A new architect-designed dining hall on the campus of Homerton College at the University of Cambridge in the UK has been equipped with a sound reinforcement system to support special events and speeches that’s headed by compact K-array column array loudspeakers.
Working alongside architects Fielden Fowles, main contractor Barnes Construction, and electrical contractor DPL, acoustic consultants Max Fordham modeled the acoustics of the dining hall to evaluate reverberation and noise from diners, resulting in a brief for the engineering team at Winchester-based systems integrators Whitwam AVI, who specified the compact K-array loudspeakers and supporting components.
An initial audio system design was prepared by Dave Wooster from K-array UK distributor 2B Heard, who mapped the room using K-FRAMEWORK acoustical simulation software, and following planning meetings with the architects and client was further refined and handed over to Andrew Pymm, director of engineering at Whitwam AVI, to implement. “The acoustic consultants had paid a lot of attention to the materials selected for the dining hall, and with Dave’s design we were able to satisfy the architects’ requirement to blend the speakers against the light ash wood panels that line the triforium and are gently angled to receive light and reduce potential reverberation issues,” Pymm says.
The 1,665-square-meter dining hall is covered by eight Vyper-KV52 RAL color-matched compact arrays positioned on ball mount brackets at a height of 3.5 metres between the oak beams about 6 metres apart, six aimed towards the minstrel’s gallery and a further pair covering the top table. Two Rumble-KU26 subwoofers are installed behind custom grilles in opposite corners of the room, one concealed under a bench on the window side of the room and the other behind panelling at low level.
Two Kobra-KK52 column arrays and eight Tornado-KT2C ceiling mount loudspeakers provide coverage of the Buttery supplemented by two Rumble-KU26 subwoofers, and two Vyper-KV52 column arrays are flush mounted behind custom grilles teamed up with a concealed Rumble-KU44 subwoofer in the reception area. Lapel and handheld microphones are connected via Sennheiser receivers, controlled by a Q-SYS audio processor from the equipment rack under the stars in the buttery and operated by Q-SYS touch screens in reception and the dining hall service area.
The building is designed for sustainability: all-electric and passively ventilated during the summer while in colder months heat is recovered from the kitchen cooking hoods and sent back into the hall. Hot water and heat are provided by ground source heat pumps installed under the lawn.
“We’re delighted with the outcome,” Pymm states, “as I believe everyone is. From our perspective this ambitious project went really smoothly, collaboration between the multiple contractors working on-site, the architects, and Nathan at DPL was seamless and we’ve provided the client with a quality audio system that meets all their requirements and performs extremely well within the spaces.”
Homerton’s IT manager adds, “We’ve had this room full of people with people chatting at the front – and this is also testament to the natural acoustics – and you can hear perfectly from wherever you are in the room. We genuinely didn’t believe it would sound as good as it does based on the small amount of equipment, and that has also pleased the architects who are very keen for hardware to be unobtrusive. We’re pleased at how well the speakers blend in with the surroundings and how much sound they produce considering the size they are. In terms of feedback from staff and students, if there’s ever a problem we are going to hear about it – but there hasn’t been a word, no complaints whatsoever. We’re very happy with the result.”
