Academic Facility Consultations - Ostergaard Acoustical Associates

Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York

Ostergaard Acoustical Associates carried out two feasibility studies for the Eastman School of Music commissioned by SWBR Architects. The first included evaluating candidate locations and characteristics for an orchestra rehearsal room to reduce the demand on the Eastman Theater stage as rehearsal space. The second evaluated and provided preliminary recommendations for conversion of an adjacent 1920 office building for use by the school’s community education program.

Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center, Monroe Community College, Rochester, New York

Ostergaard Acoustical Associates assisted the A/E team with a planned renovation of a former office building to a vocational/technical educational space comprising traditional classrooms and vocational teaching spaces. Acoustical challenges included open space designs without ceilings and in some cases without partitions, vertical sound isolation through the existing floor slab and around the slab at pipe penetrations, and control of mechanical system noise.

Bart Leudike Center, Rider University, Lawrence Township, New Jersey

OAA designed and specified a complete analog-to-digital conversion for the existing sound system in this multi-purpose university theater. The project involved extensive familiarization with the existing sound system, meetings with the university theater’s technical operations staff, and coordination with the theater consultant.

Student Center, Baruch College, Manhattan, New York

This unique consultation involved the design of a university student center in the cellar of an active United States Post Office. OAA visited the site to document noise from existing postal service operations, including elevator noise and mail carts rolling over the floor above. Recommendations were developed for sound isolation of the student center envelope, as well as for partitions within the student center. OAA also developed recommendations for sound-absorbing finishes within the student center.

Finneran Pavilion, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania

Photo credit: Backattaxk251, Wikipedia

The Pavilion is Villanova’s largest spectator facility, with 6,500 seats. In addition to basketball games, it is used for graduation, special Masses, and pop concerts. Despite the installation of a new state-of-the-art sound system, program sound was not clear, due to excessive reverberation. OAA carried out comprehensive acoustical testing and acoustical analysis to determine the quality and placement of candidate materials for controlling reverberation. Following the implementation of recommended remedial sound absorption, it became feasible to have all of the desired programs supported by clear, intelligible sound.