BASF Foam for Optimal Theatre Acoustics

December 13, 2010 - BASF’s specialty foam Basotect® is used in the unique oval-shaped Genexis Theatre at Fusionopolis, Singapore to provide effective sound insulation for optimal theatre acoustics and comfortable entertainment experiences. The flame-retardant Basotect panels are covered with black fleece and fitted behind approximately 400,000 timber beads which line the curved walls of the theatre. Fusionopolis is a research and development complex located at the One North Business Park in Singapore.
 
Basotect contributes to audio quality and clarity. Thanks to its open-cell and fine foam structure, the foam makes an excellent material for sound absorption of reverberations caused by multiple reflection of sound on surfaces. These reverberations can increase sounds making them louder than music or speech and thus obtrusive to a theatre audience. “Owing to Basotect's favorable combination of thermal and acoustic properties and due to the unique structure of the theatre, which consists of heavily lined walls, the lightweight and flexible Basotect was the most suitable and cost-effective solution for this project”, said S. Y. Ong, Managing Director, VI-SON Acoustics, the acoustic systems supplier of the Genexis Theatre.
 
Suspended between the two towers of Fusionopolis Phase 1, the Genexis Theatre offers a capacity of 560 seats which can be configured to various layouts or retracted completely to accommodate corporate functions and conferences. Designed by Arup and WOHA, the Genexis Theatre won a President's Design Award for Design of the Year 2009.
 
Basotect is an open-cell foam and has a unique range of properties. The base material makes it flame-retardant and abrasive; it can be used at up to 240° Celsius while retaining its properties over a wide temperature range. Because of its open-cell foam structure, it is light (9 g/l), sound-absorbing, flexible even at low temperatures and thermally insulating. Basotect can be found in numerous construction projects in Asia, including the National Aquatics Center (China), Hefei Grand Theatre (China) and in stations of Seoul's Metro Line 9 (Korea).
 
Additional information is available at www.basotect.com