Project Description
Overview
At 430,000 sq. ft. the new Convention Centre and Theatre at Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) complex will be one of the largest and most forward thinking convention and entertainment centers ever built in Indonesia. When completed in late 2018, this unique venue will offer a wealth of business, entertainment and civic options to visitors from around the globe. In 2015 when CCM’s JIExpo project received a green light WSDG (Walters-Storyk Design Group) was called in at the design stage to consult with Aedas, one of the world’s leading architecture and design practices. The mandate was to create an acoustic environment conducive to world-class acoustical standards throughout the complex.
Program
A bold and visionary concept, JIExpo was envisioned as a comprehensive multi-use facility. A vast 30,000 sq. ft. main ballroom has been designed with moving walls, which enable it to be sub-divided into three smaller configurations. A comprehensive business center features fourteen large multifunctional meeting / presentation / conference rooms and a junior ballroom (ranging in size from 970 sq. ft. to 9,000 sq. ft.) designed for conferences, conventions, special events, awards shows and high level exhibitions such as jewelry, wedding and real estate shows. Four luxurious private bridal suites were created to host bridal parties preparing for ballroom weddings. JIExpo’s pièce de résistance is a next generation, 2,500-seat Broadway-style theater with three full balconies. An ingenious proscenium arch with moveable sidewalls can change the stage width from 60 ft. to a stunning 100 ft. with no space loss. And, a (12 ft. deep x 60 ft. wide) motorized platform set 11 ft. below floor level as an orchestra pit. Elevated to ground level it provides 39 additional priority seats. Raised to stage level it expands the performance area. The theater will set a new benchmark for live theatrical presentation. Collaborating with Aedas at the design stage enabled WSDG to develop a structural and room acoustic program capable of meeting the most stringent sonic quality and speech intelligibility criteria.
Design
Innovative room visualization, acoustical simulation and analysis software empowered WSDG to aid Aedas in fine-tuning the sound quality of the Live Theater and each meeting, event and ballroom prior to construction. A broadcast level video production lighting system was developed along with a whisper quiet HVAC installation. The, multi-width proscenium arch enables directors to reconfigure stage width to accommodate a wide spectrum of musical, dance and theatrical productions. Precise acoustical design configurations including a striking slanted sidewall that integrates simultaneous reflection redirection and acoustical absorption enabled WSDG to establish a remarkably low reverb time throughout JIExpo’s huge volume of interior space. JIExpo will open in late 2018 with a number of major events.
The JIExpo staff team is led by: Theater & Convention Facility Operation Manager Simon Lomas, Project Manager, Jan Wejs, and Consultant, Philip Soden. WSDG’s international team led by Partner, Director of Applied Science and Engineering, Dirk Noy (Basel, Switzerland) includes: Engineers – Room Acoustics: Partner, Director of Acoustics, Gabriel Hauser and Project Engineer, Robi Hersberger (Basel), Structural Acoustics Engineers, Gabriel Hauser and Project Manager, Kevin Peterson (USA) and Partner, Director of Design, Engineer/Architecture, Joshua Morris (USA)
Software:
Room Acoustics: CATT Acoustic
Structural Acoustics: Bastian, WinFlag, Insul
Photography by Rhenda Rais, Jakarta International Expo ©