CHALLENGECreate custom acoustical solution for theatre/performing arts center in K-12 international school.

WENGER SOLUTIONCollaborating with owner and project team to design and manufacture full-stage acoustical shell and auditorium wall panels.

BENEFITS • Enhancesacousticalenvironment • Inspiresexcellentmusicianship• Complementstheatrearchitecture • Facilitatesdifferentshellconfigurations• Provideseasysetupandhandling

8 0 0 - 4 W E N G E R ( 4 9 3 - 6 4 3 7 ) • w e n g e r c o r p . c o m

THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MUSCAT, OMANPROJECT CASE STUDY

“ The Diva shell surrounds you with a natural warmth…it’s a very fulfilling experience. As a performer, projection requires less effort; your energy starts going toward being more musical. Pianissimos are truly pianissimos, and fortes truly are fortes.”

– Kevin Schafer Director

DIVA® FULL-STAGE ACOUSTICAL SHELL

DIVA® FULL-STAGE ACOUSTICAL SHELL

8 0 0 - 4 W E N G E R ( 4 9 3 - 6 4 3 7 ) • w e n g e r c o r p . c o m

© 2012 Wenger Corporation, Printed in the U.S.A./7-12/2M/W/LT0358A

HIGHLIGHTS“Whenplanningournewtheatre,ourfirstcallwastoWenger,”recallsTim Willson,InstrumentalMusicTeacherattheAmericanInternationalSchoolofMuscat(TAISM)inMuscat,Oman,locatednearSaudiArabiaandthePersianGulf.ConfidenceinWengerwasrootedinalonghistory.“I’vepurchasedWengerequipmentforoverthirtyyearsformusicprogramsaroundtheworld,”Willsonexplains.“I’velearnedtotrustthequalityanddurabilityoftheproductsandtheprofessionalismandintegrityofthepeopleatWenger.”Willson,whoservedasTAISM’sprojectmanagerforthetheatreconstruction,saidacousticswereatoppriority,inpartbecausetheyknewchangeswouldbedifficultlater.Wengeragreedtosupplythefull-stageacousticalshellandrecom-mendedtheinvolvementofanacousticalconsultantandtheatredesigner.Afterevaluation,TAISMselectedThresholdAcousticsandSchulerShook.ThetheatreanditsinteriorweredesignedbyarchitectNavjitSinghMatharu,thePrincipalDesignerandOwnerofA+DCanadainToronto.HishistorywithTA-ISMbeganwithdevelopingtheschool’smasterplanin2000;heisalsothedesignarchitectforentireschoolcampusdevelopment.TheoverallvisionfortheTAISMcampus,whichcurrentlyenrolls725studentsfromover50nationalities,calledforanarchitecturalstyleblendinglocalArabicinfluenceswithmodernelements.The522-seattheatre,calledtheBoschCenterforthePerformingArts,includesinteriorfinishesofwood,stone,fabricandglass,designedforacousticalsupport,visualinterestandlowmaintenance.

Building TeamworkFromthestart,successfulteamworkwasahallmarkofthisproject.MichaelDiBlasi, PartnerwithSchulerShookMinneapolis,praisedtheworkingrelationship betweenhisfirmandbothTimWillsonandKevinSchafer,TAISM’sDirector.“Weallhadalotofconfidenceineachother,andwechallengedeachotherondifferentideasandoptions,”DiBlasistates.“Theschoolwantedagreatfacilitythatcouldreallynurturestudents,whilealsoservingasacommunityasset,”hesays.TogetherwithThresholdAcoustics,SchulerShookdesignedamultipurposetheatreparticularlysuitedforTAISM’smusicalensembles.SchulerShook’sservicesincludedbotharchitecturallightingdesign and theatre planning – from stage lighting and rigging to dressing rooms and shell storage.“Acousticalshellsrequireanumberofcoordinatedelements,includingthe acoustician’scriteriaandclient’sexpectations,”explainsJodyKovalick,ProjectTheatreConsultantwithSchulerShookMinneapolis.Ceilingpanelsmusthangfromtheriggingproperly,alongwithmovingandstoringeasily.Built-inlighting iscoordinatedwiththetheatricaldimmingsystem.TheTAISMtheatre’sshallowflyloftincorporatesriggingwithasafetyinterlockmechanismtopreventtheshell’sceilingpanels,intheirperformanceposition,fromcontactingthecatwalksthatprovidelightingaccessabovethestage.“Wengerdoesafantasticjobprovidingalltheinformationweneedtodesignanddevelopashell’ssupportsystem,”declaresKovalick.Duringtheshopdrawingandconstructionprocess,hesaysWengercoordinateseveryone’sinformationtoensureeverythingworksasdesigned,whilealsobeingveryresponsivewhensomethingneedsattentionortweaking.DiBlasibelievesanexperiencedprojectteamcanoftenanticipate–andavoid– potential problems. “Whether differences in culture, material procurement or constructionmethods,askingtherightquestionscanhelpminimizesurprises.”TheseskillswereparticularlyimportantontheTAISMprojectbecauselocal contractorsandsupplierswerelargelyunfamiliarwiththeatreconstructiontechniquesandprocedures.ContributionsfromlocalfirmswereblendedwithoutsourcedelementsfromcompanieslikeWengertoachieveasuccessfulresult.

Hitting ‘Sweet Spot’AcousticianCarlGiegold,PartnerwithThresholdAcousticsofChicago,Ill.,sayshisfirmhasworkedwithWengerforatleast15years.“IappreciatetalkingthroughideaswithWengerandthevaluetheyaddtothedesignprocess,”Giegoldremarks.

OntheTAISMproject,hesayssomesimplesuggestionsfromWengerhelpedmanage the budget while meeting the desired acoustical performance and the architect’srequirements.GiegoldrequestedadoublelayersurroundingtheDivatower’shoneycombcore–moremasstoenhancethebassresponse.“Theheaviershelldesigngivesawarmersoundoffthestage,”heexplains.Theceilingpanelswerestandardtoavoidoverloadingtherigging’smanualcounterweightedsystem.HedescribestheTAISMDivashell’sconfigurationas“fairlytypical”–threepairsofsidewalltowers,fourupstagetowersandthreeceilingpanels.Theoptionofmultipleshellconfigurationswasveryimportanttoaccommodateawiderangeofperformances.Forchoralconcerts,thecommonsetupwouldbeashortshellconsistingofonepairofsidewalltowerswiththerearwalltowerslocated10'(3m)upstageoftheproscenium.Giegoldpreferstokeepsmallerensemblesfardownstage,withtheupstagewallasneartotheensembleaspossible.“Thisisveryimportantfor clarityandcommunicationbetweenthemusiciansonstage,”henotes.Mostinstrumentalensembleswillusethemid-sizedconfiguration,consistingoftwopairsofsidewalltowersandallfourupstagetowers.Jointconcertsorlargefestivalensembleswillusethefullshell.“TheDivashellhitsasweetspot,”commentsGiegold.“It’slightweightenoughtobemaneuverable,butheavyenoughtospeakwithauthorityandsupportthemusicaleffortsonstage.”

Uniting InteriorToenhancethetheatre’sacousticresponse,Giegoldwantedan“acousticdevice”tonarrowtheuppervolumeoftheaudiencechamber.Thenarrowedvolumecreatessoffitsalongthesidewallsthatemphasizeacousticintimacy.Becausethesoffitsarecantileveredfromthesidewalls,theycansupportonlylimitedweight.Findingamaterialheavyenoughtoserveacousticallywithoutovertaxingthestructurewasachallenge.Masonrywouldhavebeentooheavy.Giegoldsaystheyconsideredhavingthelocalmillworkcontractorcreateauditoriumpanelsfromastick-builtframeworkcoveredwithveneeredplywood.“Foranumberofreasons,weultimatelydecidedthebestsolutionwasaskingWenger toadapttheirlaminatedDiva-paneltechnology,”herecalls.Thecustompanelswere constructed of 3/4"(19mm)plywoodoneachsideofa3"(7.62cm)honeycombcore,withpanelsincorporatingslightcurvatureona20'or30'(6mor9m)radius.Overall,Wengersuppliedauditoriumpanelstotaling2,340squarefeet(217.4squaremeters)–approximatelyhalfthecombinedsquarefootageoftheDivashell’stowersandceilings.Additionally,Wengerprovidedmorethan1,800squarefeet(167.2squaremeters)ofveneerforothertheatresurfaces.“IappreciateWenger’scontributionstothisproject,”explainsMatharu.“IwasveryparticularaboutcoordinatingthecoloroftheDivashellwiththewallpanelsandotherfinishes.”HeaddsthatWengerpatientlysuppliednumeroussamples untilhewassatisfied.“Wengerhelpedachieveaharmoniousinteriorinthe theatre,”Matharunotes.

Fulfilling ExperienceKevinSchafer,TAISM’sDirector,isequallyenthusiasticabouttheoutcome.“Wefeellikewe’recompletelysurroundedbyaWengershell,”exclaimsSchafer,whoplayswithTimWillsoninabrassquintet.“There’sanaturalwarmththatisaverydifferentfeelingthaninmanyplacesI’veplayed,”commentsSchafer.“It’saveryfulfillingexperience.”Asaperformer,Schafersaysprojectionrequireslesseffort.“Yourenergystartsgoingtowardbeingmoremusicalandyourexpectationsareimmediatelyraised.”Hethinksstudentmusiciansalsosensethisandaregoingtostartworkinghardertoplaymoremusically.SchaferalsoappreciateshowtheDivashell’sfunctionalitymakessetupworkeasy.“It’sreallyimportantwecanhandletheshellourselvesbecausewe’reaK-12school,notauniversitywithalargeoperationsstaff,”heremarks,addingit’s‘amazing’theycanmovesuchamassiveshellontheirown.ConcludesSchafer, “That’sthejoyofworkingwithWengerproductsthataresowell-engineered.”