Salle de Métropole, Lausanne, Switzerlan

The current Salle de Métropole is result of a two-phase renovation process between 1995 and 1997, of a 1929 motion picture theater in Lausanne.

While there were no major architectural changes undertaken in the auditorium, many aspects of the room - from the flooring, the seating, and the finishes of the walls, to acoustics elements in the stage house - were changed completely. Salle de Métropole is now an 1100-seat theater with dramatically improved acoustics. During the renovation, the existing theatre equipment was completely replaced, and new air handling and other mechanical systems were installed. The isolation of the auditorium from outside noise was of utmost priority in this project, as was the control of noise and vibration from the new mechanical systems.

The Salle de Métropole is the home of l'Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (Chamber Orchestra of Lausanne). However, at the same time, the hall is used for performances of all types, from rock concerts to classical music, as well as for recording sessions. Given the multi-purpose nature of this auditorium, Artec also incorporated a number of adjustable acoustics elements in order to ensure that each performance type would be afforded optimal acoustics conditions.

Artec provided Design and Planning services covering Auditorium Acoustics Design and Background Noise and Vibration Control consulting for this renovation. The architects on this project were Devanthéry & Lamunière.