Jay L. Epstein
Higher Education + Esports | Market Leader
Principal
The University of Maine converted Stewart Commons, a former dining facility, to house the Wyeth Family Studio Art Center and the Innovative Media Research and Commercialization Center (IMRC) which has dedicated facilities for the New Media Department. The IMRC is a multi-use facility that simultaneously supports diverse uses.
Acentech provided architectural acoustics, mechanical system noise and vibration control, audiovisual, and telecommunications design consulting services for the renovation and addition of the Stewart Commons. The new, cutting-edge addition to the building houses digital audio and video production suites and rapid prototyping, as well as studio spaces for painting, drawing, print making, photography, and 3-D design.
Within the space there were several rooms with walls that stopped short of the structure without suspended ceilings to conceal the plenum above each room. In order to establish appropriate acoustics in those rooms, Acentech recommended the use of gypsum board ceilings with sound absorptive panels attached to the underside of those ceilings.
Acentech consulted on the large black box theater with control room, associated sound booth with additional voice over booth, small 360 degree immersive space, several classrooms, video edit suites, and conference and interview rooms. Acentech also developed the infrastructure to support the telephone system and the data network for both hard wired and wireless connectivity throughout the complex.
Acentech is proud to contribute to the center’s goal to develop a new culture of innovation and creativity by establishing needed technical facilities for continued and new training, research, development and commercialization.