Orange County Museum of Art

Costa Mesa, CA, USA

A full range of acoustic services for a striking new visual arts museum

The Orange County Museum of Art, with over 4,500 works of modern and contemporary art in its permanent collection, recently moved into a new home. Built at a cost of $93.5 million, the 53,000-square-foot facility features galleries, a multi-purpose hall, and offices, along with a store, cafe, and rooftop terrace.

Photos

Orange County Museum of Art
Edited image used under license from Wikimedia Commons. Photographer: DarkKnight0917.

At A Glance


Services provided

  • The Challenge

    To ensure the building would have no acoustical issues, the architect required a team of acoustic experts to provide guidance from schematic design right through to the end of construction.

  • Our Approach

    Our team of acoustics experts:

    • Reviewed acoustical issues with the existing museum and noted the acoustical improvements desired for the new museum.
    • Made recommendations for partition types between rooms and for acoustical treatment in mechanical, electrical, and elevator equipment rooms.
    • Reviewed the sound isolation properties of the assemblies adjacent to various mechanical equipment areas, recommending changes where required.
    • Provided options for vibration isolation for major HVAC equipment and piping, with the aim of minimizing noise and vibration at the source.
    • Proposed recommendations for the noise control and vibration isolation of plumbing, electrical, and elevator equipment.
    • Performed an exterior noise intrusion study to inform acoustical recommendations for the construction of the building envelope, including walls, roof, windows, and doors.
    • Reviewed HVAC equipment noise transfer to the property line, outdoor areas (including the rooftop terrace), and adjacent buildings, providing noise control recommendations to meet local code.
    • Reviewed noise transfer from the emergency generator to interior spaces, the property line, outdoor areas, and adjacent buildings, providing noise control and vibration isolation recommendations.

  • The Outcome

    The museum opened its doors in the fall of 2022. Thanks to RWDI’s efforts, visitors can expect to enjoy the various exhibits and indoor/outdoor spaces without being subjected to intrusive noises or excessive reverberation in the gallery spaces.