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Kent School, Music Department & Mattison Auditorium

Renovation

the story

SLAM was hired by Kent School to design and renovate the aging 25,000 SF Music Department and Mattison Auditorium. The auditorium renovation included exposing the truss ceiling, upgrading stage, h.c. access walls, floors, seating, lighting, sound and acoustics and catwalk. The final auditorium space, which seats 350, is multi-functional and used for music, theatre, lectures and movies. The Music Department was relocated above the dining hall by converting the third floor 1930s dorm and the attic spaces to increase the volume for sound, space and lighting for new rehearsal, classroom, and practice spaces. The floors, walls, and practice rooms were treated with the latest sound attenuating materials and construction techniques. Finally, a new gallery space and lobby create an interior link between the dining hall and auditorium. An elevator tower was constructed to connect the lower level of the theatre spaces, the main floor art gallery, theatre, dining hall and new third-floor music department.

at-a-glance

TYPE:
Renovation
PRACTICE:
Architecture
Construction Management
Design Build
Interior Design
Pre-Construction Services
Programming & Planning
Structural Engineering
LOCATION:
Kent, CT
STATUS:
Completed February 2014
SIZE:
25,000 sf
INSIGHT

Kent School needed to update and expand their Music and Arts program spaces within existing and buildings that weren’t connected physically. An affordable alternative to building new was the renovation of an existing theater and the utilization of an older dorm located on an upper floor of an adjacent building. The challenge was to renovate these spaces to meet programmatic needs and to connect them in such a way as to be cohesive.

The complexity of converting a 1930’s double-loaded corridor dormitory into an acoustic music and practice space posed many challenges.

This project presented many construction and sequencing challenges. SLAM took on the task of managing an extremely invasive project for a facility that needed to provide uninterrupted service to the school. With SLAM’s unique delivery approach, our design-build team anticipated these challenges and incorporated design solutions, where applicable, into the bid documents. SLAM developed a phasing and sequencing plan that would address project constraints. It was most important to detail the sequencing within the bid documents to allow contractors a full understanding of the project expectations.

SOLUTION

As an integrated team, SLAM designed and sequenced the construction utilizing existing buildings within an occupied campus. The design solution produced a new gallery space and lobby that serves as an interior link between the Dining Hall Building that houses the Music Rooms and the Auditorium Building.

SLAM’s in-house estimating team worked closely with our designers since they were a short walk within our building. In SLAM’s approach, we embedded our estimator with the designers to allow a continuous flow of information to pass between them as systems were being considered and designed.

IMPACT

The SLAM team designed and renovated the existing auditorium and support spaces, including upgrades to stage area, the house, and the lobby, resulting in an award-winning multi-functional space for 350-people used for music, theater, lectures, and movies. The design also features a large lobby and gallery sized to accommodate receptions and beautiful new music practice rooms within the trussed second floor roof line.

Project Contacts

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