Davidson College – Hance Auditorium
Davidson, North Carolina
Hance Auditorium is a 115-seat multi-purpose presentation space located on the top floor, under the dome of the Chambers Building at Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina. With comfortable seating and adjustable configurations, it is an intimate space for presentations, club and group meetings, guest speakers, and video screenings for a variety of classes. For improved functionality, the space was fully redesigned and upgraded with high end acoustical performance improvements.
After completing a three-phase feasibility study for the auditorium space, Thorburn Associates continued to be a part of the remaining design phases for this project redesign by providing acoustical and technology design consulting services. The historic brick dome, a striking architectural centerpiece, also presented distinctive acoustical challenges. Its curved geometry created a “whispering gallery” effect, allowing sound to travel along the dome’s surface and project clearly to distant points in the room. Additionally, the dome’s reflective surfaces caused sound to converge at the center, producing noticeable echoes for presenters and impacting speech clarity.
To address the room’s acoustical challenges, Thorburn Associates performed comprehensive on-site assessments which included measuring reverberation times, identifying reflective surfaces contributing to echoes and acoustic focusing, and documenting background noise levels. Our team developed and presented several design strategies, with the preferred solution featuring a sound-absorptive system that maintained visual access to the dome’s architectural features. Thorburn Associates also evaluated the mechanical systems and provided recommendations to mitigate excessive noise and vibration, ensuring a balanced and comfortable acoustic environment.
Thorburn Associates provided technology design services by defining system functionality and performance requirements to align with end-user objectives. Deliverables included a preliminary equipment list for major audiovisual components and a cost estimate to support project planning and budgeting.
After completing a three-phase feasibility study for the auditorium space, Thorburn Associates continued to be a part of the remaining design phases for this project redesign by providing acoustical and technology design consulting services. The historic brick dome, a striking architectural centerpiece, also presented distinctive acoustical challenges. Its curved geometry created a “whispering gallery” effect, allowing sound to travel along the dome’s surface and project clearly to distant points in the room. Additionally, the dome’s reflective surfaces caused sound to converge at the center, producing noticeable echoes for presenters and impacting speech clarity.
To address the room’s acoustical challenges, Thorburn Associates performed comprehensive on-site assessments which included measuring reverberation times, identifying reflective surfaces contributing to echoes and acoustic focusing, and documenting background noise levels. Our team developed and presented several design strategies, with the preferred solution featuring a sound-absorptive system that maintained visual access to the dome’s architectural features. Thorburn Associates also evaluated the mechanical systems and provided recommendations to mitigate excessive noise and vibration, ensuring a balanced and comfortable acoustic environment.
Thorburn Associates provided technology design services by defining system functionality and performance requirements to align with end-user objectives. Deliverables included a preliminary equipment list for major audiovisual components and a cost estimate to support project planning and budgeting.