The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley’s new Performing Arts Center was designed for their nationally-recognized programs in Mariachi, Baile Folklorico, band, orchestra, and chorus. Over 8,000SF of 9Wood grilles were specified throughout the faceted balconies and walls, and play a key role in meeting the specific acoustic requirements. And 6,000SF of Western Red Cedar Linears join in on the visual performance by greeting guests with a colorful welcome in the exterior soffit areas.

The centerpiece—the theatre—seats over 1,000. Solid White Oak was specified for the lower-elevation seating façades, while stained solid FSC Pacific Albus, a lightweight, economical hardwood, was specified for the upper areas. Page Southerland Page architect Josh Coleman commented that the grilles helped meet the space’s goals of “establishing proper base building geometry for acoustic reflections, creating acoustic dispersion on the walls within the audience chamber, providing acoustic transparency in the upper reaches to allow for acoustic tuning, and heightening the psychological perception of the acoustics through the selective use of wood.”

For the acoustical subcontractor, Marek Bros., this was a new installation experience. “It was our first job with this type of product…but the project actually went really smoothly. The product was easy to work with. 9Wood did a great job with the shop drawings and support. They were very helpful.” Marek cut nominally-sized panels to net length to fit the BIM and GPS data-confirmed geometric facades.

The front door of the building features 9Wood Western Red Cedar Panelized Linears. The variegation of the species naturally ties in with the confetti-color theme of the building, and echoes the brick throughout campus. Coleman says, “We feel this project separates itself from other designs by the way wood and other materials helped to create unique and innovative solutions for multiple design issues – including architectural, acoustic, and theatrical.”

Whereas standard origami might use a single sheet of material, 9Wood’s custom ceiling design for Jazz Pharmaceuticals used two panel designs made of solid Western Hemlock. The design is a completely custom solution.

Architect Jacob Gelfand of STUDIOS Architecture asked 9Wood to come up with a “folded triangular acoustical wood ceiling.” Gelfand also wanted the ceiling to be economical.

9Wood developed a roughly 70-foot by 35-foot linear wood ceiling using solid Hemlock based on only two triangular panel designs. The simplicity of using just two panel designs helped keep the ceiling affordable.

The ceiling is comprised of 196 triangular panels that combine to create 48 “pyramids.” Each “pyramid” is about 7 feet by 7 feet square. Once assembled, the pyramids were attached to metal carrying channel housing linear light fixtures, diffusers, sprinkler heads and more.

Due to the unusual shape of the ceiling it had to be designed using 3-D software before estimating the project. “Our estimator couldn’t even quote the job until we had a design,” says 9Wood Project Manager Joshua Crouch.