Hann Tucker were appointed as acoustic consultants for the redevelopment of the Leicester Square Hippodrome site. The development included a dedicated live music venue; ‘The Matcham Room’. The future space was modelled using our CATT Acoustic three dimensional geometrical acoustic software to predict reverberation times and to enable early reflection analysis. Following results analysis and subsequent remodelling angled stage reflectors, diffuse balcony frontages and absorptive treatment to selected areas were all specified and incorporated into the design. Since completion, The Matcham Room has been praised in reviews for its excellent acoustics. “…the Hippodrome’s Matcham Room, a 180-seat performance space with excellent acoustics and jazzy ambience.” (C.J. Lazaretti, www.thisiscabaret.co.uk); “…an intimate club with great acoustics and lighting…” (www.cheriecity.co.uk)
Projects
As one of the largest independent acoustic consultancies in the country, Hann Tucker Associates has undertaken briefs in all major building sectors with projects ranging from small-scale private refurbishments to city centre redevelopments. Some of our key case studies are presented below.
Matcham Room, Hippodrome Casino
Whitworth Art Gallery
The redevelopment, which was supported by a major Heritage Lottery Fund grant, The University of Manchester, Arts Council England and other funders, has doubled public space and created state-of-the-art new facilities including expanded gallery spaces, a study centre, learning studio and collections centre.
Middlewood Locks
Middlewood Locks is a major mixed use development in Salford, with potential for up to 2,000 homes and up to 750,000 sq ft of commercial opportunities including 500,000 sq ft of offices. HTA were appointed for full client acoustic consultancy design services covering planning, design and client side construction monitoring.
Rathbone Square
Redevelopment of the site of the former Royal Mail sorting office on Rathbone Place into large scale mixed use properties surrounding a public green space. HTA were appointed to provide noise, vibration, and dust monitoring services throughout the demolition and construction phases. Owing to neighbour complaints, our initial monitoring services grew substantially from the agreed contract. We also provided advice to Great Portland Estates on the control of noise and vibration in response to issues raised by the large number of neighbours surrounding the site. Hann Tucker Associates’ unrivalled resources and expertise in this field proved invaluable to our Client.
Park House
A commercial, residential and retail building occupying an entire city block on Europe’s busiest high street. This unique scheme included part-building isolation from underground rail tunnels (residential sector only). Detailing to avoid structural flanking was of paramount importance. HTA were appointed for full acoustic design services from conception to completion.
The Thymele at Epidauros
Hann Tucker received an appointment to create a 3D geometrical acoustic model of an ancient Thymele, as part of a Vermont university research project into the purpose of a partially open labyrinth below the floor discovered during excavations at the ancient Greek Epidauros site. The intention was to theorise on the potential acoustic effects of the sub-floor structure on the performance space as part of a wider assessment of the building. The model examined the reverberation and early reflection effects of various scenarios and materials related to the labyrinth. Auralisation audio files were produced to demonstrate the acoustic effects of the space with differing finishes and labyrinth configurations. The conclusions of the acoustic model were that there was a possibility the subfloor labyrinth structure could be used to alter the acoustics of the performance space. The project has been the subject of a published book 'The Thymele at Epidauros: Healing, Space, and Musical Performance in Late Classical Greece' which includes Hann Tucker’s credited acoustic assessments, theories and model results in the main body of the text, additionally featuring the acoustic report summary as an appendix.
Team Sport
Team Sport appointed Hann Tucker Associates in 2017 to undertake an operational noise breakout assessment of a proposed 500m long, multiple level indoor karting track in Coventry to support the planning application and to provide general advice relating to acoustic issues. The proposal was to occupy an existing building that had been used as a distribution warehouse. The warehouse has lightweight external cladding and plastic rooflights. The close proximity of neighbouring residencies attracted a heightened level of local interest. The assessment required the measurement of indoor karting noise at an existing indoor karting track and the calculation of the karting noise breaking out though the extrenal building fabirc of the warehouse using state of the art sound insulation calculation software. The planning application was successful and Team Sport opened their 26th UK indoor karting track in Coventry in August 2018!
Dropmore Park, Burnham
Dropmore Park is located rear of Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England, and is about 220 acres in size. It is one of the most important buildings in South Bucks and has Grade I listed building status. It was built in the 1790s for Lord Grenville, who later as Prime Minister pushed through the law abolishing the slave trade. The architect was Samuel Wyatt. Charles Tatham was architect for changes in the 19th century. In 1945, after wartime use during which it was harshly treated, the house was restored by Viscount Kemsley, the proprietor of The Sunday Times. He filled it with paintings, furniture and books. After his death in 1968 it was sold to United States International University and then to the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, Muhammed Mahdi al-Tajir. Dropmore was then purchased in 2012 by Richard and Ian Livingstone. The house and the grounds were used extensively for the location filming of the Doctor Who serial Day of the Daleks. HTA was engaged to provide acoustic advice on all aspects of acoustics. Key acoustic considerations of the project included: external sound insulation of the façade and roof; acoustic finishes, particularly for the entertainment pool and spa areas; environmental noise assessments; guest room sound insulation; control of impact sound and noise transfer; mechanical services noise and vibration.
10 Fenchurch Avenue
10 Fenchurch Avenue is a 420,000 sq ft, 15-storey office building that will provide commercial office space, retail use at the lower levels, a public passageway at street level and a publicly accessible roof garden. It was designed by Eric Parry Architects for Italy’s largest insurance company Generali, with a crystalline appearance that constantly changes as it is activated by daylight and the weather conditions. It will be an iconic building with a dynamic urban presence. M&G Investments new London headquarters occupies 11 of the 13 floors of office space. The fit-out team was led by TP Bennett, with HTA being appointed for all aspects of architectural acoustics and building services noise and vibration control. HTA was engaged to provide acoustic advice for the fit out of the new headquarters, as well as for reviewing the design for the base building which was not yet complete when the project started. Areas that we advised upon included: achieving appropriate levels of speech privacy between enclosed spaces; achieving a workable privacy and acoustic environment in the open plan office areas; controlling noise from building services. To demonstrate speech privacy standards to the client, we carried out acoustic benchmarking of M&G’s existing buildings so that they could better understand the sound level differences between spaces and how this was affected by the background masking noise level. This allowed for informed decisions on different types of privacy for the varying types of key rooms. The project included many acoustically critical areas including:confidential meeting rooms; 200 seat auditorium; TV studio. It was essential that the internal wall constructions provided sufficient levels of airborne sound insulation to ensure speech confidentiality between adjacent sensitive spaces, particularly Boardrooms and Executive Offices. Detailed acoustic specifications and advice relating to the control of flanking noise were provided to ensure on-site design targets were achieved. In areas where background noise levels could be low due to variable speed FCU’s, an electronic sound masking system was specified to artificially elevate background noise levels to improve privacy between noise sensitive areas. It was also important to achieve high levels of speech intelligibility within the large 200 seat Auditorium.
Nova Victoria
The scheme comprises 5No landmark new residential, commercial and retail buildings, which are on the island site to the north of Victoria Station and contributed to the transformation of one of the capital’s most important gateways, encouraging the 115 million people who use the station each year to engage with this part of the West End. Formerly known as Victoria Circle and the successor to Victoria Transport Interchange 2, the masterplan granted approval in 2009 forms the largest single planning consent from Westminster City Council to date. The project creates a well-designed urban environment whose benefits will extend well beyond the station, enhancing the public realm and architectural quality of the area. The development contains a sustainable balance of uses, including offices, retail, apartments – both market and affordable, and a community space / library, along with extensive new public realm. HTA have been appointed Client-side from feasibility through planning, design and have been novad through construction. HTA are also appointed for demolition and construction noise, vibration and dust monitoring services through construction.
New Ludgate
Designed by Fletcher Priest, this mixed-use development combines prestigious office space with restaurants and retail units. The scheme won the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) top prize for Commercial Office Building of the Year 2016, is nominated for the City of London Building of the Year Award and shortlisted for the NLA Office Building of the Year Award. HTA advised on all aspects of acoustics from early feasibility & planning to project completion, and later advised on office fit-outs for Petronas and ZS Associates.
Lillie Square
Hann Tucker Associates provided full acoustic consultancy and sound insulation testing services to Phase 1 of Lille Square. We were involved in the scheme form initial planning stages and undertook a series of environmental noise surveys and vibration survey to inform the early design and planning process. We were appointed to advise capco and the design team on all acoustic issues including building services design, architectural design and planning matters (noise and vibration) during design stages. During construction we advised Sir Robert McAlpine and had a client monitoring role to ensure all aspects relating to acoustics were coordinated. Prior to completion we undertook sound insulation testing between residential dwelling to ensure compliance with Approved Document E, Planning Conditions and Code for Sustainable Homes. We also undertook acoustic commissioning of plant rooms and internal and external mechanical plant. All tests passed successfully.
Bedford Modern School - New Science Block
The project was a new Sciences Centre at Bedford Modern School. The focus was on providing a suite of flexible and collaborative teaching space set around a central atrium which can be used in its own right for larger functions. Hann Tucker Associates were appointed to advise the design team on all aspects of the design pertaining to acoustics. The project was aiming for all acoustic BRREAM Credits to be achieved BB93 was also a mandatory requirement. The project was successfully acoustically commissioned prior to completion and all acoustic credits of BREEAM were obtained. We also prepared a report for discharging external plant noise emissions from the new mechanical plant and this Planning Condition was subsequently discharged.
The Spark: Southampton Solent University
The Spark is a new block at Solent Universities City Centre Campus and comprises of a number of teaching areas located from a central atrium. The atrium has window box break out areas and a striking vessel like structure supported on legs, known as ‘The Pod’, which functions as a lecture theatre and presentation room. There are a number of teaching zones within the spark which are used by all schools within the university as well as two large formal lecture theatres on the lower ground floor. Hann Tucker Associates advised on all aspects of the design acoustically including compliance with the principles of BB93 (to achieve BREEAM Credits), 3D acoustic modelling (catt acoustic) for the atrium, Pod and the two large Lecture theatres. We also undertook building services design to control internal and external noise levels in line with BRREAM and planning requirements. The Spark won the Best Student Experience Category at the Education Estates Awards in November 2017.the Best Student Experience category at the Education Estates Awards held 1 Nov 2017 the Best Student
Clippers Quay
The build-to-rent development comprises 429,409 sq ft of apartments divided into 614 units and 17,254 sq ft of commercial space across 5No multi-storey buildings. It is the biggest purpose-built scheme of its kind in the country. HTA are appointed for full acoustic consultancy design services, construction phase monitoring for Sir Robert McAlpine, as well as pre-completion acoustic testing.
AELTC Broadcast Centre
HTA were appointed by the AELTC (All England Lawn Tennis Club) to provide acoustic advice relating to the architectural and building services elements of the new WBS Edit, Audio and Voice Over suites in the Broadcast Centre. Refurbished in 2018, the suites are used by Wimbledon Broadcast Services, the AELTC’s host broadcast operation, which provides live television coverage from 18 Championships courts and around the Grounds during The Championships, Wimbledon.
AELTC Event Control Room
HTA were appointed by Overbury on behalf of the AELTC to provide acoustic advice relating to the architectural and building services elements of the new Event Control Room, which is a critical hub for operations during The Championships. Particular attention was given to absorptive finishes within the Briefing Room, which included a baffled absorptive ceiling above the central meeting table. A variety of options were discussed with the client for the door between this space and the main operations area, with discussions undertaken to establish a balance between the desired acoustic separation and space management requirements.
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