Pomfret School Adds Metinteractive AV Technology into Auditorium Renovations

  • By Matt Jones
  • 02/14/23

Pomfret School, a college preparatory boarding and day school that serves students in grades 9–12 in Pomfret, Conn., recently completed renovations to one of its two auditoriums on campus, according to a news release. The Hard Auditorium was originally built in 1928 and plays home to school gatherings and theater performances. Recent renovations turned the 280-seat theater into a multipurpose space that can seat up to 430 for assemblies, 330 for drama or dance performances, or a flat-floor event space, the news release said.

Renovations included the installation of new AV systems to provide sound and video in the space. The school partnered with Centerbrook Architects and Planners and AV consultant Acentech to install AV technology by design and systems integration firm Metinteractive.

“This was a very significant and complex renovation, virtually down to the wood structure of the building and integrating new infrastructure,” said Metinteractive CEO Jeff Mele. “Many late-stage changes impacted our work, requiring us to continually change our strategy for completing the project.”

According to the news release, “Fulcrum CX1295 loudspeakers comprise the center clusters with CX896 speakers as side fills, a CS121 subwoofer, QSC’s Q-SYS audio, video and control platform plus a Behringer X32 digital mixing console in the FOH booth.  Fulcrum FX1295 moveable floor monitors are deployed when the space takes on a new configuration for live music events.  A ClearCom analog intercom system links dressing rooms and instrumental rehearsal rooms downstairs to the sound booth; ceiling-mounted JBL speakers in those spaces take the stage audio feed.”

Other new AV technology in the Hard Auditorium includes a projection screen and projector, as well as a PTZ camera to film the stage and a 55-inch NEC display in the dressing rooms and rehearsal rooms. Touch panels for audio and video were installed on the stage and in the sound booth.

“Working with Metinteractive was really wonderful from the project’s conception to troubleshooting any issues that came up through a great installation process,” said Mackenzie Christensen, who handles the auditorium’s live event audio and video production. “Jesse LaBranche and the Metinteractive team have been incredibly responsive and have worked tirelessly to make it all happen. It makes me feel comfortable knowing they are on our side should we encounter any hiccups.”

The school also partnered with Shawmut Design and Construction for construction management.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • California School District Starts Construction on Public Safety Center

    The San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) recently announced that construction has begun on a new public safety center that will house the district’s safety and security programs. According to a news release, the James Ramos Center for Public Safety will measure in at 17,140 square feet and contain the district’s Police Department, Office of Emergency Management, and cadet program.

  • Beeville ISD Starts Construction on New Elementary School

    The Beeville Independent School District near Corpus Christi, Texas, recently began a construction project that will consolidate two existing, aging schools into a new elementary school, according to a news release. The district is partnering with Pfluger Architects and Spawglass General Contractors for the design and construction, respectively, of the new facility.

  • Image courtesy of MiEN Company

    6 Ways to Pull Off a Major District Construction Project

    Designing and building a large-scale project on a K–12 campus is a monumental undertaking that requires the right blend of ideas, funding, design and execution to get it right. The process also relies on multiple partners, each of which has to handle its respective aspect of the project while also keeping the district’s broader mission and goals in mind.

  • The Role of Unified Communications in Hyflex Education

    Academic technology and pedagogy have evolved in ways few could have imagined a decade ago. Today, hybrid/flexible (or hyflex) learning environments — a mix of in-person and remote instruction — are the new normal. However, as promising as it sounds, making hyflex work smoothly is no small feat.

Digital Edition