The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre’s 781-seat Partridge Hall integrates a number of acoustical strategies within the architecture of the room that can tailor a wide range of musical experiences for the audience and performer alike. “This is a unique response to a challenge for concert halls since the introduction of amplification,” explains Gary McCluskie, Principal, Diamond Schmitt Architects, whose performing arts experience includes the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia; Maison Symphonique in Montreal and the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto.“It’s rare for an adjustable acoustic concert hall to maintain a consistent appearance regardless of the configuration to optimize either acoustic or amplified concerts.”
The acoustical elements of the room consist of:
- curved solid wood scallop panels and acoustic fabric (open or stored) in front of concrete block diffusion panels - diffusive, hard surface finishes for rich symphonic sound (with drapes stored) - balcony and fascia soffits - curved solid wood balcony fronts - wood ceiling reflectors - curved wood pivot panels at stage sides - tip-and-fly acoustic wood panels at ceiling above stage - the wood stage acts as a bass resonator for heavy stringed instruments
The curved form of the solid red oak scallops and fabric panel acts as an acoustically transparent membrane within the hall. Sound passes through the scallops and scatters at the concrete block diffusion wall behind to create a rich unamplified symphonic music experience. Thick and sound-absorbing curtains can be drawn behind the scallops to attenuate amplified sound. The special acoustically transparent fabric allows sound to pass through this membrane and preserves the overall look and character of the room for either amplified or unamplified music. The concrete block behind the wood scallops is split-faced in a series of modular panels that have a stepped profile and is comprised of three different thicknesses and filled solid for high frequency sound diffusion. Scallops near the front of the stage have red oak wood paneling in lieu of fabric and act as a proscenium for strong early side reflection that is critical for sound impact to patrons.
Hard Surfaced Reflective Finishes Fixed and smooth curving wood panels above are suspended from catwalks to help move lush sound down towards the audience. Fixed wood scallop panels above pivoting side stage panels are flared outwards for reflective sound towards the audience. Gently curving wood balcony fronts consist of a solid red oak shell that is acoustically lined and diffuses sound up and down within the room. Gypsum board soffit and upper wood fascia are designed as dense shells to reflect sound down towards the audience.
The large pivoting scallop panels at the sides of the stage flare out towards the audience and follow the form of the scallop panels lining the hall to allow for a variety of acoustic characteristics tailored to the performance on stage. One face of the scallop is a reflective red oak wood-clad panelwhile the other face is absorptive velour fabric. The panel has a special pivot indexing mechanism at the base that can set the panel at precise angles for different types of music. For example, an orchestra playing on stage would keep the pivot panels with reflective surface exposed and closed to reflect the sound. For amplified sound, the pivoting panels can be turned 180 degrees to expose the absorptive face of the pivot panel, which can be rotated in increments of five degrees depending on the needs of the performance.
The three gently curving wood-clad ceiling panels above the stage have the ability to raise independently, lower and rotate depending on the needs of the performance. For example, each of the panels may have a common flare out towards the audience of 18 degrees from horizontal and be set at different elevations— an optimal configuration for a choral ensemble. Another example could be lowering the panels further and changing the angle for a piano recital and a more intimate setting.
The wood stage also has the ability to act as aresonator for bass-stringed instruments pegged into the floor. The wood stage is comprised of a fixed steel framework with a resilient wood floor system that has an open wood cavity. When heavy stringed instruments are inserted into the bass pegs, the open wood cavity amplifies the sound from these instruments.
Absorptive Acoustic Elements In addition to the acoustic curtains located behind the scallops in the hall, acoustical curtains are also located at the catwalk level in a series of painted wood enclosures on a motorized track. The seating layout is influenced not only by good sight lines but also to help scatter and absorb the sound throughout the room.
Noise Isolation and Slow Air Movement Within the Hall In combination with the acoustical elements of the hall, equally important to the volume of the room is for the hall to maintain a certain Noise Criteria value set out by the acousticians. This approach implemented sound and light locks to each entrance into the hall with acoustically sensitive door and wall treatments. The hall also features slow moving air into and out of the large volume that is concealed behind the wood scallops, under the stage, at the sides near the stage front and by large perforated metal diffusers in the darkened ceiling.
