Project: Acoustic Wall Fabric Treatment

Location: The National WWII Museum, New Orleans, LA

Fabrics Used: Black Carbonight® Lite

Fabrication Lead Time: 4 Weeks

Scope of Work 

As fellow Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) members, collaborating on transforming the Solomon Theatre at the National WWII Museum was something truly special. The museum project management team commissioned us to create a technical, yet decorative solution to cover the exposed acoustic batting along the house walls. To achieve the desired look and performance, the fabric needed to be lightweight enough to create sharp, uniform pleats without interfering with the acoustic performance of the baffles it was masking. Carbonight® Lite, our signature IFR Polyester Velour, was chosen for the application for its bold black hue, weight, style, and superior fire-retardant ratings.
 

All Carbonight® Lite masking panels were prefabricated at our California facility for our installation team to install. The tops of the panels were screwed into a wood beam that was installed along the top of each section. The bottoms were left unfinished for our installation team to complete once they were hung in space, ensuring a perfect fit. A scaffold was erected to treat the back of the house. Cutouts were made onsite for the projector windows and speakers. Scissor lifts were used to install along the left and right house walls. These angled sections were challenging to work with, as we had to work around and behind existing decorative wood acoustic panels lining the walls. However, in the end, the work of our fabrication and installation team was nothing short of incredible. The work we provided elevated the look and performance of this iconic theatre for many more years to come.

Fun Facts!

• • Over 400yds of Black Carbonight® Lite was used to cover the exposed acoustic batting in the theatre.
  • The large scaffold that was used to install the back-of-house panels weighed over 3800 pounds.