Howick College
A new performing arts suite was built alongside the existing auditorium, which is fitted out as a theatre for productions.
The main corridor to the new facility is spacious (especially useful when performances are held) and curving (although the curved walls are covered by storage cupboards within rooms so do not contribute to acoustics). There is a doorway from this corridor to the auditorium, which is used occasionally by drama classes as a breakout and technical space.
Keyboard room.There are two full music classrooms, with a keyboard and computer room between them. A large music storage room has custom-made fittings to store a range of instruments.
Acoustic wallboard.The music practice rooms are lined with acoustic wallboard, which is protected by timber battens below head height.
Internal window.Special care has been taken to insulate the windows and doors of the practice rooms. Internal windows are double glazed, the 10cm gap between panes is lined with carpet to absorb sound, and the internal pane of glass is set at an angle to deflect sound.
External window.On external windows in the rooms used for recording, venetian blinds are hung between the panes and accessed via sliding internal windows.
Recording studio.A recording studio has windows and cabling to two adjacent practice rooms.
Main drama room.The dance/drama suite contains three rooms, two for drama and one for dance. The main drama room and the dance room are separated by folding doors that provide excellent sound insulation and are easily opened for performances. The dance room then becomes the stage area and the drama room the audience area, and each room is fitted out accordingly.
The main drama room is carpeted, and has bleacher-style seating that folds back against one wall. A lighting desk is mounted on the seating.
Dance room.The dance room has a serviceable painted particle board floor over concrete and a section of wall mirrors. Curtain tracks and lighting bars hang from steel beams fixed to walls. A separate curtain track allows for curtains or a cyclorama to cover the whiteboard wall.
To maximise height, both the dance and drama rooms have no ceiling lining. The roof sarking is visible and painted black.
Two small rooms at the end of the dance room act as breakout rooms for classes and dressing rooms for performances. Performing arts staff share offices that open from the dance room and onto the corridor.
Cantilevered beams.The steel ceiling beams from the dance room extend about 1 metre into the drama room, providing support for simple lighting rigs when required.
A storage room for a limited number of props and costumes opens to both dance and drama rooms, and the lighting switchboard is also in this room.
Drama room entrance.The drama room entrance is fitted with racks to store student gear during classes. This space acts as a lobby for performances.
All music, dance, and drama classrooms have their own large storage cupboards, with bi-fold doors, and double doors are common throughout the complex.
For more information, contact Howick College.