Committed to an extraordinary visitor experience on every level, SFMOMA partnered with Meyer Sound to provide sound solutions throughout the transformed museum.
A highlight of the collaboration is the redesigned Phyllis Wattis Theatre, located at the heart of the museum where the original Mario Botta-designed building seamlessly integrates with the Sn°hetta-designed, 10-story addition. According to San Francisco-based EHDD, the architects tasked with the theatre renovation, a Meyer Sound Constellation acoustic system was the perfect solution to complex architectural and acoustic challenges.
Together with Meyer Sound cinema and reinforcement systems, Constellation supports a vast range of public events imagined for the Wattis Theatre. In line with the museum's goal of creating a versatile space, the 275-seat theatre will host events ranging from film series, live music, and dance performances to educational lectures and panel discussions.
"We consulted with the designers and acousticians at Meyer Sound, who were able to create a Constellation system perfect for the space," says Duncan Ballash, principal and president of EHDD. "Not only did Constellation ensure great acoustic results, but it gave the EHDD team the architectural freedom to design the room with a sleek and modern look, without sacrificing acoustical integrity. Ultimately, Constellation ended up inspiring and working integrally with the architectural design of the Wattis."
Multiple conference and meeting rooms throughout the new building also feature Meyer Sound solutions to provide intelligibility and sonic flexibility for a wide range of needs.
Three sleek CAL column array loudspeakers with advanced beam-steering technology provide sound for various pop-up events in the Haas Jr. atrium.
An unusual, double-height event and performance space, the Gina and Stuart Peterson White Box will implement a UPJunior VariO loudspeaker system for anything from performance to site specific commissions.
UPJunior-XP VariO, UP-4XP, and Stella-8C installation loudspeakers combined with MM-10XP subwoofers provide optimum sound for K-12 programming in the Koret Education Centre.
The Phyllis Wattis Theatre was designed by EHDD in conjunction with the San Francisco-based consulting firm Auerbach Pollock Friedlander. All Meyer Sound systems in SFMOMA were provided and installed by integrator BBI Engineering of San Francisco. Acoustical engineering firm Arup of San Francisco consulted on the project.
(Jim Evans)
