George Wood Theatre

London, UK

A Harmony of Heritage and Acoustics

A spacious and modern theater auditorium viewed from the side, featuring tiered retractable seating with plush brown chairs. The stage is framed by black curtains on the sides and a white projection screen in the center, set against an exposed brick wall backdrop. Theatrical lighting rigs and technical equipment are mounted above the stage and seating areas. A row of foldable chairs is placed on the floor close to the stage, and natural light streams in through a large arched window on the back wall.

Photos courtesy of Goldsmiths University and Dannatt Johnson Architects

We advised on acoustic design for the renovation of the 200-seat George Wood Theatre located in the former Grade II listed chapel of Goldsmiths, University of London.

The project included removing the 1960s false ceiling, control room and seating to restore the full height of the chapel and expose the historic ceiling. Two new studios, a black box and a white studio, have been inserted stacked on top of each other into the volume previously occupied by the fly tower. These are wedged between the theatre and other rehearsal and teaching facilities.

The main challenge was to achieve a high degree of sound separation. Together with the user requirements, the historical and volumetric constraints led to a much higher density of noisy and noise-sensitive spaces. Our acousticians and the design team integrated highly efficient noise and vibration attenuation measures in a confined space. The theatre acoustics relied on sound-absorbing curtains that led to a room with a flexible reverberation time where the internal acoustics can be changed to cater to different types of performances and not just traditional drama.

Project Details

Client

Goldsmith University

Architect

Dannatt Johnson Architects

Cost

£3m

Completed

August 2019

Photos courtesy of Goldsmiths University and Dannatt Johnson Architects

Byron Harrison

Want to learn more about our work on the George Wood Theatre? Contact Byron!

+44 (0)20 7928 0000

Supporting the industry internationally since 2004

The Queen's Awards for Enterprise: International Trade 2020 UK Theatre Tonic Theatre Communications Group Carbon Literate Orginisation - Silver
Byron Harrison

Want to learn more about our work on the George Wood Theatre? Contact Byron!

Contact Byron

+44 (0)20 7928 0000