also allows natural light in, creating a bright, pleasant environment for travelers arriving at the airport.  You can see more information about the project at this link:  www.ricardobofill.com/projects/terminal-1-barcelona-airport-2/    

Adding acoustic laminated glass to a glazing system is one of the best ways to optimize performance. The PVB interlayer effectively absorbs significantly higher levels of sound waves than monolithic glass, thus creating a greater sound barrier.  Adding a pane of acoustic laminated glass to an insulating glazing system gives the unit an even higher Sound Transmission Class (STC), blocking more sound waves.