The dramatic curving roof of The Sage, Gateshead, hints at the three theatres nestled within, each with its own unique design and acoustically isolated from the others.
Within each theatre auditorium, advanced acoustic engineering has been undertaken to deliver a state-of-the-art venue that caters for a wide variety of musical performances from opera to rock. The result is a venue that has gained worldwide recognition and renown for its powerful and engaging performances.
Within the theatres, different acoustic characteristics are favoured by different musical styles. Opera singers and orchestras rely on the auditorium's shape to amplify and evenly disperse their performance. However, this would prove uncomfortable for the audience during a performance using powered amplification.
The Sage needed a way to adjust the acoustic characteristics of each auditorium, transforming the physical space itself to suit the requirements of differing musical styles.
The answer to The Sage's acoustic challenge was found in the use of moving roof panels, stage curtains and lighting equipment that transform the actual physical shape of the auditorium.
SCX Special Projects provided The Sage with a mechanical engineering package for all the theatre’s lifting equipment, lighting bars and stage risers, and mobilised the acoustic panels and curtains to create a transforming space to match the theatre's range of performances.
