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Architects: Planet 3 Studios Architecture
- Area: 6000 ft²
- Year: 2014
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Photographs:Mrigank Sharma
Text description provided by the architects. For the design of this 300 seat auditorium in Central Mumbai we studied sound, the very element that the space has to engage with. On the premise that the space is merely a container and that sound deserves primacy in hierarchy of considerations, we simulated wave patterns within the given structural volume to understand its effect as it travelled through.
With the use of parametric and computational design tools, we were ran multiple form finding experiments and studied the effect of every iteration on the sound carrying ability of the space.
The goal was to ensure that the spatial form and materiality working together should help achieve even sound quality in the space while keeping reverberation factor low. From suspended tiles to open cells and eventually a closed volume, the design evolved out of multiple simulations.
A contoured volume rendered in wood faced acoustical board acts to engage sound in a way that it carries from the stage, right to the back of the auditorium without perceptible drop in intensity. Contouring creates a sculpted feel on the ceiling and the walls and an interesting sense of space inside.
The neutral palette of wood is complemented by grey and orange auditorium chairs laid out in an outsized ‘V’ echoing the client’s logo. Stretched fabric forms within contours are backlit with dimmable LED lights controllable over zones and these engage with the patrons in an interesting way for the moments leading up to the actual show. This project exemplifies our process in which design is allowed to evolve out of first principles and key factors of consideration without presupposing an aesthetic sensibility.
