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

  • University of Kentucky Integrates New Cleaning Technology

    The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently installed a new cleaning system designed to improve cooling efficiency on campus, according to a news release. The Facilities Management’s Utilities and Energy Management Unit installed new chiller tubes into two of the chillers at the university’s Central Utility Plant.

  • Agualta STEAM Engine

    Outdoor Learning Spaces and Biophilic Design Create Community in East Los Angeles

    Griffith STEAM Magnet Middle School's Agualta STEAM Engine blends education, community, and nature through its adaptable design.

  • Key Considerations for Office-to-Higher-Education Facility Conversions

    Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, office-to-alternative-use conversions have become a recurring subject of urban development discourse. Office utilization rates across major U.S. cities remain below 50%, with vacancy rates exceeding 27% in San Francisco and 16% in New York. Higher education facilities present programmatic and spatial use cases that align readily with the typical characteristics of commercial office buildings.

  • Singlewire Software Report Reveals Gaps in K–12 School Entrance Security

    Single Software recently released its first-ever School Entrance Security Report based on more than 500 responses from U.S. school staff members. According to a news release, the findings highlight a gap between K–12 leaders’ wishes for school safety and how safe the schools actually are, as well as the challenges facing students and staff in that goal.

Digital Edition