Today, most performance spaces play double duty and are intended to function in a variety of ways. It is for this reason thoughtful consideration for the overall goals and objectives of each, individual multi-purpose arts facility is essential.
An example of this phenomenon is the way the power of orchestral music must be balanced with the soundtracks of classic movies now being played simultaneously. With pop musicians and comedians selling-out traditional concert halls, many theaters, originally designed for touring Broadway shows, are finding themselves needing to re-tune or redesign their spaces. Back-to-back performances ranging from hip hop artists, opera singers and classic ballets to heavy metal, electronic music and Bach’s concertos, challenge theater owners and recital halls to figure out the best way to accommodate the specialized acoustics and audiovisual requirements of each performance.
Drawing upon our client’s priorities and our deep understanding of the physics required to create or refine designs for multiple uses, our Kirkegaard experts shape rooms and design audiovisual systems to meet the needs of every performer and audience.
Performing Arts Centres
Spaces which serve many different users require a focused approach on a wide range of acoustic demands. Music, theatre, dance, Broadway, opera, and myriad other users must all experience a performance environment that effortlessly accommodates their highest artistic expressions.
Our extensive experience in design for many art forms facilitates a design which understands and anticipates these demands. A holistic approach which integrates the natural acoustic environment coupled with a comprehensive approach to AV/multimedia systems design is our hallmark. Our successful project history bears witness to this approach.
Concert Halls
Serving the traditional classical music repertoire requires an intense focus on all aspects of the performance environment. A successful project must concentrate, ultimately, on creating an intimate room that is a part of the ensemble itself.
Our comprehensive approach towards acoustics treats sound as a powerful design force. We carefully balance architectural vocabulary, functional requirements, construction techniques, and time and budget constraints. Our approach is comprehensive, our scope thorough, our points of view inclusive, our style interactive, our knowledge extensive, and our commitment complete.
Theatres
Design of a theater requires keen insight into the complex inter-relationships between the stage, the audience, and the house. The architecture must function seamlessly with a performance, yet be flexible enough in its form to adapt to the most challenging of productions. Audio, video, and multimedia systems give tremendous reach to a production, but ultimately must enhance the artistic vision. In these spaces, thought, action, perception and imagination come to life.
Recital Halls
An intimate room for recital can be among the most powerful of musical performance environments. In many teaching facilities, these often double as rehearsal rooms, serving as both studio and concert hall for those seeking to learn and perfect their craft.
Introducing sound, video and multimedia into these spaces has given rise to new forms of expression, with cutting-edge technologies playing active roles as both medium and message.
Dance
Experimental
Recording & Broadcasting
Facilities for recording, broadcast, media production and distance communication/learning all use technology and architecture as fundamental building blocks of communication. Today’s interdisciplinary environments must draw from multiple sources and paradigms to successfully engage audiences.
We focus beyond the individual elements of technology, bricks, mortar, and budget. Instead we seek to become part of our projects, utilizing our experience to tease forth the unique elements of each client’s program. Our work includes conceptual planning and assessment, programmatic development, and full systems design and documentation for cutting-edge content recording, production, and dissemination.
Amphitheatres / Outdoor
Outdoor performance facilities can range from simple festival stages to covered pavilions with extensive lawns, stage-houses, and private boxes. Careful planning of natural and amplified sound is necessary to effectively reach audience zones, while study of onstage communication, video screen size and location, environmental noise, and directionality of loudspeaker systems all play a part in realizing a successful facility.
From initial environmental noise surveys through facility programming, design, construction and commissioning, our focus on the outdoor environment realizes the gains of a holistic approach. We focus intently on creating spaces that accentuate the performance environment in any setting.
