With its historically significant facades and relatively sound structure, 50 Oak Street was completely restored and reconfigured, while adjoining 70 Oak Street was rebuilt in a complementary and contemporary design. Founded in 1917, the Conservatory continues to offer a variety of music education degrees, as well as cultural-enrichment programs and world-class performances available to the public. The new space makes these offerings easier by featuring a 445-seat concert hall, 145-seat recital hall and 100-seat Osher Salon. Also featured are 44 teaching studios, 14 classrooms, 33 acoustically-sound practice rooms; a percussion suite; a keyboard laboratory; an electronic music studio; recording studio, computer lab, and a 6,508-square-foot library with a rooftop terrace. All performance spaces were designed to meet the most rigorous acoustical specifications, isolating them from street noise and from each other.
To meet these needs, special-order, Italian-made fan coil units were used for each classroom and studio space, after determining that these products alone were capable of meeting acoustic needs. Displacement and radiant cooling air conditioning was used for all performance spaces, and a custom-made, acoustically optimized multiple zone variable volume air handling system was designed for the project. Major fiber reinforced plastic ductwork was installed underground, beneath the concrete slab-on-grade to serve the concert hall.
WSP USA also engineered a solar domestic hot water system provided at the roof level to achieve free hot water for the lavatories and sinks throughout the building; an atrium smoke control system; and facility-wide wi-fi hot zone, providing students and faculty with unrestricted access.
