SM&W’s senior marketing team recently caught up with David Randin, Senior Associate, Acoustics to chat.
David is an experienced acoustical consultant and engineer providing services for structural vibration, mechanical systems, and architectural acoustics. He specializes in healthcare, commercial, education, recording studios, and concert hall design. His acoustical engineering experience includes acoustical laboratory testing for transmission loss, absorption, and sound power following the ASTM and ISO Standards. He is also aware of how to use reverberation chamber/laboratory equipment and technology.
What is your discipline? Do you have a specific specialty within that field?
My discipline is acoustics. My specialty includes healthcare as well as design for auditoriums/performing arts centers and recording studios. I also have a lot of experience in commercial buildings.
Tell us about your career as a whole.
I started my career in acoustics while studying acoustics in school. I worked at Riverbank, which was the first acoustical testing facility in the country. Riverbank was designed by Wallace Clement Sabine, who is considered the grandfather of architectural acoustics. I gained a wealth of experience by testing acoustical products and acoustical assemblies there. During that time, I also had a recording studio business and started consulting to help others make the most of home studio/recording/theaters. That endeavor led me to meet one of the voice talents for iPhone’s Siri. That brought me to work and live around Asia for approximately five years designing recording studios. After those five years in China, I moved to Seattle to work at Stantec as an acoustical consultant and project manager in the commercial building space. Then in 2022 I started working at SM&W as an acoustical consultant until present.
What are some noteworthy projects you’ve worked on, or noteworthy clients you’ve been partnered with? If applicable, were any of these projects or clients connected to your geographical location?
Living in the Pacific Northwest I have had the chance to work on many noteworthy projects and clients. The most noteworthy clients have been companies in the tech sector such as Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, and Apple.
Other projects of note that I have worked on include:
-UC Davis Sacramento Ambulatory Surgery Center, Sacramento, CA
-Ripple Labs, San Francisco and New York City
-1931 Second Ave Seattle, WA
How do you see the acoustical space evolving (short term or long term)?
As cities get denser and noise studies continue to reveal the detrimental effects of noise pollution, I believe that the acoustical space will continue to grow and the need for acoustical design will also grow. With inflation and other factors impacting material cost, the demand to provide alternate cost-saving acoustical solutions is also on the rise. It will be exciting to see new materials or products enter the market to meet these demands.
One fun fact about yourself.
I am currently training to climb Mt. Rainier!