Padre Serra Church, located on the old California mission trail, has an octagonal shaped nave with a complex wood beamed ceiling. Its hard interior surfaces resulted in a reverberant interior and difficulty in understanding speech. MLA worked with the congregation and the music director to develop a solution that accommodated the needs of both music and the spoken word.
Absorption was added by purchasing padding for the moveable wooden seats to offset the removal of absorptive panels behind the choir. Absorption was recommended in the high ceiling area behind wooden slats but was not installed.
The sound system was redesigned and additional loudspeakers were positioned at the height of the hanging light fixtures. Additional speakers were mounted above the arches, pointing outward. However, loudspeakers recommended for the base of the sanctuary could not be installed. Controls are facilitated by touch screen panels with preset menus for various types of services |