Project Description
Overview
An extraordinary new venue set on the shores of the Potomac, The Anthem, is a game-changing, multi-tiered concert hall created by impresario, Seth Hurwitz. While his iconic D.C. 9:30 Club featured intimate performances by legendary acts like Iggy Pop, Nirvana, and Dolly Parton, The Anthem is scaled to host up to 6,000 fans on its expansive dance floor and two tiers of balcony-seating. A key component of The Wharf, a $2.5 billion waterfront development, The Anthem will provide an epic setting for extraordinary concert experiences featuring artists ranging from Foo Fighters and The Killers to LCD Soundsystem and Lorde.
Program
To support Hurwitz’s commitment to providing fans with flawless acoustics, WSDG’s U.S. and Swiss Architectural/Acoustical Design & Media Systems Engineering team employed extensive room modeling programs and a variety of acoustical measurements and instrumentation providing flawless electroacoustic and systems design and insuring the client’s vision was achieved in this complex multi-layer project.
Design
The crown jewel of a $60 million multi-use residential high rise/retail shopping /dining complex, The Anthem features a 22,875 sq. ft., open seating (or dancing) main floor, and two tiers of balcony seating. With a 46’ ceiling height, the ground up concert hall required extensive acoustical treatments and a highly flexible electroacoustic system to provide fans with the ultimate 21st Century live music experience. To fine tune the meticulously pre-planned hall, WSDG recommended the installation of strategically positioned Helmholtz absorbers, and a selection of medium density rear wall broadband absorbers calibrated to enhance a wide range of performance styles. The electroacoustic arsenal employed arrays of flown Left and Right arrays, with the option to use Center and Front Fill speakers and a directional subwoofer array for even low frequency distribution. The Anthem will join a select group of the world’s most versatile, and best sounding performance venues. WSDG credits include the sound system design for Switzerland’s famed KKL Luzern Concert Hall and NY’s Jazz At Lincoln Center complex.