Restaurant chimneys in a shopping centre beneath residential buildings
14 chimney lines running through a residential tower without generating a single complaint.
The challenge
The installation of restaurant areas in large shopping centres located beneath residential buildings represents one of the most complex scenarios in urban acoustic engineering. SNA addressed the problems generated by the exhaust outlets of a large restaurant area situated on a lower level of a shopping centre integrated into a major city.
The system comprised 14 chimney lines, some up to one metre in diameter, running vertically through the service shaft of one of the residential towers. This configuration generated a high risk of both airborne noise transmission and structural vibrations to the upper dwellings.
The solution
The intervention required an integral analysis combining advanced acoustic modelling, specific sound propagation calculations and a detailed study of vibratory transmission through floor slabs and load-bearing structures. It was not merely about attenuating sound levels, but ensuring total compatibility between intensive commercial activity and highly sensitive residential use.
Tailored solutions were defined for each section of the system: source control, duct attenuation treatments, structural decoupling and specific vibration control measures to prevent transmission to upper floors. The design also considered structural adaptability and the dynamic behaviour of the assembly.
The result
The result has been fully satisfactory. Since the installation's commissioning, no acoustic or vibratory disturbance has been recorded in the dwellings, consolidating the viability of the activity without neighbourhood conflict. An example of intervention in highly complex urban environments where advanced acoustic engineering, rigorous modelling and innovative solutions transform potentially conflictive configurations into fully compatible systems.
Related projects
Rooftop acoustic insulation on an exclusive Madrid building
Modular acoustic screens for rooftop extractors and HVAC systems on a landmark building.
View project →
Music conservatory: sonic precision in a heritage building
Bespoke insulation and conditioning for each instrument within a protected heritage building.
View project →
Boiler room adjacent to a bedroom: judicial resolution
95% of the problem was not airborne noise but structural transmission. A precise diagnosis closed the legal case.
View project →