Member Firm of the Australian Association of Acoustical Consultants

Staff profiles

Peter R. Knowland M A A S

Peter R. Knowland was involved for two years in the design stages of the Sydney Opera House, assisting Dr. V.L Jordan of Denmark. The work included the testing of the acoustic models and a number of rsearch projects involved with materials to be used on construction. He advised on the noise control of the entire air conditioning plans for the Opera House complex for Steensen & Varming, the Mechanical Engineers for the project.

In late 1972, Peter R. Knowland made an acoustic study of the principal concert halls, opera houses and theatres in Europe. He visited England, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.

In 1972, two small concert halls were comissioned which are now highly acclaimed for their acoustics. One in particular, Willoughby Civic Centre, has caused an extraordinary rise in the standard of the resident symphony orchestra.

In 1975, Peter Knowland attended an Acoustic Modelling Course in Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. He has been involved in acoustic modelling on the Sydney Opera House, High Court of Australia and has lectured on the subject in Australia and New Zealand.

In 1982, the Queensland Cultural Centre project was completed. The Concert Hall has achieved world wide acclaim for its fine acoustics supported by many complimentary critiques in the Australian press.

In 1988-89, the Performance Hall of the Newcastle Conservatorium and the Dame Joan Sutherland Hall at Penrith were completed. Comments of excellent acoustics have been announced in the Bulletin, and are consistently announced on ABC Radio National, and the ABC FM Network.

In 1990, Peter Knowland was awarded the Excellence In Acoustics Award of the NSW Division for his design input to the Aotea Centre in Auckland, New Zealand.

Peter Knowland lectured Acousitcs for over fifteen years at the NSW Insitute of Technology, now the University of Technology, in the School of Architecture. Lecturing has also included the School of Architecture at the University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney.

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