J. Christopher Jaffe (October 4, 1927 – May 23, 2013) was recognized for leadership in architectural-acoustic design.

Work

Jaffe graduated from the School of Engineering at

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute () (RPI) is a private research university in Troy, New York, with an additional campus in Hartford, Connecticut. A third campus in Groton, Connecticut closed in 2018. RPI was established in 1824 by Stephen Van ...

in 1949 and then went on to graduate studies in theater at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

. During the course of his work he has consulted on over 250 performance halls, including: *

Severance Hall Severance Hall is a concert hall located in the University Circle section of Cleveland, Ohio. Opened in 1931, Severance Hall was named after patrons John L. Severance and his wife, Elisabeth Huntingdon DeWitt Severance, and serves as the hom ...

in Cleveland, Ohio *

Bass Performance Hall The Bass Performance Hall (also known as Bass Hall) is a performing arts venue, located in Fort Worth, Texas. Overview The hall was first suggested by pianist Van Cliburn to philanthropist Nancy Lee Bass and her husband, Perry Richardson Bass.S ...

in Fort Worth, Texas. *Concert Hall at the

Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...

in Washington, D.C. *Sala Nezahualcóyotl in Mexico City. In 1958, Jaffe and Paul Kleinman founded Stagecraft Corporation, which later became JaffeHolden Acoustics. The light-weight demountable shells designed by him were the first engineered to use selective transmission of energy into the stage house and stage-house coupling to enhance on-stage and audience-area acoustics. He likewise was among the first to use electroacoustic enhancement systems and is the inventor of the Electronic Reflected-Energy System (ERES). Jaffe left JaffeHolden Acoustics and in 2009 he joine
Acentech Studio A
a specialized performing arts consulting group formed by Acentech Incorporated in Cambridge, MA. Jaffe has taught acoustics at the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most el ...

City University of New York The City University of New York ( CUNY; , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven Upper divis ...

, and

, where he is founder of the master’s program in architectural acoustics and remained for many years a Visiting Distinguished Professor. In 1993 he received the

Ellis Island Medal of Honor The Ellis Island Medal of Honor is an American award founded by the Ellis Island Honors Society (EIHS) (formerly known as the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO)), which is presented annually to American citizens, both native-born a ...

for business in 1993. He was inducted into RPI's Alumni Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2011 he received the

Wallace Clement Sabine Medal The Wallace Clement Sabine Medal of the Acoustical Society of America is presented to an individual of any nationality who has advanced the science of architectural acoustics, either by being published in professional journals or periodicals, or b ...

from the

Acoustical Society of America The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is an international scientific society founded in 1929 dedicated to generating, disseminating and promoting the knowledge of acoustics and its practical applications. The Society is primarily a voluntary orga ...

. Jaffe died May 23, 2013 in

Norwalk, Connecticut , image_map = Fairfield County Connecticut incorporated and unincorporated areas Norwalk highlighted.svg , mapsize = 230px , map_caption = Location in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Fairfield County and ...

Books authored

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jaffe, J. Christopher Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute faculty Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute alumni Columbia University School of the Arts alumni 2013 deaths American acoustical engineers 1927 births Fellows of the Acoustical Society of America