Friday 24 January 2014

Case study-Making Absolute Quiet Home in Jaipur near Railway Track




John Cage reports in his book Silence, that in Harvard University they have made an absolutely sound proof room for certain scientific experimentation – that is the greatest sound proof room in the whole world.He entered – it was absolute quiet – but suddenly he started hearing two noises. So he was worried. And he has heard that this place was absolutely sound proof. So he asked the technician, “What is the matter?”The technician laughed. He said, “These sounds are within you. The first sound is just your mind functioning inside – the nervous system; and the second sound is nothing but your blood running through the body – the blood circulation.”Cage said, “But I never heard these sounds before.”

The technician said, “Because there were so many sounds outside. Now it is absolute quiet, no sound at all. That’s why you hear the inner mechanism functioning: the brain continuously working, millions of nerves continuously working, and the blood circulation continuously going on just like a stream flowing.”

Cage said, “Then I thought, ‘Quiet won’t do. Silence is needed.’” 

Silence is something you can rely upon – it is within you. Quiet is something which depends on conditions, which does not depend on you – you can never be a master of quiet. But there is no need! If you know silence, wherever you move your silence fills the space. Now you know the inner secret of it.

Quiet is possible through scientific technology; silence, no. Quiet is possible in an air-conditioned room, sound proofed – you can be more quiet than in the Himalayas –.~ The True Sage Book by Osho


Modern rapid development & mechanisation has created some new problems for man kind; one of them is noise or, unwanted sound… But remember it is not new phenomenon… During Roman times when rulers passed a bill that prohibited the driving of chariots through the cobblestone streets of Rome at noise…In 1899, Excessive noise was the number one “ Quality of Life” complaints in new york city…More recently, electronic sources such as powerful car stereos ( particulars cars with boom woofers), vehicle alarms, cellular phones, Marriage DJs have added to urban noise problems...   

Delhi NCR, Jaipur, Lucknow like other metros in India, due to more population congestion have heavy road traffic movement, so does the noise, also not to forget aircraft, rail & metro train noise.. If You are planning to buy or, already living an apartment near Metro train or, Railway track & having painful unwanted sound or, noise experience, then don't think that You are Alone… As many people have chosen noisy locations due to locational advantage as near to work-place. ( A very common phenomenon is Delhi NCR like city) but now feeling each passing day that outside noise is becoming unbearable & could not able to sleep properly...

To understand How noise is affecting us & what is missed by modern architecture & Town planners , please watch this wonderful TED Talk by Juliane Treasure....





In this article, i am sharing a case study about a home in jaipur where their apartment was approx. with in 50 meter of railway track. This railway track is one of the favourite route for fast moving trains. ( So it means more honking as near to residential area).

Sound loses its intensity if distance increase...as depicted in below pic-







Many people think that sound travels only by air, no that's not true as There are two kind of noise, one is air-borne noise & other is structure-borne noise... Below shown picture is self explanatory-






We have assisted the Mr. Singh to make his Home liveable.....  

We observed a new phenomenon while measuring noise levels on Mr. Singh's residence... It was quite surprising. In one room, it was in between 45 dB~ 55 dB for normal conversations & another room it was in between 35 dB ~ 45 dB... 


Then we analysed the room conditions & discovered about sound reflective material...common building material (e.g. Concrete, tiles, Brick & gypsum boards) are largely sound reflective, that's why, they reflect back most of the sound energy that strikes them... Normally such sound reflections do not amplify noise levels but particularly in this situation it is increasing noise levels due to hard empty surfaces of the room. Mr. Rajdeep has not shifted furniture & other stuffs inside the room resulting "build-up" of noise levels with in one room...

We suggested to the client , not only changing doors- windows would not solve problem as empty room is creating situation like "Guitar- effect" "... In the guitar..... vibrating stings in contact with closed enclosures of wood amplifies the noise level...He needed to use acoustic treatment or, Sound absorbent material in walls & roofs..

It was magical experience as things went according to plan........




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           See the Noise Reduction... 20 dB reduction means approx. 75-80% reduction in noise intensity.




Testimonial by customer. (Site completed in 2013, testimonial in 2015)


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