Acoustics and the Performing Arts
By Martin J. Mann, B.Eng., B.M.
The fall is the start of many back-to-school activities including football games and musical performances. While organizations like the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra open their season with a show-stopping gala, high school and university marching bands prepare shows that will motivate football fans. Orchestras typically prepare for their first concert in the fall and rehearse new tunes for the holiday season. Autumn is a wonderful time for those in the performing arts world. BABICHacoustics is proud to be a part of the success of various venues throughout the region!
Designing a performance venue for its intended programming is vital for the success of that venue. Whether an auditorium is to be used primarily for orchestral performances, amplified concerts, or everything in between, it is important that the acoustical design accommodates the intended uses. Amplified rock or jazz concerts performing in a venue built for only orchestral performances can be loud and uncomfortable. The opposite occurs when an orchestra performs in a venue built for amplified concerts. Those performances lack envelopment and warmth for audience members, and many times the musicians on stage cannot hear each other across the stage.
With acousticians that are also musicians, BABICHacoustics works with our clients to design the best acoustic space possible for their needs. One of our current projects is working on the renovation of the historic Norwalk Theatre in Norwalk, Ohio. This theater was originally designed to be a cinema theater by the famous architect, John Eberson. After the renovation is complete, it will host amplified events such as musical theater, contemporary bands and comedy acts, movies, and community presentations. BABICH is working with the Design Team to reduce noise and incorporate the appropriate amount of acoustical absorption in the theater. A balance of absorptive and reflective treatments will help to control noise build-up and a theater that provides warmth, music clarity, and intelligible speech.
The first step in the design process is to understand the program. Again, designing a theater that is only used for orchestra concerts is very different than a multi-purpose venue. The next step is consulting with architects on the building layout to minimize adjacencies that could be problematic. This could be moving a mechanical room across a hallway away from the theater or moving the dance studios to the ground floor to minimize the need for most costly structural changes. These changes combined with shaping of the room are the building blocks to a successful multi-purpose auditorium or other music facility.
Another project that BABICH is currently working on is a renovation for The Music Settlement, a community organization in Cleveland, OH, that was established a century ago to welcome immigrants to the area and unite them through the common language of music. This project involves the renovation of a 1920s mansion that the institution has used for instruction for the past several years. The construction includes an addition to the facility that will accommodate rehearsals for jazz and big band programs. The facility will also teach music theory classes, harp lessons, and electronic keyboarding.
Reviewing existing conditions such as sound isolation and environmental and mechanical noise is important. On another recent project, the background noise levels exceeded the recommended Noise Criteria (NC) in an important recording studio space. BABICHacoustics was able to identify excessive noise near the return grille of the mechanical unit serving the space. Adjustments were made to the HVAC system during the design process to effect change after the renovation.
Proper sound isolation between spaces and the exterior of the building is another key component in the design of performing arts facilities. All types of rooms, such as main venues, rehearsal rooms, etc., have a low noise criteria requirement. These rooms are also susceptible to intrusive noises from conditions both inside and outside of the building. Examples of intrusive noise include conversations in a corridor, furniture being moved in a room above, rain falling on the roof, and an ambulance driving past a venue. To reduce the impact that these intrusive noises have, BABICHacoustics collaborates with the design team to recommend the necessary wall constructions, floor-ceiling assemblies, and roof constructions.
The final component of design for performing arts spaces is the interior finishes of the room. Interior finishes create the aesthetic of the room and shape the sonic characteristics. Acoustic treatments such as fabric-wrapped panels, felt panels, and perforated wood absorb sound within the space. Other acoustic treatments like ceiling reflectors, barrel diffusers, and three-dimensional wood panels can be used to scatter/diffuse sound within the space. The programming of each space will determine what types of interior finishes and acoustic treatments are needed. BABICH collaborates with designers to determine what acoustic finishes are needed, as well as finding treatments that work with the interior design goals.
At BABICHacoustics, performing arts spaces have a special place in our hearts. When working on one of these projects, we strive to listen to the end users so that the venue works for its intended uses. To design a functional room, the design team must consider environmental and mechanical noise control, sound and vibration isolation, and the interior finishes. We approach each project with an open mind because every project is unique. We love to collaborate with design teams and end users, and we would enjoy working with you on your next theater!