University of Tennessee Natalie L. Haslam Music Center

Overview

The Natalie Haslam Music Center, the new 122,000-SF home for the University of Tennessee’s School of Music, caters to the 21st-century needs of students, faculty, and guest artists. A 400-seat recital hall serves as the building’s centerpiece. It features adjustable acoustics to support a wide range of music genres including jazz, acoustic recitals, and choral and instrumental chamber music.

A full complement of rehearsal rooms (including the 7,000-SF WJ Julian Marching Band Rehearsal Room, which holds 350 musicians comfortably), practice spaces, music labs, and a recording/mixing lab round out the facilities.

A limited building footprint presented a challenge to the goal of adequate sound isolation between all of the spaces. Use of box-in-box construction (multiple independent building structures) enables spaces to be used simultaneously without mutual disruption. The sound isolation meets or exceeds NASM guidelines.

The final result is a facility that meets 21st-century needs and anticipates future upgrades.