Client: Arch. Pedro Salinas Calado
Architecture: Pedro Salinas Calado
Description: Development of the Acoustic Design project for the Trappist Monastery of Palaçoulo, located in Miranda do Douro, Portugal. The monastic complex was designed to accommodate up to 40 sisters of the Trappist Order and its composed by two habitable floors, a basement and a second floor for technical areas. The building has been carefully designed to respect the principles of simplicity, austerity and silence characteristic of this religious order. The Acoustic Design project for this building was particularly complex given the need for absolute silence, an essential factor for Trappist practice. Each space was carefully planned to isolate external and internal noises, creating an environment of total retreat, where silence contributes to introspection and prayer. In the community living areas, acoustic solutions were designed so that the daily life sounds do not disturb the climate of serenity that sustains religious practice. The church, where Gregorian chant integrates the daily liturgies, was designed to offer a balanced resonance, ensuring that the voices are projected with clarity and purity, allowing the lyrics of the chants to be clearly audible and perceptible. (Photo Credits: Pedro Viana)
Services: Acoustic design project.