15 Jul 2011
Arup is today celebrating the official opening of the School of the Arts (SOTA) – an exciting new performing arts school which is set to transform Singapore’s education landscape.
Regional leader of Arup’s acoustic and theatre consulting practice in Australasia, Andrew Nicol, says: “SOTA was conceived as a space that celebrates experimentation, expression and discovery. Arup’s strong appreciation of this unique design vision enabled us to create flexible, sustainable and engaging spaces out of the school’s performance venues, for students and professionals alike.”
A purpose-built campus, SOTA houses a 423-seat drama theatre, 708-seat concert hall and 200-seat flexible studio theatre, as well as various academic, rehearsal and supporting facilities including: dance studios, an orchestra rehearsal room, recording studios, workshops and music practice rooms.
Creating flexible, intimate spaces to inspire confidence
Across the performance venues, the overall objective was to provide a tailored-environment in which young performers would feel confident and comfortable to go onstage. This required Arup’s team to develop a theatre and auditorium design that would create flexible, intimate spaces out of the venues, regardless of their capacities.
One way this was reflected is through the use of a series of variable acoustic banners and an innovative motorised choir stall in the Concert Hall. When combined, the banners and choir stall allows a wide repertoire to be performed – from small ensembles to full orchestras.
In addition to providing acoustics and theatre consulting, Arup’s scope of work included fire and façade engineering. Through the project’s architect, WOHA, SOTA was also recently conferred the prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects’ International Award.
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