In the latest episode of the Physics World Stories podcast, Andrew Glester learns about the acoustic design of public spaces, through conversations with acousticians and architects. He visits the Bristol Old Vic – the oldest continuously running theatre in the English-speaking world – which has recently undergone a refurbishment. Glester also visits Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, a place with which he has a strong personal connection, having worked there in the past.

Find out more about acoustics in architecture in this article by science journalist Anna Demming, which first appeared in the February issue of Physics World.