The 103,000 square foot, four-story Athenaeum of Goucher College is the centerpiece of the campus and a focal point for student interaction. The doors of the state-of-the art multimedia library open into the Forum, a multifunction gathering space designed to support formal and informal performances and activities. The Forum also serves as a town square to encourage public discussion and debate.

Acentech's integrated consulting included architectural acoustics, mechanical systems noise and vibration control, audiovisual systems and information technology infrastructure. This multi-service approach is especially beneficial for a project that requires many specialized functional areas and spaces: a café, radio station studio, art gallery, group study rooms, community services office, multicultural affairs programming office, commuter student spaces, exercise area and stage.

Acentech provided recommendations and design criteria for the Forum's stage to project sound into the lower audience area and for acoustically absorptive treatments on the ceilings and walls to enhance speech intelligibility. Acentech also provided design recommendations to ensure adequate sound isolation between adjacent offices, classrooms, conference rooms and the radio station studio.

The Athenaeum includes multimedia audiovisual classrooms, digital signage with cable TV and a dual screen projection system for the stage. The use of two projection screens: a medium-sized screen for use with a portable video projector and a large screen for groups and special functions provided the flexibility needed for the space. All of the AV control systems feature reliable, intuitive touch-screen control panels.

The Athenaeum's information technology infrastructure design provided cost-effective, ubiquitous wired and wireless high-speed data network connectivity to support both current and emerging technologies and simultaneously reduce technical staff workload.

The project obtained LEED Gold certification for its sustainable design.