Peter Kiewit Concert Hall at The Holland Center for the Performing Arts

Location
Omaha, Nebraska

Owner
Omaha Performing Arts

Team
Acoustics - Threshold (2014) Kirkegaard (2005)
Architect - Ennead and HDR (2005)
Theatre Consultant - Fisher Dachs Associates

Size
175,000 square feet
2,000-seat Concert Hall

Schedule
A/V Systems Revitalization Completed 2014

Kiewit Hall’s 2000-seat, modified shoebox style concert hall is home to the Omaha Symphony, as well as local, national and international programs, education and outreach activities. The first ten years cemented its reputation for world class acoustics. The same ten years saw a significant increase in its demand as a venue for amplified music and the Omaha Symphony's increasing collaboration with amplified artists.

The hall features cast plaster panels for acoustic diffusion, a turnable canopy over stage for acoustic support, and natural felt banners for reverberation and reflection control. The space transforms easily from an orchestral concert environment to one that is friendly to amplified sound, allowing country music to fit the room as comfortably as a Mahler symphony.

Building on our knowledge of the room from involvement in its original design, we designed a new audio system that was installed in 2014. Through a collaborative process with Kiewit's production team and Omaha Performing Arts, we developed a thoughtfully designed 'rider-friendly' system unique to the room's audience geometry and acoustic signature, to critical acclaim and the benefit of the orchestra, touring groups, and patrons alike.