West Bend High School’s New Ceiling Clouds
West Bend High School’s New Ceiling Clouds
June 16, 2022
West Bend High School in Wisconsin recently added the Opus Acoustical Shell ceiling cloud panels to their multi-purpose space. Auditorium Manager Mark Barnard spoke with us about the project and talked about how it has improved the sound quality of the room.
What led you to seek out new ceiling clouds?
“Our school had older rolling acoustic panels that were in pretty rough shape. I have been working in the field for many years now, so I started researching options for replacement that made sense within our budget and would fit our needs while providing the best acoustical experience for a multipurpose space.
The old rolling panels were one of the reasons for seeking the ceiling clouds but not the only one. On our stage more of the sound is lost overhead than it is from behind the performers.”
What features were most important in the buying process?
“As a school, cost is always important but the other features were flexibility of setup, speed of setup, and the storage space. Having panels that fold vertically for storage and do not eat up precious floor space was very important.”
How did you find out about StageRight?
“I have worked with StageRight in the past and used many of their staging products and have always admired and appreciated their customer service as well as the flexibility of their products for multiple uses.”
What was the most important factor in choosing StageRight?
“For myself choosing StageRight came down to my experiences with the company and the flexibility of their products. Their customer service and friendliness of the staff, designers, and project managers has always been spectacular.”
How smooth was the process from when you ordered to when you got to start using it?
“For the most part the whole process went fairly smoothly. There were a few delays based on supply chain issues related to COVID delays, but the project manager kept us up to date and worked with us to get our products installed as quickly as possible.”
How has it helped with what you’re able to do in the space?
“The actual events that take place in the space have not changed greatly yet, but the improvement to the sound quality generated by performing groups is very noticeable. The ceiling clouds replaced the rolling panels so there is currently nothing behind the performers. On our stage more of the sound is lost overhead than it is from behind the performers. Prior to the new acoustic panels, we had an entire fly loft for performing groups’ sound to disappear into and now the panels help direct that sound towards the audience improving the experience of performers and guests alike. Having the acoustic panels flown on battens overhead has also greatly increased the flexibility of the space allowing for a faster turnover from one event to the next.”
We’d like to say thank you to Mark and the entire team at West Bend High School for allowing us to play a small part in all the incredible things they do!
