A light-filled, inviting entry welcomes both students and visitors to this 750-seat concert hall which is available for district-wide and community use. Increased classroom and instruction space with improved acoustics support the band and choir programs and enrich students’ exploration and discovery.
The building was terraced into the hillside at the edge of the existing campus, requiring extensive foundation work. Fifteen-foot below-grade concrete walls were designed as temporary cantilevered retaining walls for faster backfill. This sequencing was especially beneficial in keeping the project on schedule.
The multi-phase project was constructed on a fully operational campus. As the first stage of a full campus revitalization, the community and design team also carefully considered a location that would improve parking and vehicle circulation without impeding future construction.
Extensive coordination and vibration research went into the balcony design which is supported by four flat cantilevered beams. The low-sloped lower seating was designed with deck and topping over steel beams and posts. The back tiered seating uses steel framing with closely coordinated precast segments.
Exposed prefabricated steel pin connections support the lobby balcony while stainless steel exposed pin connections in the wind girts were integrated with the columns at the front of the building to mimic the prefabricated pin connections.
BIM coordination for this complex performance venue was critical as the team creatively resolved form, function, and budget challenges with the architect, other design disciplines, and the contractor.
- Traditional overframed metal deck and topping seating was replaced with precast seating. While this required extensive coordination with the architect and contractor, the result was an efficient layout for fabrication and erection, and a much nicer final product.
- Because of their visibility in the lobby, exposed connections required careful attention. One such unique structural connection was the steel cast tapered hanger connection that supports the balcony and kept the space below free of columns.
- In a world class performance facility, silence can be golden. The displacement ventilation system is a low velocity system that can’t be heard by the audience, yet functions efficiently to maximize audience comfort. Our team supported removal of mechanical ductwork by creating an elevated lower seating area for an airtight plenum space below the seating. Extensive coordination and our BIM early clash detection helped avoid conflicts between mechanical units and ducts throughout the building.
Trusses support six catwalks, two crossing the auditorium above the stage while the other four hug the walls. To create the appropriate acoustical environment, deflectors and clouds (ceiling panels designed to help absorb sound and provide better acoustics) were installed in the ceiling and along the ribbon walls. Seismic tie-bracing of the catwalks and clouds was thoughtfully placed to limit visibility in the concert hall.
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