Status
Completed
Area
1 950m²
Client
Pretoria Boys’ High School
Consultants
MVW Consulting Engineers,
JSQS, I-Climate,
Pro Acoustics,
Wayne Fisher,
Leoni Botes Heritage
Consultant,
KE Design Fire
Engineer,
Empowerisk
Pretoria Boys’ High - Auditorium
The conceptual approach to the Pretoria Boys’ High Hall and Library/ Music Building was grounded in the need for hall spaces to adapt to new curricula or uses in the future. The Hall wings are flexible / multi-use spaces that are able to morph into mini auditoriums for drama, cinema, exhibition rooms or debate rooms.
KMH was invited to prepare a proposal for a new 1600-seater assembly and performance hall within the constraints of the existing school hall. The school has a well-established musical tradition
and has a formal symphony orchestra, jazz ensemble, Dixie band, choir, pipe band and folk group and the growth of these programmes was the key driver.
The historically significant hall, with its existing flanking student courtyards, forms the heart of the school. The opportunity to create a stronger link
between these courtyards is achieved by utilising the hall as its fulcrum.
Two 8m wide hanger-type doors open to the courtyards which become an extension of the hall space, adding versatility to the school’s programmes.
The hall wings are flexible / multi-use spaces that are able to morph into mini auditoriums for drama, cinema,exhibition rooms or debate rooms for both internal and external users.
The hall’s acoustics were accurately modelled to provide the most efficient acoustic performance for the hall volume.
