Mayflower Inn and Spa
Classic Base Finish on Pool & Spa Ceilings
The 20,000 square-foot Mayflower Inn and Spa in Washington, CT opened in 2006, featuring a classic
English country design, elegant furnishing and quiet luxury. Brooks Acoustics specified BASWA Phon Seamless Sound Absorbing Plaster Finish to preserve the peaceful splendor and design intent. BASWA Phon Classic Base Finish was installed over the pool and spa areas as well as on most other high-activity public area ceilings, creating a relaxing acoustical landscape to complement the upscale traditional aesthetics.
Managing stress is the number one reason people visit a spa. Acoustics naturally play an integral role in relaxation. Indoor and covered pools are noisy environments because the water in the pools, tiled surfaces and glazing are particularly reflective. Reverberation time influences the intelligibility with which sound is heard and will be high due to the high activity of people using the facilities. Decibel levels can be as much as 90 dB(A), a caustic and abrasive element for users. Some swimming pools have closed due to poor attendance levels caused in large part by excessive noise.
Las Vegas Health Department codes go so far as to identify these spaces as potentially dangerous due to the challenges of communicating. This excess noise can have serious behavioral and safety consequences. Instructors have difficulty making themselves heard, supervision becomes challenging and children’s swimming instructors become less alert and suffer from increased nervous fatigue. For these reasons acoustics must be considered at the design stage of a building. Materials used must be as sound absorbent as possible, especially at frequencies of 500 - 2000 Hz, the level of children’s shouts.
In the humid environments associated with Spa and Natatorium spaces, the spectrum of materials available to absorb sound is greatly limited due to moisture deteriorating most materials over time. BASWA Phon’s Classic Base and Frosted Finishes are not water soluble and are mold and moisture resistant with no organic materials in their composition.
