Roslyn Retreat Center Acoustics

Mark BrockMark joined the team in 2011. With over 25 years of inside sales experience, he excels in acoustic expertise and customer service. Raised in a musical family, Mark spent considerable time in live music venues and recording studios from a young age. He specializes in doctor's offices, hospitals, sports venues, and worship centers. 1-800-782-5742 Ext. 0136

Roslyn Retreat and Conference Center – Custom fit AlphaSorb® Fabric Wrapped Acoustic Panels for a beautiful finish.

The Roslyn Retreat and Conference Center installed custom-fit AlphaSorb® Fabric Wrapped Acoustic Panels for a beautiful finish.

The Issue

Acoustic panels and a hidden acoustical ceiling treatment provided the finishing touches at the new Roslyn Chapel, part of the Roslyn Retreat Center in Richmond, Virginia. The acoustical treatments fit seamlessly with the architectural design of the space, allowing visitors the best experience possible in this serene retreat chapel.

Roslyn Retreat Center - Black theater acoustic board behind the wooden slats on ceiling provide both absorption and diffusion.

The Roslyn Retreat Center installed black theater acoustic board behind the wooden slats on ceiling to provide both absorption and diffusion.

The Challenge

When the Roslyn Episcopal Conference and Retreat Center designed their new chapel, ensuring proper acoustics was a crucial element. To allow visitors to connect with the natural beauty, peaceful atmosphere, and comforting hospitality for which the center has become recognized, the space needed to be quiet and distraction-free. The architectural firm of Bartzen + Ball designed several large windows for the space. This allows for views of the 150-acre retreat, as well as the James River that borders the property. While the windows help to bring the natural surroundings into the building, they also created an acoustical problem. Sound energy, even from a single person talking, reflected off of all the glass and created a severe echo.

Custom fit AlphaSorb® fabric wrapped panels treat the acoustics in the Roslyn Retreat Center.

The Solution

To accomplish the goals for the chapel and reduce the echo problem, Acoustical Solutions worked with builders at Taylor & Parrish to integrate the acoustical treatment into the design of the chapel. The natural wooden finishes of the facility helped bring a sense of nature into the interior of the building. In order to maximize the beauty of the wooden finishes, 38 2″ thick AlphaSorb® Fabric Wrapped Acoustic Panels in Guilford of Maine Anchorage Fabric were designed to fit within a wooden grid design. With the walls of the chapel taken care of, the team looked to the ceiling. Due to the particularly high pitch of the roof, sound reverberation was a serious concern. To prevent sound clarity issues, the designers needed to treat this area as well. The beautiful design of the naturally finished wooden lathe planks was a challenge. They solved this problem by installing AlphaMidnight Acoustic Ceiling Tiles behind the wooden planks, which were spaced appropriately to allow sound energy to pass through and be absorbed by the ceiling treatment.

The Result

The AlphaSorb® Fabric Wrapped Acoustic Panels in Anchorage fabric and AlphaMidnight Acoustic Ceiling Tiles dramatically reduced reverberation within the chapel. After the installation of the panels and the ceiling treatment, the space felt very intimate and warm. This is something difficult to accomplish in such a large room. This allowed visitors to fully experience all the beauty of the natural surroundings.

To learn more about how Acoustical Solutions can solve your noise control problems, use our contact form, call one of our Acoustical Sales Consultants at (800) 782-5742, or visit us on the web at acousticalsolutions.com.

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