Auditorium Proscenium Acoustic Design

Challenge

A school district set out to update the stage proscenium in its auditorium. The goal was aesthetic: the large curved reflector over the stage looked dated, and the design team wanted a cleaner look. The architect brought Memtech Acoustics a single question. Could the proscenium be changed freely?

The answer was not obvious. The auditorium fans out to upper and lower seating, and the existing proscenium's curved radius and panel angles were quietly doing real acoustic work, projecting sound from the stage to the back rows of both levels. Replacing that geometry without understanding it risked a room that looked better and sounded worse.

Solution

Memtech Acoustics started with measurement. We ran an on-site acoustic assessment of the auditorium, capturing RT60 reverberation and C50 clarity with Class 1 instrumentation and documenting the room geometry and surface materials. We built an acoustic model of the space and confirmed which elements of the existing proscenium were acoustically load-bearing, then developed a redesigned reflector and diffuser layout delivered as 2D CAD drawings and an engineering report.

Results

The design team received a proscenium redesign they can build against with confidence: an aesthetic refresh that preserves how sound reaches every seat, backed by measured data rather than assumption. It is a clear example of what a design-phase acoustic partner delivers, catching a costly mistake before it reaches construction.