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Dating from 1841, Glasgow City Halls underwent a major refurbishment to become the new home for the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. The transformed building opened to the public in 2006.
Arup’s acoustic consultants developed a scheme to increase the hall’s volume by opening up the coffered ceiling.
This helped to provide a more spacious sound, improving the scope to control loudness for both performers and musicians as well as increasing the reverberation time with a full house.
Orchestral lighting and acoustic reflectors
Opening up the ceiling coffers offered an opportunity for Arup’s theatre consultants to provide excellent orchestral lighting, along with the flexibility to position luminaires anywhere above the hall, yet hidden out of sight within the roof space.
A system of tensioned wire grid panels allows safe access for rigging lighting and microphones overhead, while letting sound and light through.
The hidden volume above the performance platform houses an array of acoustic reflectors over the platform and drapes which may be deployed to deaded the acoustic for amplified concerts.
The hall’s acoustics have been widely praised by musicians, audiences and the press.
“The City Halls are far and away the best place in Glasgow to hear orchestral music, and among the finest halls anywhere in the country. ” Tom Service The Guardian
