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Shure Incorporated

5800 W. Touhy Avenue
Niles, IL 60714-4608
United States
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New State-of-the-Art S.N. Shure Theater Opens
Posted on Thursday, January 29, 2009
New State-of-the-Art S.N. Shure Theater Opens

 

Exquisite Form Meets Multipurpose Function at Corporate Headquarters
 
NILES, IL, January 15, 2009 — Shure Incorporated recently celebrated the opening of the new S.N. Shure Theater at the Company’s Corporate Headquarters in Niles, Illinois. Shure Chairman, Rose L. Shure, and President and CEO, Sandy LaMantia, participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony and then welcomed Shure Associates and special guests into the new venue.
 
“We’ve wanted to build out this space ever since we moved into our new headquarters five years ago,” said LaMantia. “Following the completion of the Shure Technology Annex in 2004 and the Performance and Listening Center [PLC] in 2005, we were finally able to turn our attention to this project, which turned out even better than we imagined. It’s a beautiful venue that will serve as a lasting tribute to our founder, S.N. Shure, for many years to come.”
 
In his comments during the ceremony, LaMantia said to Mrs. Shure that he hopes the new theater “exemplifies all that Mr. Shure embodied,” which it is likely to do, as the lobby outside the theater features an interactive exhibit designed to teach visitors and new Associates about the values, beliefs, and life of S.N. Shure. It even provides audio, so that Mr. Shure’s voice can be heard.
 
Designed by Krueck + Sexton Architects, construction began in March 2008 on the 4,000 square-foot, 143-seat theater, which was designed as a state-of-the art venue for audio and video presentations, product demonstrations, and live music performances.
 
The theater’s audio visual systems include:
 
·         Meyer Loudspeakers: CQ1 (mains), HP700 Sub-Woofer and UPJ Surround
·         a Dolby Lake Loudspeaker Processor
·         a custom-built, 200-inch diagonal Stewart projection screen
·         a 20,000 lumen Digital Projection  Model 40-1080p projector
·         a dual input windowing processor allowing multiple images on screen
·         a custom demonstration cart and lectern, featuring Shure MX412 microphones and a Crestron control system for the lighting and other audio visual systems
·         Shure UHF-R® wireless systems
·         a Yamaha LS9 digital mixing console.
 
“More than 700 feet of fiber-optic cable was run from the theater to the PLC for the future implementation of multi-channel audio recording,” said Dean Giavaras, Senior Audio Technician, who will have responsibility for day-to-day management of the theater and PLC. “This will enable us to record performances from the theater in the PLC, which we’re really looking forward to.”
 
In addition to the theater’s impressive technical qualities, there are several noteworthy functional and aesthetic attributes, including:
 
·         A single, large English Sycamore tree was sourced from the Black Forest in Germany to produce the 11-foot lengths needed for this project. This one tree was used for ALL veneered surfaces inside the theater (approximately 23,000 square feet), which were all laid by hand.
·         The ceiling incorporates both absorptive and non-absorptive surfaces and consists of multiple layers of drywall and insulation. A stretch fabric system was used to cover these surfaces and create a uniform, clean appearance. Microphone drop points are integrated into the ceiling.
·         To reduce fan noise from the building’s HVAC system, the exterior walls surrounding the theater consist of multiple layers of drywall, and acoustical and rigid insulation.An under floor air distribution system also was installed under the theater seating. 
·         Temperature and humidity in the room are maintained independent of the building's system. In addition, all interior surfaces (floor, walls, and ceiling) incorporate a continuous vapor barrier to ensure that the wood is kept within acceptable humidification ranges at all times, which will prevent it from constricting and contracting.
·         The theater seating was manufactured by Poltrona Frau in Tolentino, Italy. Each piece, which was individually constructed by hand, comes equipped with a flip up work surface for taking notes.
·         A Steinway B, 7-foot Concert Grand Piano, which will be stored in its own humidity-controlled alcove.
·         The back stage area of the theater includes a Green Room with a 40” LCD display, a restroom, and an elevator.
·         A motorized theatrical curtain is available for further control of onstage acoustics for amplified events.
 
“The vision for the interior design of the S.N. Shure Theater was to use wood as a contrast to the concrete and glass in the rest of the building,” continued LaMantia. “However, wood finishes are typically incompatible with a room that needs to support amplified events. This presented multiple challenges to the design team because traditionally available acoustic wood products don’t provide the look and feel of refinement and quality that was desired.”
 
The solution was to create a fin shape and spacing scheme on the left and right walls, which was developed by assembling a rough mock-up where fin placement could be altered based on acoustical test results.   This dictated the profile of the fin, the progressive spacing and the rotation toward the stage.    
 
“The kinetic look of these walls is a fine example of fully integrated architectural solutions to acoustical design,” added LaMantia. “The end result is an amazingly quiet room with extraordinary acoustics.”
           
 
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