Recent multi-purpose hall designs in Denmark with physically variable acoustics

This paper describes two recent Danish multi-purpose hall designs, in which acoustic variability has been accomplished in different ways: through variable absorption and variable volume, respectively. The different approaches were chosen in order to insure that not only reverberation time (T) and so clarity (C), but also the strength parameter (G) could be varied in a favorable direction in view of the prescribed uses of the halls.

The hall with variable absorption is the assembly hall in the new extension to the Royal Library in Copenhagen to open in fall 1999. This hall will seat 600 people and be used for chamber music concerts, symphony orchestra rehearsals, and amplified speech. For the latter two functions, a reduction in G along with reduction in T was considered favorable.

The hall with variable volume is the recently opened Esbjerg Musikhus seating 1100 and equipped with a full stage house. This hall is used for symphonic concerts and musicals as well as drama and conferences. In this hall, maintaining or even increasing G along with a reduction in T is advantageous, especially in the drama theatre mode.

The paper will describe the design of these two halls along with acoustic measurement results.