The acoustic rehabilitation of the Renaissance church of La Anunciacion in Seville

摘要

The church of La Anunciacion is an important Renaissance building situated in the historic town centre of the city of Seville (Spain). Its construction began in 1565 and was completed in 1579, when it became part of the House of the Society of Jesus in the city. The initial design is attributed to the Jesuit Bartolome de Bustamante, Consiliarius Aedificatorium of the Society of Jesus in Spain, although it was modified by the architect Hernan Ruiz Ⅱ, master architect of the Cathedral, who completed the project. Although it is used to hold religious services, this church has been owned by the University of Seville since 1771 and is used for cultural purposes compatible with religious ones, hosting an extensive series of concerts throughout the year. Given that the acoustic conditions are not the most suitable for these uses, the University of Seville asked a research team from the University Institute of Architecture and Building Science (IUACC) to carry out a study seeking solutions for the correction of the church's acoustics in a manner compatible with the great cultural value of the building. This paper analyses the acoustic behaviour of this Renaissance church, and this multidisciplinary group of researchers (architects and physicists) also suggests architectural solutions, all of them reversible, for the acoustic rehabilitation of a monument of such artistic importance.