The New Adelphi Building is the University of Salford’s new home for the School of Arts and Media.

Modern new facilities on site include six professional standard recording studios, two TV studios, two radio studios and 33 music / rehearsal rooms.

There is also 100 sq. metre band room / live room and a 350 seat black box theatre.

The building is constructed to BREEAM excellent standard.

Sandy Brown was engaged by the University of Salford to provide the full acoustic design, construction supervision and commissioning testing for the development, including consideration of:

• Environmental noise ingress
• Vibration
• Operational noise egress
• Internal airborne and impact sound insulation finishes
• Building services noise and vibration

For higher performance areas, a combination of fully floated box-in-box constructions, floated floors and sound insulating lids were needed to achieve professional standards of airborne and impact sound insulation. This included all recording studios, the instrument tuition rooms and shared event / rehearsal areas that are located over the multi-function theatre.

The diverse range of accommodation incorporated in the building led to a number of performance, dance and drama spaces that are over sensitive office and teaching areas. High acoustic performance floors incorporating sprung floor finishes were therefore required.

For recording studios, the use of irregularly shaped rooms was preferred by the client, so the studio spaces accommodate variable absorption including bass tuning panels to allow musicians and sound engineers to tune the studios for the specific requirements of a recording.