By Terri Joyce, Marketing Manager, Harlequin Floors
A beacon of inclusivity and innovation: Rochester Institute of Technology’s The SHED
As published in Protocol – The Journal of the Entertainment Technology Industry

ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (RIT), located in the vibrant city of Rochester, NY, stands as a testament to the power of higher education to drive social change and innovation. Renowned for its comprehensive approach to inclusivity, RIT has become a sanctuary of learning, creativity, and technological advancement. With a diverse student body of over 19,000, RIT is continuously pushing the boundaries of what is possible in education. RIT is home to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), and they offer a wide variety of academic programs, along with access and support services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Their commitment to the community is beautifully encapsulated in its recent venture, The Student Hall for Exploration and Development, affectionately known as The SHED.

The inception of The SHED was a bold step towards redefining creative and inclusive learning spaces. This facility has become the heart of RIT’s performing arts program, offering opportunities for artistic expression and technical innovation, centralizing the institution’s performing arts studios and theatres. When RIT communicated with Jim Nelson from Theatre Project Consultants, that the university required a new dance lab, he reached out to the team at Harlequin Floors. A partnership was formed and work began to construct a custom, perfectly curated performance space at The SHED.

Enhancing accessibility with innovative technology
A collaborative effort between RIT, Harlequin Floors, and hearing consultants, the NTID Dance Lab allows for movement classes, ensemble rehearsals, lectures, and presentations. A standout feature of the dance lab lies in the floor, which was designed to integrate a state-of-the-art hearing loop system underneath the flooring to assist dancers with hearing impairments connect to the music. Recognizing the challenges and needs of a space that must be universally accessible, especially for performers with hearing impairments, Harlequin Floors designed a custom flooring solution. The result featured Contacta FW-14-500 copper flat wire installed under Harlequin’s WoodSpring® sprung floor system complemented by their Cascade™ vinyl performance surface. This hearing loop system utilizes electromagnetic fields to transmit sound directly to hearing aids and cochlear implants equipped with telecoil receivers. 

Some of the reasons hearing loops are the preferred assistive listening system by people with telecoil-enabled hearing aids and cochlear implants are:

Easy to Use: To hear clearly, individuals simply switch their devices to the telecoil program and automatically receive clear sound. 

Quality Sound: A hearing loop sends sound directly to the telecoil receiver in a user’s hearing device. The system eliminates most back-ground noise and greatly improves understanding of speech and music. Additionally, the sound received is customized by each user’s unique hearing instrument.

Discreet: Being able to hear well with a loop is inconspicuous; users do not stand out as being hard of hearing, which encourages participation and inclusion.

This technology ensures that students with hearing aids and cochlear implants can directly connect with the performance, experiencing sound quality on par with their peers and ensuring every step, leap, and movement is supported in safety and comfort. It’s a significant stride towards creating a truly inclusive arts environment, where every student, regardless of hearing ability, can fully participate and immerse themselves in the performing arts. 

Harlequin works closely with the dance community and experts from International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) and National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science (NIDMS) to continue researching and developing floors that protect and support dancers. Aware of the high injury level among dancers, Harlequin also provides backing and support for research work and is using the information derived from research studies to inform new product development.

Due to the nature of this project and the fact that it was 100% custom created, The SHED took over two years to finalize and install to guarantee the success of the performers and their safety. It officially opened with the start of the fall semester and was dedicated on October 12, 2023. At that time, it was the most ambitious RIT construction project since the Henrietta campus was created in 1968. The partnership between RIT and Harlequin Floors sets a precedent for how educational institutions and industry leaders can collaborate to create spaces that are not only technologically advanced but also deeply inclusive. The SHED is poised to become a model for other universities, demonstrating the profound impact of thoughtful design and technology on creating environments where all students can thrive. This project is the beginning of a broader movement towards more accessible and innovative educational spaces, paving the way for a future where every student can explore their passions and talents to the fullest, without barriers. With its state-of-the-art facilities and inclusivity features, the SHED stands as a testament to what is possible when communities come together to challenge the status quo and build a more inclusive world.

This article was originally posted by Protocol – The Journal of the Entertainment Technology Industry