“Klarman Hall is a space that sparks imagination.”

— Dean Nitin Nohria

Klarman Hall at
Harvard Business School

Location
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Owner
Harvard University

Team
Acoustics - Threshold
Architect - William Rawn Associates
Theatre Consultant - Theatre Projects Consultants
AV Consultant - Idibri

Size
81,000 square feet
1000-seat hall

Schedule
Completed 2018

Klarman Hall’s inspiration began with the business school’s 80 to 100-seat ‘case study room’ and a desire to bring the intimacy of a seminar to a room fit for a school-wide lecture. This wasn’t by accident, either: the Business School mandated that the 300 people in the lower seating be able to converse spontaneously without handheld microphones.

In order to overcome such acoustical challenges – including the 60-foot wide LED display which faces a tall glass wall at the rear of the hall – Threshold had to designed one of the quietest rooms possible. We chased down a whistle from mechanical systems. We did noise testing on the video wall. We investigated light fixtures, video screens, smoke detectors for errant sounds. We hunted down these otherwise innocuous sounds because of the voice lift system designed for spontaneous conversation: 40 open microphones arranged over the audience to simulate the effect of a much smaller room.

In response, visually refined absorption and diffusion tame the room’s tall volume while painstakingly modelled side walls and canopy deliver support and clarity uncommon for a space of this size. The architectural acoustics work seamlessly with three sophisticated audio systems (designed by our collaborators at Idibri) that subtly lift voices, conveying ample support to those with something to say.

The building conveys a sense of openness and welcome. The entrances along the pavilion and green into the glass-walled atrium provide a direct visual connection between the interior of the building and the campus, inviting community members and visitors to enter a shared gathering area. Two additional entrances face south, embracing the Boston area and Harvard’s future—including the science and engineering complex along Western Avenue—in Allston.