Pratt Institute's Film and Video Department

Brooklyn, NY, USA

Set within the former Prattstore building, the new Film Department at Pratt Institute is 15,000-square-foot of cutting-edge education space dedicated to the school’s acclaimed filmmaking and video production courses.

The finished recording room at Pratt.

Established in 1887 by Industrialist Charles Pratt, the Pratt Institute was one of the first in the country to be open to all students regardless of class, race or gender. Its Film and Media courses are a particular pride of the college with alumni including Actor and Playwright Harvey Fierstein and Actor Robert Redford.

The new Film & Media Center at the college saw the conversion of an existing retail building into a dedicated home for Pratt’s Film & Media department. The building now houses three full-size sound stages for film and video work. One space can be linked or separated with an acoustic shutter to create a single double-size volume for large sets. An acoustically-isolated recording room with 5.1 surround sound audio playback capability was configured for production work as well as classroom tutoring. The centrepiece of the project is a 100-seat screening room which is used as a teaching and lecture space. The screening room includes a retractable seating section which provides additional flat-floor teaching and workshop space. The building also houses classrooms, workshops and administration spaces to support the work of the department.

“The design is meant to foster such interaction in the spirit of students learning from each other and to create a vibrant and collaborative filmmaking environment.”

Jack Esterson, partner at WASA Studio and a Pratt alumnus

The centrepiece of the project is a 100-seat screening room which is used as a teaching and lecture space.

We also advised on the technical systems design across the building.

Charcoalblue provided acoustic design services for the project.

We provided acoustic design services for the project, detailing design parameters and construction requirements to ensure that the spaces perform exceptionally well despite a challenging budget and ambitious brief. We also advised on the technical systems design, integrating a complex audiovisual infrastructure into the new spaces to enable the Pratt team to make best use of their existing equipment and to future-proof the building against the swift technological advances which the facility is anticipating.

Concept drawing by Byron for a recording room.

The finished recording room at Pratt.

“Pratt had a heightened appreciation of acoustics—their previous facility was under a basketball court! Our solutions provided more usable space and enabling more intensive use throughout the building.”

Byron Harrison, Partner

Project Details

Client

Pratt Institute

Project cost

$4.5m

Completed

2015

Awards

American Institute of Architects New York State Design Awards citation, 2015

Credits

Architect

WASA Studios

Photography

Alexander Severin/RAZUMMEDIA

Related

the new space will enable us to build even closer relationships with the nearby filmmaking community...

Dezeen

Press

Jon Stevens

Have a question about Pratt Institute? Talk to Jon.

+44 (0)20 7928 0000

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Jon Stevens

Have a question about Pratt Institute? Talk to Jon.

Contact Jon

+44 (0)20 7928 0000