Soundex Noise Barriers Installed at 12 Dryden Street

Project Overview

Dryden Street is right in the heart of Covent Garden, the historic London district synonymous with the theatre. Performance taverns were a feature of the district back in the 1600s, and by 1732, the “Covent Garden Playhouse” was opened and given exclusive rights to host spoken drama in London.

Incredibly, the legacy of this artistic heritage can still be seen today. In amongst the tourist hotspots of the Lyceum, the Royal Opera House and the Theatre Royal, all manner of modern creative companies can be found. 12 Dryden Street is a case in point. This beautifully maintained Victorian building is the home of a digital storytelling agency who specialise in audience engagement for big brand names.

Recent renovations to the agency’s property included borehole drilling, and the contractors, GEA Limited, needed to contain noise as much as possible. They contacted RVT to find a solution that would enable them to commence works without delay.

Challenge

During recent construction works, ground investigation specialists GEA needed to drill a cable percussive borehole into the foundations of the building. Given 12 Dryden Street’s premium location in a densely populated part of Covent Garden, the work needed to be completed without disruption to any of the neighbouring properties.

Solution

RVT supplied GEA with a Soundex Acoustic Curtain system, promptly delivered to avoid any project delay. This easy-to-use sound barrier was perfect for containing the inevitable sound disturbance that the drilling would cause.

Soundex Acoustic Curtains

RVT’s British-made acoustic curtains provide unrivalled sound attenuation and noise absorption, as verified by Bureau Veritas, the UK’s independent testing, inspection and certification service.

All panels fold flat which means that the system is quickly transported. The unique Velcro fastenings ensure that the curtains fit perfectly together, forming an uninterrupted shield around the source of the noise, which both contains the noise and reduces it by up to 32.9 dB via absorption. This effective acoustic screening was ideal for eliminating the discomfort of 12 Dryden Street’s neighbours. The system is also flexible so was easily moved around to suit the convenience of the contractors.

“We needed a fast solution to ensure that we could carry out our geotechnical drilling work without imposing significant
noise on the whole area. RVT’s Soundex system was great and was easily installed around our drilling sites in the building.” - Alex Taylor, Geotechnical and Environment Associates (GEA)