earticle

영어

This paper analysed the visual and auditory factors influencing audience seating preferences in small-scale musical theatres, aiming to create sustainable performance spaces. The venue is a versatile 300-seat space with an irregularly shaped seating area designed to enhance intimacy through a curved, staggered arrangement connecting the first and second floors. Visual images of the stage view and binaural impulse responses toward the stage center were collected at nine selected seats in situ. A paired comparison method was employed in a laboratory setting to determine visual, auditory, and seating preferences, with ten subjects experienced in musical performances and normal hearing. Auditory stimuli were convolved with vocal anechoic recordings, while visual stimuli reflected spatial depth and distance perception. Three experimental conditions—visual only, auditory only, and combined—were conducted to derive seat preference scores. Results showed that visual information was the dominant factor, as superior visuals increased preference even for seats with poorer acoustic quality. Future research will explore more immersive reproduction techniques for deeper analysis.