Gulfshore Playhouse Case Study

Acoustic and AV Innovation for a New Cultural Landmark

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Built EnvironmentBuilt Environment

Industry

Performing Arts Centers

Location

Florida

Architect | Theater Consultant

Arquitectonica | Fisher Dachs Associates

The new Gulfshore Playhouse is a purpose-built theater and education complex designed to support professional productions, community engagement, and arts education in Naples. Located near Naples Airport, the project required innovative acoustic solutions to ensure performances remain uninterrupted by aircraft noise. Our Jaffe Holden team provided acoustics and audiovisual design that enables the facility to deliver a high-quality experience for performers and audiences while supporting flexible use across multiple spaces.

Vision

Gulfshore Playhouse was designed to provide a dynamic environment for theater productions, educational programs, and community events. The facility includes performance venues, rehearsal spaces, and support areas that can adapt to a wide range of artistic and operational needs. Looking ahead, the playhouse continues to support creative growth and cultural engagement while offering flexible infrastructure that accommodates future advancements in performance technology.

Partnership

The project was led by Arquitectonica with Fisher Dachs Associates providing theater consulting services. Jaffe Holden collaborated closely with the design team to develop acoustic and audiovisual strategies that align with the building’s performance goals and operational flexibility.

Services Performed

Trinity Consultants’ Jaffe Holden team provided acoustics and audiovisual design for the new Gulfshore Playhouse theater and education complex in Naples. The team developed solutions to eliminate aircraft noise from the nearby airport, optimize room acoustics, and ensure sound isolation between performance and rehearsal spaces. They also designed flexible audio and video systems, including a virtual orchestra pit, to support a wide range of productions and future performance technologies.

Value-Add

We conducted detailed studies to address aircraft noise from the nearby airport and recommended a specialized noise reducing roof system that effectively eliminates air traffic sound within the theaters. Sound isolation construction was also incorporated between theaters and rehearsal rooms, allowing multiple spaces to operate simultaneously without interference. Each room was acoustically optimized to support both spoken word clarity and musical performance.

A flexible audio system was designed to accommodate a wide range of production styles and future technologies, including object-based mixing, immersive video, and performer tracking. Because the Main Stage does not include a traditional orchestra pit, the team implemented zero latency audio and video connections to a separate room, creating a virtual pit that allows musicians to integrate seamlessly with performances.

Support spaces throughout the facility were designed for maximum adaptability. Dressing rooms and backstage areas can be reassigned between theaters as needed, with integrated systems that adjust audio, video, and paging at the touch of a button. Additional rooms can function as overflow space for large casts, supporting both professional productions and educational programs.

Thanks to Trinity Consultants Built Environment’s exceptional design, the Institute of Contemporary Art’s Barbara Lee Family Foundation Theater has consistently impressed both audiences and performing artists since opening in 2006. The discrete acoustical treatment above our hardwood ceiling, as well as the rippled design of the theater’s entire East wall, plays a crucial role in managing reflections and ensuring both clarity and warmth. Additionally, the team’s expert noise isolation design allows for seamless co-existence between the Barbara Lee Family Foundation Theater, our lobby, and our galleries, even as significant development has transformed the surrounding Seaport District. Their expertise continues to be invaluable, and we deeply appreciate their ongoing support in maintaining the integrity of their original acoustical vision.

Ryan Arnett | Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston
Director of Production