Photo by William James Photography Silverton High’s auditorium has saw-tooth ceiling panels that help distribute sound evenly throughout the space.

Silverton High School was remodeled and new additions for an auditorium, gymnasium and wrestling room were built. The auditorium proved to be the most challenging addition because there were up to six boom lifts with its confines at any given time.

High school auditoriums are no longer just big spaces designed to accommodate large crowds. Acoustic performance is the determining factor when it comes to their size, shape, material usage and architectural elements. The ceiling components must be designed to reflect sound evenly throughout the space.

Often these ceiling systems are quite complex and Silverton High was no exception: Its ceiling system consists of a series of complex saw-tooth panels, suspended from the structure above. Performance Contracting constructed the panels on the ground using light-gauge metal framing and drywall, then hoisted and suspended the panels from the structure in exacting locations.

More than 1,500 labor-hours were required to install the sound-reflective drywall “clouds.”

Judge’s comment: “The acoustical performance of the ceiling system in the Silverton auditorium may be impressive but no more so than the craftsmanship of Performance Contracting in creating the visually stunning saw-tooth panels.”