UCLA Imagination Hall

Overview

Established through a generous gift from the Herb Alpert Foundation, The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music is one of the nation’s foremost programs for musical composition and performance. Students are immersed in a multitude of learning and performing opportunities and have access to world-class facilities in which to hone their craft. Imagination Hall is the complete reimagination of the school’s original practice spaces, initially constructed in 1955.

Program

The practice rooms of Imagination Hall received a comprehensive makeover including aesthetic and comfort upgrades and full A/V integration. The WSDG team – which was also responsible for UCLA’s Lani Hall performance venue and the rehearsal rooms for the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz – was tasked with the extensive acoustic renovation of Imagination Hall’s 49 practice rooms. The design team placed a heavy emphasis on ensuring a consistent high quality with the existing large rehearsal and performance spaces.

Design

Given the breadth and depth of UCLA’s facilities, a modular approach was taken to the renovation of the practice spaces to provide several different but acoustically compatible environments suitable for the many different types of instrumentation represented in the school’s programs. New ceiling and wall mounted acoustic treatments were carefully selected to provide distinctive spaces that can also accommodate a variety of instruments. Elegant absorptive wood paneling was utilized to provide a sense of stylistic unity with Lani Hall, and LED lighting provided for both aesthetics and increased energy efficiency over the old fluorescent fixtures.