The renovation of the Victoria Hall is part of an £18m project to form the core of a new Arts District in the Hanley area of Stoke on Trent. The Victoria Hall originally pened in 1888 and served the audiences from Hanley and further afield until closure for the renovation works in 1996. The project design brief was to create an improved concert venue better able to host classical music, popular music and entertainment, civic and community events.

Although the acoustic of the concert hall was much-loved by the local community, there were significant problems related to external noise coming into the concert room via the openable windows, a noisy ventilation system and a cramped concert platform. In addition, the audience seating areas were in need of reconstruction, as they did not meet modern standards of safety and comfort. It was clear from the outset that the extent of the renovation works could have a profound effect upon the room acoustics.

One of our early decisions was to accommodate the new air-conditioning system within modified balcony soffits introducing additional early lateral reflections to improve the clarity, warmth and envelopment of the orchestra sound.