Goettsch Partners (GP) and Northwestern University recently celebrated the formal dedication of the new Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Center for the Musical Arts on the university’s Evanston, Illinois campus.
Designed to wrap and connect with Regenstein Hall, the building enables the School of Music to consolidate its programs for the first time ever. All spaces met rigorous acoustical requirements, including the opera rehearsal and choral recital rooms. The recital hall is the building’s crown jewel. Featuring a 40-foot-high glass wall, the space sets performers against a dramatic backdrop of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline.
The main recital hall double-skin glass wall at the back of the performance stage supports the highly sensitive acoustic performance requirements of a concert hall. The design needed to consider the overall acoustical challenges of a monumental 42′ x 40′ glass wall and the resultant acoustical reflections within the recital hall. The vertical supports of the glass wall are hung from above and achieve their slenderness by using highly tensioned horizontal cables that are anchored to the recital hall’s massive concrete side walls.
Solar/blackout shades are hidden above the ceiling, contained within the accessible cavity to avoid interfering with the acoustics of the hall. The inner glass wall is tilted inward to prevent an echo from being heard by the audience. Acoustical banners can be employed inside the recital hall to fine-tune the acoustics during a performance. The horizontal woven-wood panels are designed to absorb the sound reflections from the glass wall so that the entire room works in harmony to provide a dramatic view behind the performer without compromising acoustics.
Aiming for LEED Gold status, innovative features the building offers include a double-skin facade and grey water system. Northwestern University’s goal was to build a highly sustainable building that engages and invigorates the campus and larger community.
