The Contemporary Art Center of VA
The Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, located in Virginia Beach, VA. is a nonprofit institution founded in 1952 to foster awareness, exploration and understanding of the significant art of our time.
Application Introduction
This award-winning facility is dedicated to the presentation of contemporary art. Painting, sculpture, photography, glass, video and other visual media from international, national and regional artists are explored through regularly changing exhibitions.
The expansive 4,800 square-foot atrium that features a vaulted ceiling with skylights and live trees is the focal point of the museum complex. A flexible floor plan can accommodate an intimate event for 35 or an extravagant gala for 350 guests and is used for meetings, musical events, weddings and a variety of other events.
Treatment Provided
Acoustical Solutions' primary goal was to reduce the RT60 (reverberation time) in the room down to an acceptable level that would allow the room to be used for both large and small gatherings.
The second goal was to come up with the best material to fit in with the look of the ceiling without drawing any unnecessary attention to the area.
After discussing the acoustical problems with the director, and the recommended application method with the fire marshal, Acoustical Solutions installed a series of large 4'x 8'x 2" AlphaSorb hanging baffles in the ceiling directly below the sprinkler heads.
Vertical hanging baffles were used so as to not block the sprinkler flow in case of emergency. They were hung using aircraft cable connected to the beams with beam clamps and threaded rod.
Quantitative Results
The results were a lower reverberation time in the room and greater speech intelligibility in the atrium area. Now, the museum can use the room for a wider variety of events and visitors will have a better experience on their way to viewing the exhibits.
For more information on this application, contact Michael Binns.
