Turntable Divisible Auditoriums

More educational facilities are turning toward the Macton TDA as a creative solution for dealing with budget and space constraints. A TDA (turntable divisible auditorium) takes a conventional auditorium and places one or more of its seating areas onto turntables that are capable of rotating to different positions – those rotating seating sections can then create separate lecture halls, performance areas or other smaller rooms that can be used when the full auditorium is not needed. Replacing the traditional auditorium partitions and folding walls, the turntables have soundproof back walls that are fully integrated as part of the entire auditorium when they are in the forward-facing position. When turned, they create smaller, separate teaching, performance, training or meeting rooms. These unique, turntable mounted, soundproof walls permit simultaneous, multi use capability and the highest quality divisibility for either the teacher and his or her students, or for the performers on stage and their audience. In most instances, TDA’s can reduce both the initial construction cost as well as the ongoing operational costs of the facility in question by reducing the number of rooms needed at that facility. See the list below for a listing of some of the facilities that have chosen to go with Macton TDA’s.

Northmont Classroom - Clayton, Ohio     Northmont High School

View Video 1 of TDA Rotating

View Video 2 of TDA Rotating

Key Benefits of Macton TDA’s

Significant Cost Savings

• Upfront Construction Cost Savings – Savings typically range between 5–10% in total construction costs by eliminating duplicative auditorium and classroom space and minimizing building footprint (see attached case study that shows cost savings achieved on one typical TDA project)
• Ongoing Operational Cost Savings – Cooling, heating and maintenance expenses are immediately reduced by eliminating duplicative auditorium and classroom space that would otherwise need to be built if it were not for the TDA
• Increase the ROI of Your Auditorium – The cost savings listed above and the increased usage that auditoriums get with a TDA will dramatically increase the return on investment you get on this space

Added Classroom Space and More Flexible Facility Use

• Converting Under-Utilized Auditorium Space to Classroom Space – Most auditorium space generally goes unused (i.e., is wasted) at least 90% of the time – TDA’s convert 30-40% of this wasted space into quality, usable classroom or performance space
• Enhances Flexible Use of Facility – TDA’s let you easily adjust room sizes and still enjoy a larger auditorium for those times in which you need it (plays, graduations, assemblies, etc.)

Creates Quality Space that Gets High Usage

• Dramatically Increase Hosted Events – Actual experience with facilities having TDA’s has demonstrated that they provide a two-to-three-fold increase in the number of events hosted at those facilities since TDA’s provide a much wider range of space options
• Exceptional Sound Isolation Creates Quality Instructional or Performance Space – TDA’s are built using proven sound-isolating designs and materials that give you real classroom or performance space (as the case may be), regardless of the events going on in adjacent areas
• TDA’s Quickly Convert Back & Forth (Within 3-4 Minutes) – If you want to convert a TDA classroom back to auditorium space, it only takes 3-4 minutes to rotate back
• Community Groups Enjoy Enhanced Space – Most schools that have TDA’s find that the after-school use of this space goes up dramatically, since community groups like using this more intimate, quality space for their meetings

Chandler High School   Olympia High School

Reliability of TDA’s Proven in Dozens of U.S. Schools

• TDA’s Installed in Over 65 Facilities Throughout Country – TDA’s have been installed successfully for years in over 65 locations – they are designed to last for decades
• Minimal Annual Maintenance Expense Needed – Operational check and lubrication of a TDA only required once a year and can be easily performed by the facility’s existing custodial or maintenance staff
• Standard 5 Year Warranty – Macton products are designed and manufactured to provide a high level of defect-free performance. Macton is proud of the experience and craftsmanship that goes into each and every product we sell. As part of its commitment to quality, Macton is offering a 5 year warranty on all of its products sold after March 31, 2009. Macton's confidence in its products has been proven time and again and we want our customers to know we stand behind our products and the quality that goes into them.

Full Support Given to Project Architects

• Size is Customizable to Meet Specific Needs of School – While some locations install one or two TDA’s in their auditorium, others might have 3 or 4, which can be of just about any size required – we will work with your architect throughout the design process and can quickly adapt the size and shape of the TDA to ensure that their architectural goals for your facility are met, while at the same time helping you meet your space and cost savings goals.
• Full Support Throughout Project – Macton provides full support throughout the entire project, including:
• assisting with the initial design of the system to be built, during which time Macton’s engineering staff interfaces with the project’s architects to provide the practical assistance and the detailed technical support needed to integrate its equipment into the overall installation
• providing foundational, electrical and control requirements, trim details and structural analysis data
• providing hard budget estimates and any other assistance the project requires
• Ease of Equipment Installation – Macton provides a specially-trained field engineer or technician to supervise the installation, start-up and commissioning of its equipment, ensuring that it is brought on-line quickly and delivers the expected performance.

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Customers who Purchased a Macton TDA – Set forth below is a partial listing of some of the TDA installations that have been installed – for a list of the more than 65 TDA installations throughout the world, click on Expanded List of Macton’s TDA Installations:

TDA Installation Sites	Number of Seats	Description	Location
Chandler Center for the Arts	355 263	(1) 60' Turntable (1) 53' Turntable	Turntable Chandler, AZ
Adlai E. Stevenson High School	254 each	(2) 50' Turntables	Lincolnshire, IL
Timberlane High School	240	(1) 46' Turntable	Plaistow, NH
Brigham Young University	60 each	(2) 29' Turntables	Provo, UT
Edinburgh Int'l Conference Centre	300 each	(2) 60' Turntables w/Balconies	Edinburgh, Scotland
Olympia High School	130 each	(2) 38' Turntables	Olympia, WA
Clayton County Performing Arts Center	350 250	(1) 58' Turntable (1) 52' Turntable	Jonesboro, GA
Ecole Polytechnique	90 each	(3) 31' turntables	Montreal, Canada
*partial list

Expanded List of Macton’s TDA Installations

Six Key Ways to Reduce Auditorium Construction and Operating Costs

Construction Cost Study - Kentlake High School

Magazine Articles Featuring Macton TDAs

Making A Static Auditorium Dynamic - School Planning and Management - July 2008
Building the Best Auditorium - American School Board Journal - March 2008
Flexible Space Takes Center Stage - School Planning and Management - May 1997

 

For More Information – To get more information on Macton TDA’s, please feel free to contact Tony Mesa, our Product Manager for this line of products, at (203) 267-1500, ext. 25, or email him via our contact page.

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