Case Study

Terasaki Budokan - Los Angeles

Terasaki Budokan in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo is much more than a gymnasium: it’s a center for community and myriad events that support the local population. When it opened in 2021, the visually-striking gymnasium exhibited such a long reverberation time that communication was difficult and events were unmanageably loud.

Cafeteria’s five-step process found the right solution, with a spare industrial aesthetic that seamlessly integrates into the design of the space. Notably, our good, better, and best options included one without wall absorption, and Terasaki Budokan proceeded with a ceiling-only solution.

Project: Terasaki Budokan

Location: Los Angeles

Program: Gymnasium and space for community

Initial reverberation time: 7 seconds

Final reverberation time: 2 seconds

Solution: Cafeteria’s corrugated, recycled PET, in black, ceiling-only, with airspace for added performance