Acoustic characterization of the new theatre in Amarante

Inaugurated in 1947 the Amarante Cine-Theatre, in the northern region of Portugal, was used for cinema and theatre presentations up until 1980. From then on it was used for other, non-artistic activities, until a decision was taken, by the Amarante municipality, to bring it back to life with an Architectural competition for its refurbishment in 2011. After several years of difficulties to complete the project and finish the construction, the new theatre will open in 2023. With a total capacity of 386 seats, this small theatre was designed to host different types of events, from small concerts to theatre performances, and built with tight budget constraints.This paper presents an overview of the design process and the results of the first acoustical measurements performed with the hall before its final completion. The acoustic assessment was made using the ISO 3382-1 methodology, including measurements with a 64-microphone spherical array to help identify specific reflections. The new ODEON omnidirectional sound source was used, and the results are compared with other measurements using a dodecahedral source.