We created the “gold standard’ for mass timber acoustic design, working with Hines on their original T3 buildings.

Considering the relatively lightweight construction of mass timber construction, a key area of acoustical concern is the vibration isolation of mechanical equipment.  This is something we perfected, through extensive hands-on experience. Exposed structure and concrete floor finish presented another acoustic challenge to workplace design. For many acousticians, who haven’t designed for timber, it’s a lot of trial and error. However, Cerami is way ahead of the curve, with thoughtful and detailed design that allows mass timber buildings to perform on par or acoustically better than concrete or steel buildings.

We appreciate everything about mass timber construction – its raw beauty, sustainable materials and the inherent benefits of biophilia design. We’re proud to have been at the forefront of today’s new standard for office design, quantifying the acoustic performance of mass timber assemblies for over 1.5 million square feet.

Signature Solution: For Hines T3 buildings, we needed to know how far to take the vibration isolation and how to isolate large pieces of mechanical rooftop equipment and pipe risers in order to achieve Class A Office (NC40) criteria. Because no code existed, we had to create the acoustic standard.

A tremendous amount of detail has to happen in the underlayment so footfalls are absorbed and vibrations kept to a minimal. On the T3 buildings, we planned down to the millimeter of how thick the concrete and timber needed to be to achieve ultimate sound in both T3 Midtown, Atlanta and T3, Minneapolis.

Hudson Yards is suspended over an active rail yard and yet you’d never know that 30 Long Island Railroad tracks are running underneath. Lesser known, are the powerful impacts that noise and vibration from a site of this magnitude could have on your health as you live, work or shop in the buildings above.

What you do know is that you are in Class A space and that the A also means it’s stellar in everything, especially Acoustics, because Cerami has been behind the rise of the mega development since its inception. With so much happening in this hot 28-acre neighborhood, the noise level is more than compliant – it’s peaceful. We provided recommendations and guidelines to mitigate noise at the core and shell, as well as fit-out interior spaces for clients such as COACH, SAP, Millbank, and SilverLake Technology Management, making sure this once no-man’s-land is now the soundest neighborhood in NYC.

Signature Solution: It was only natural, as the base-building acoustical designers, that Cerami would also partner with many of the tenants who were looking for acoustic and technology consulting. With our intimate knowledge of Hudson Yards, inside and out, we helped create the spaces they now call home.

Despite all the buzz about the emergence of new buildings in Manhattan’s far west, Manhattan West has managed to stay above it all – creating an understated imprint that speaks for itself.

Brookfield developed this neighborhood from an entirely clean canvas – a rare opportunity in New York City. As Brookfield was pushing the conceptual design, Cerami was brought in to think holistically and give this signature project its signature voice.

For five years, we’ve helped the neighborhood develop its voice so that wherever anyone is in Manhattan West, whether staying at the Pendry Hotel, working at JPMC or Accenture, living at the Eugene, visiting the new NHL Headquarters, or shopping and dining in the Central Plaza, there is an overall neighborhood vibe.

With the new Moynihan Station (another exciting Cerami project) completed, people emerging from the west will spill right into Manhattan West, and with its sophisticated feel and quiet energy, they may never want to leave.

Signature Solution: Working with world-premiere architect, Skidmore Owings & Merrill and engineering firm, Jaros Baum & Bolles, Cerami was brought in well in advance to anticipate every aspect of the development’s acoustical design. Controlling sound to and from each of the development’s 6 buildings and the 2-acre plaza, the acoustical experience of residences, tenants, and visitors was considered throughout every phase of design and construction.

Salesforce Tower, the 1070-foot tall building in San Francisco, is proud to be the first-of-its-kind workspace designed specifically to promote the health and well-being of its occupants. And Cerami is proud to have helped them achieve their vision, acoustically.

In keeping with the team’s desire to create a seamless fusion of the most cutting-edge architectural achievements in sustainability, technology and engineering, we designed the tower to NC40, designed the façade to meet CalGreen Code, provided Class A interior sound levels, and a design for their onsite generator to reduce the impact to both tenants of the building and external sensitive receivers. Our services included local floor air-handler sound attenuation and glass solutions to mitigate external noise.

Signature Solution: Providing base building acoustical design, we assessed the environmental strains on the location, taking into consideration that it is in the center of a primary commercial and transportation hub. Adhering to stringent San Francisco noise codes, Cerami made sure that the tallest building in the city achieved the highest standards. Salesforce Tower is LEED Platinum Certified.