How the Foundry Walk courtyard stays quiet in a busy block

The Foundry Walk courtyard sits between two active streets, and the brief was simple: keep the court quiet without sealing the building shut.

The first move was structural. The stair cores are placed on the noisy sides of the building, so they act as a thick buffer between the street and the court. The residences sit behind the cores and open onto the court.

The second move was the surface. Lime plaster absorbs more sound than gypsum, and it also weathers in a way that softens the building over time.

The third move was the planting. A single line of hornbeam trees runs along the court, dense enough to break up reflected sound but loose enough to keep sight lines open.

The result, measured at peak hour in July, is a courtyard that sits at 43 dB while the surrounding streets sit at 68 dB. The court is quiet enough that residents leave their windows open.