When a super cell hailstorm devastated the University in February last year it caused millions of dollars of damage and forced the closure of the campus. The School of Music was amongst the hardest hit, with Llewellyn Hall left resembling a swimming pool.

	The transformation of Llewellyn Hall is apparent in these before (above) and after (after) shots.

But positive came from the storm's damage - a significant refurbishment seeing the creation of a state-of-the-art facility that will prove to be a standout performance and ceremonial venue for the University.

Llewellyn Hall reopened last week with a gala concert to show of the results of the $10 million refurbishment. The repair and refurbishment was funded primarily by the University, which contributed nearly $7 million, with the remainder from the University’s insurer.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Chubb said the refurbished hall was a venue for learning, performing and engagement that the University could be proud of. "We are delighted to have Llewellyn Hall open again as an outstanding music and ceremonial venue. In addition to a new-look interior, the acoustics have been significantly enhanced."

"Llewellyn Hall plays a significant role in the advancement of students' education at the School of Music as well as an important role hosting a variety of University and outside events including our graduation ceremonies," he said.

Entering the hall it is hard to believe that it the same place. Drab concrete walls have been replaced by honey-coloured timber. State-of-the-art wooden acoustic louvers are suspended from the ceiling. New warm ochre toned chairs arranged new semi-circle seating configuration lends warmth to the hall and contribute to its improved acoustics. The result propels Llewellyn Hall into the 21st century.

"I definitely wanted the hall to be more intimate for the audience and to look and feel warmer," said John Luxton, head of the School of Music. "It's just wonderful to see the vision take shape and you can see the effort everyone has put in, there isn't a screw or nail that is out of place."

Darryl Jackson was the original architect of the hall, which opened in 1976 and his firm was brought back to oversee the renovations. Director of Interiors at Darryl Jackson Architects, Geraldine Mayer said that the building's new interior sees the acoustics and design come together. "You have a layering element, some of which are aesthetic and some of which are acoustic," she said.

The combination of design features with acoustic features created very pleasing results for Finola Reid, senior associate at Arup Acoustics. "The acoustic changes to the Hall are significant," she said. "Arup has sought to preserve the aspects of the Halls' acoustic that worked well, while focussing attention on areas that could benefit from improvement, such as clarity to parts of the stalls and platform areas, greater intimacy and a richer sound."

The project was a massive undertaking over a relatively short period of time. "We had to set up scaffolds that were eight stories high, it was the biggest interior scaffold in Canberra at the time," said Neil Watt, project manager for the refurbishment. "It really is an amazing achievement and everyone has enjoyed working on it."

To celebrate the completion of Llewellyn Hall a gala concert was be held on Friday 9th May which will include a wide range of performances from ANU staff and students.

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