Architectural Audio Consultancy London
Sonic Design Studios is an architectural audio consultancy in London, working with hospitality operators, architects and interior designers across Mayfair, Soho, Chelsea and beyond.
Working together
Designed around the project team
Who we work with
Architects & interior designers
We join the design team at concept stage so sound supports the architecture rather than fitting around it.
Hospitality operators
Restaurants, bars, private members clubs and hotels where sound shapes the guest experience.
Private residential design teams
Private homes and penthouses where audio integrates seamlessly into considered interiors.
Developers / project teams
Larger residential and hospitality schemes that need a cohesive, scalable audio approach.
What we bring to the project
Technical design
Designed on the drawings, not on site
Loudspeaker positions, room geometry, finishes, ceiling design, lighting, HVAC and joinery all interact, so architectural audio is resolved on the drawings. We set loudspeaker positions and coverage against the plan, define zoning and control, and coordinate with the reflected ceiling plan, lighting, HVAC and joinery.
Speaker locations, cable routes and infrastructure are agreed before anything is installed, so constraints are solved while the design is still open rather than improvised on site.
Room acoustics are part of this work. We assess materials and finishes, integrate acoustic treatment, account for reverberation and low frequency behaviour, and measure and calibrate the room at commissioning. Where a project needs formal building acoustics, environmental noise assessment, statutory reporting or specialist isolation engineering, we work alongside an appropriately qualified acoustic consultant.
Project proof
From drawing to room
Claude’s at Chotto Matte is a private dining and listening room in the basement beneath a working Soho restaurant. We were appointed at RIBA Stage 2, before the ceiling strategy and finishes were fixed.
Exposed concrete soffit, low headroom and a live restaurant overhead set the constraints. The loudspeakers were specified as sculptural objects that belong to the interior, positioned against the lighting layout and mural scheme while the reflected ceiling plan was still live, and the system was commissioned to run from forty covers dining to a dancing capacity of 120 on a single system.
View Claude’s at Chotto Matte →Selected projects & collaborators
Projects / clients
- Chotto Matte / Claude’s
- Porto Arts Club
- Bisushima
- Drunch
- Burberry
Design collaborators
- Superfutures
- MASSLAB
- Ben Adams Architects
- Anderson Acoustics
- Trix & Robert Haussman
How we work
We can join during design and stay involved through specification, installation oversight and final commissioning, so the intent set on the drawings survives all the way to the finished room.
The level of involvement is defined around each project, whether that is design and specification alone or a role carried through to handover.
London-based, working across the UK, Europe and the GCC and Middle East. We collaborate remotely with design teams and travel for key project stages, keeping the approach consistent from concept through to completion.
See how we work →Methodology
Where the Cognitive Load Index fits
The Cognitive Load Index is applied where acoustic comfort, occupancy and listening effort are central to the brief. It is not a scored assessment used on every project.
For more focused system design and specification commissions, we work directly from the architecture, the system requirements and the intended use without a full assessment.
Read the methodology →Free guide
The Designer’s Guide to Cognitive Load
A framework for assessing how hard a room asks people to work, not just what the equipment records.
Working together
Before we join the project
At what stage should Sonic Design Studios join a project?
Ideally at RIBA Stage 2 or 3, while speaker positions, ceiling layouts, finishes and infrastructure can still be coordinated with the design. We can also join later-stage projects, but the later the appointment, the more likely the audio strategy has to work around decisions that are already fixed.
What do you need from the design team to get started?
At minimum, we usually need the latest architectural plans, reflected ceiling plans, finishes information and a clear understanding of how the space will be used. Depending on the project, we may also review lighting, M&E, joinery and existing acoustic information so the audio strategy can be coordinated properly.
What do we actually receive from an architectural audio consultancy appointment?
Depending on scope, deliverables can include audio strategy, loudspeaker layouts, coverage modelling, zoning and control strategy, equipment specification, infrastructure requirements, coordination information and commissioning guidance. Supply, installation oversight and final tuning can also be included where required.
Can you work alongside our acoustic consultant, M&E consultant and interior designer?
Yes. Architectural audio sits across several disciplines, so coordination is a core part of the role. We work with architects, interior designers, lighting and M&E teams, and with specialist acoustic consultants where formal room, building or environmental acoustic work is required.
Do you design only, or can you also supply and deliver the system?
Both. We can work on a consultancy-only basis, or continue through specification, equipment supply, installation oversight and commissioning. The level of involvement is defined around the project rather than a fixed delivery model.
What happens if the project is already well into construction?
We can still assess what is achievable within the existing constraints. That may mean adapting loudspeaker positions, zoning, equipment choice or commissioning strategy around ceilings, services and finishes that are already fixed. Early involvement gives more design freedom, but later-stage appointments are still workable.
When would a project need a specialist acoustic consultant as well?
Where the brief includes formal building-acoustic design, sound insulation, environmental noise, planning requirements or statutory assessment, we work alongside the appropriate specialist acoustic consultant. Sonic’s role is architectural audio design, system integration and the acoustic considerations that directly inform that work.
Working on a project now?
Share the current design stage and we’ll establish where Sonic Design Studios can add value before the scheme progresses further.
Discuss your project