Benjamin Markham
President
The newly constructed 4-story Wellesley High School is home to more than 1,400 students.
The 280,000 SF facility was completed on budget at $115 million and completed several months ahead of schedule. Acentech partnered closely with architect SMMA to design appropriate acoustics and audiovisual systems to serve the 700-seat auditorium, common spaces, general classrooms, offices, multipurpose drama room, band/orchestra room, choral room, MIDI room, ensemble room, gymnasium, library, production recording facilities, dance studio, wrestling/fitness room and cafeteria.
The auditorium hosts musical performances, video presentations, spoken lectures and live theater. Acentech recommended acoustical measures conducive to theater events and other presentations: quiet background noise, a high degree of sound isolation from surrounding spaces, and interior finishes to enhance the spoken word.
The auditorium’s state-of-the-art sound system and digital video projection system, including a 15×26’ screen, allow for compatibility with the latest digital video standards. The band and choral rooms are connected to the audiovisual system, giving these rooms a direct connection to the auditorium for backstage use and to prompt performance entrances.
To address community noise zoning regulations, Acentech consulted on noise control treatments of the exterior mechanical system, which included the addition of sound attenuation devices on the equipment itself, as well as noise barriers with sound absorptive material to quiet the noise emission.
Wellesley High School was designed to exceed the Massachusetts Collaborative for High Performance Schools (MA-CHPS) classroom standards.
