When i studied architecture we had a course that included a sound design aspect - learned some formulas, did some real world testing in various environments (theater, studio, restaurant, bedroom) using microphones to analyze sources of unwanted noise, sound reflection and distortion. The assignment for that class included proposing various fixes some of which we tested.
It was really interesting but sometimes large scale interventions have potential tradeoffs with other desirable project criteria and goals. At the end of the day the client and the budget make a lot of decisions that seem careless but are just tradeoffs.
As you say - upscale and boutique businesses often have the desire and budget to differentiate themselves on sound design - having professionals consult is not inexpensive and often implementing their recommendations has a significant effect on budget.
It was really interesting but sometimes large scale interventions have potential tradeoffs with other desirable project criteria and goals. At the end of the day the client and the budget make a lot of decisions that seem careless but are just tradeoffs.
As you say - upscale and boutique businesses often have the desire and budget to differentiate themselves on sound design - having professionals consult is not inexpensive and often implementing their recommendations has a significant effect on budget.