Acoustical characterization of historical performance structure of Taramati Baradari at Hyderabad, India

The Baradari, a square-shaped building with twelve open doors, was designed for entertainment purposes and featured outstanding acoustic qualities, making it ideal for music and dance performances by noble courtesans. This article focuses on the acoustic characterization of Taramati Baradari, a historical performance structure in Hyderabad, India, built during the 17th century by the Qutb Shahi (Golconda) dynasty. The research aimed to assess the space's acoustical behaviour through in-situ measurements in an unoccupied state. Virtual acoustical models were developed and validated using the in situ measurements in the same condition, later simulated and analysed for both occupied and unoccupied scenarios, revealing an average reverberation time (RT60) of 4.1 s at mid-frequencies for unoccupied conditions. After analysing various acoustical parameters, it became evident that Taramati Baradari's acoustics possessed a distinctive character, giving the structure a unique identity. Unfortunately, in the Indian context, conservation and restoration efforts have primarily focused on visual aspects, often neglecting considerations of the space's acoustics. Therefore, characterizing the acoustic nature of performance structures becomes vital to inform sustainable interventions for conservation architects.