Thomas Aites
Consultant
Acentech was asked to provide consulting services for the new Newton North High School (NNHS), a 400,000 SF facility for 1,850 students.
The NNHS encompasses an unusually broad array of educational facilities, including a 675-seat proscenium auditorium, a flexible black box theater, band and choral rehearsal rooms, a field house, performance gym, swimming pool, and vocational training facilities for culinary arts, printing/graphic arts, automotive, carpentry and electrical trades, library, and cafeteria.
The expansive multi-story building presented a number of potential noise-sensitive complications, including music rooms located next to a carpentry shop, a band room located below classrooms, and a weight training room located above a day-care facility. Acentech partnered with both GUND Partnership (design architects) and Dore & Whittier (architects of record) to develop sound isolating constructions to allow flexible, concurrent use of these adjacent spaces. With NNHS’ renowned performing arts department, Acentech addressed specific acoustical requirements for both the theater and music programs, including extensive noise and vibration control for mechanical systems that serve the performance venues.
Acentech also designed the audiovisual systems serving the auditorium with a cutting-edge surround sound system, black box theater, music rehearsal rooms, gymnasiums, swimming pool, and multi- tiered lecture hall. Designing the sound amplification system for the new athletic field was also included in our scope of services.
“The consultants who did the acoustical/audio design are amazing. Acentech has been nothing but the best. The system they installed sounds crystal clear and it’s incredibly powerful.”
-Trevor Bates, Assistant Technical Director, Newton North High School
