Melbourne Recital Centre

Set to be ranked among the world’s great venues for its uncompromising acoustics, architecture and artistic program, the new 1000 seat Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Hall opened in early 2009 after two years of construction. The result of a rigorous three-year design phase, the project challenged Arup to provide acoustics, theatre planning and theatre technical systems advice, in extensive consultation with Melbourne Recital Centre’s Industry Reference Group.

The fusion of architectural and acoustic design throughout the development of hall has produced a visually and aurally exciting venue. The geometry of the traditional “shoe-box” shaped hall has been enhanced to provide greater acoustic intimacy and improved sightlines for the entire audience.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the critical platform acoustics. Elisabeth Murdoch Hall has a unique, stepped ceiling surrounding the platform that was carefully designed to provide strong acoustic reflections. This helps musicians hear themselves better and facilitates a greater musical ensemble.

To ensure the success of the project, the acoustic design was validated in our SoundLab facility. By transposing the architect’s 3D computer models into 3D acoustic models, the acousticians were able to listen to how the hall would sound before it was even built. This allowed them to refine both the geometry and diffusion characteristics to create a performance space that sets an international benchmark for future acoustic design.