Easily applied materials were chosen for sections of the undulated side walls in the seating area that would not interfere with the lighting fixtures in wall soffits, and designed to be installed by untrained, local labor. Additional highly resilient absorption will be applied to the walls and fly of the back stage area, steering clear of all existing rigging.
Ceiling clouds of resilient acoustic tile topped with encapsulated fiberglass batting on top will be the final phase, along with re-distribution and aiming of the existing JBL loudspeakers, with a pair on delay lines to feed the balcony.
The theatre serves as a local worship center, performance space, and occasionally for presentation of motion pictures in several formats.
Working with the limitations of a 12 foot hard ceiling height, I designed a LEDE control room with diffusion that would allow the soffit mounted Westlake Audio BBSM-10 monitors to be heard without coloration or artifacts in the majority of the room, an iso room with dual glazed windows to allow sight lines into the main studio, and the large studio with a partially filled diffusive ceiling grid for a great live feel and response.
I was also contracted to design and install all of the recording equipment and infrastructure, based around a ProTools Control 24, Macintosh G5, and HD3 system, with a compact yet effective compliment of outboard gear and extensive microphone complement.
Absorption was added to much of the sanctuary walls and balcony face, portions of the original hard plaster ceiling were removed to provide additional low frequency trapping and then treated with acoustical spray insulation.
The new chapel was designed for diffusive/absorptive features to enhance the split block finishes on the walls, and the stage & back-stage area were specially sealed for minimal flanking leakage, as simultaneous programs often occur in these rooms.
The model was designed from 2D & 3D CAD drawings with the aid of interior architectural renderings. Esthetically pleasing materials were chosen and arranged to rim the upper walls on all three levels leading to classrooms and offices; alcoves, lobbies and gathering areas were appropriately treated for absorption, and highly diffuse elements were used to enclose the open staircase, layer on a portion of the great wall, and a diffusive/absorptive natural wood grid was specified to be spaced a short distance down from the atrium clerestory to treat the ceiling.
EASE Model analysis predicted excellent results with respect to privacy, low transmission of articulation and rapid speech responses, and nominally minimal reverb times for the volume of the space.