The Saban Center is a first-of-its-kind STEM and arts campus taking shape in the River District of Tuscaloosa. Conceived as a civic anchor for education and discovery, the $120 million facility brings together the Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre, IGNITE science museum, and the Alabama State STEM Hub under a single 118,000 sq ft roof—designed by Steinberg Hart and Davis Architects and funded through a public-private partnership led by Nick and Terry Saban and the City of Tuscaloosa.
LSTN provided acoustics consulting for the project, engaged as a subconsultant to Theatre Projects. Our scope encompassed the building’s primary performance and assembly spaces, including the children’s theatre and community black-box theater, along with the interactive exhibit halls that form the core of the STEM and arts programming.
The project’s central acoustic challenge is the breadth of its program. Within a single building, spaces must serve theatrical speech, amplified performance, loud interactive exhibits, and quiet learning environments—often simultaneously. Our design work focused on ensuring each space performs appropriately for its intended use while limiting the intrusion of adjacent activities.
