NEW YORK CITY SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY — New Schools and Additions (Prequalified)
PS/IS-49Q Addition, PS-46X Addition, PS-14X Addition, PS-106X Addition, PS-92Q Addition, PS-50Q Addition, PS/IS-276M, Battery Park City School PS-32K Addition, PS-163X, PS-468X, PS-343Q, PS/IS-128Q, PS-398Q, PS-97X Addition, PS-419Q Addition, PS-70R, PS-143Q Addition, PS-56X, PS-97X Addition, PS-450R Curtis High School, MS-323M, PS-163Q Addition, PS-125Q Addition
DEVELOPER PROJECTS (school is integrated into larger base building):
PS-342M, PS-464M, IS-611K
NEW YORK CITY SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY– Classroom Acoustics Requirements
OAA developed quantitative guidelines for use by new school A/E teams to optimize the acoustics of learning environments. This process comprised:
- Research to determine the state-of-the-art on classroom spaces for good hearing.
- Establishing goals for background sound levels and appropriate reverberation.
- Developing approaches to meet goals.
New York City Green Schools Guide
OAA prepared acoustical requirements and credits for instructional spaces including:
- Maximum reverberation times to achieve speech intelligibility.
- Performance requirements for interior and exterior sound isolating constructions.
- Maximum HVAC system background sound levels.
OAA developed architectural acoustics design requirements to parallel the Green Schools Guide requirements.
Harlem Children’s Zone — Promise Academy Charter School
This charter school was designed by OAA to meet the acoustical requirements of:
- LEED for Schools 2009
- ANSI S12.60 Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements, and Guidelines for Schools
- The New York City Noise Code
- Good acoustical design for educational environments
New Jersey Schools Development Authority Projects (PreQualified)
- Orange HS Addition & Renovation, Orange
- First Avenue Elementary School, Newark
- Elliott Street Elementary School, Newark
- Performing Arts High School, Elizabeth
- Science Park High School, Newark
- Marshall Hazel ES, Paterson
- Harp Academy, Paterson
- PS#16, Paterson
- William F. Halloran Gifted & Talented, School #22, Elizabeth
- A. Chester Redshaw Elementary School, New Brunswick
- Victor Mravlag Elementary School #21, Elizabeth
- Joseph C. Caruso Elementary Scool, Keansburg
- Bangs Avenue Elementary School, Asbury Park
- Sonia Sotomayor Elementary School, Passaic
- Lanning Square Elementary School, Camden
Millburn Middle School, Millburn, New Jersey
OAA assisted A/E teams with multiple consultations for this school. These comprise:
- Room acoustics and exterior noise concerns associated with conversion of a multi-purpose room to a makerspace, as well as construction of a new gymnasium-style multipurpose room.
- An addition to the cafeteria, with concerns involving sound isolation to the auditorium above the existing cafeteria, control of exterior HVAC equipment noise to nearby residential receptors, and planning for a future multi-story classroom addition above the new portion of the cafeteria.
- A significant replacement/upgrade of school-wide HVAC systems, involving noise concerns within classrooms as well as at off-site residential receptors.
Auditorium Renovation, Academy of the Holy Angels, Demarest, New Jersey
OAA assisted the A/E team with this extensive renovation to a parochial high school auditorium used for Mass, assemblies, and music performance. Challenges included significant room acoustics changes (including removal of a sound-absorbing ceiling and increase in room volume), locations and aiming of sound-reflecting acoustical clouds, the design and specification of significant modifications to the sound system while retaining the use of the existing stereo line array, and the introduction of air conditioning to the space while maintaining a low background sound level.
Princeton Middle School, Princeton, New Jersey
OAA assisted the project architect with remediation efforts regarding excessive reverberation and buildup of activity noise in the school commons and cafeteria. The consultation involved measurements of octave band reverberation times, computer modeling of the spaces, and investigation of candidate sound-absorbing finishes.
Madison High School Music Suite Addition, Madison, NJ
OAA assisted the A/E team with the addition of an orchestra room, choir room, and associated practice rooms/offices. Acoustical concerns included correct room volume and finishes, sound-isolating constructions, control of mechanical system noise, and control of “cross-talk” noise via ductwork that could otherwise short-circuit special sound-isolating constructions.