The Porter Byrum Welcome Center in Winston-Salem, NC is an impressive newly constructed 22,000sf building primarily serving the Office of Admissions at Wake Forest University. Included in the building is a 3,350sf tiered 234-seat auditorium, subsequently named Kulynych Auditorium, a conservatory with interview rooms, educational spaces, offices, and visitor support spaces. Although this was new construction, the architectural design was in keeping with the Georgian Revival style of the campus, while taking advantage of modern materials and respecting the environment.

Thorburn Associates provided acoustical design consulting services, specifically for the Kulynych Auditorium. A full acoustical review was completed which included recommendations for room acoustics to provide a well-balanced environment free from harmful reflections. Wall details were outlined to achieve the desired levels of speech privacy and freedom from noise intrusion. Recommendations for the mechanical systems were provided based on ASHRAE guidelines and Thorburn Associates’ extensive experience on similar projects.

The project ultimately achieved LEED Gold certification.