The Merchant Entertainment Venue

M THE MERCHANT

INTRO & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Merchant Entertainment Venue is a design thesis project completed by Aisling Geoghegan for fulfillment of the requirements for a BA Interior Design from Technological University Dublin in 2023.

I would like to thank my lecturers, Neville Knott and Tracey Dalton, for their guidance and expertise shared every week from the beginning to completion of this project.

Thanks also need to go to the friends I have made during my time studying. Your kindness, encouragement and comic relief does not go unnoticed.

Finally, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to my family who have provided me unwavering support throughout my college experience.

M THE MERCHANT

ENTER TA INMENT VENUE

RESEARCH

BUILDING OPTIONS

CHOSEN BUILDING PLANS

A TIMELINE HISTORY OF DAWSON STREET

SITE HISTORY AND CONTEXT

THOMS DIRECTORY ENTRIES

BUILDING RENOVATION HISTORY

BUILDING NEW PROPOSED USE

LOCATION SUITABILITY

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

SCHEDULE OF ACCOMMODATION

BLOCK PLANNING AND SECTION

SUN ANALYSIS

TYPOLOGIES

TYPOLOGIES OF ASSOCIATION

DESIGN INFLUENCES

02 03

CONCEPT RESOLUTION PRESENTATION

EXPERIMENTS

- TAILORING

- SOUNDWAVES - CROWDS

CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT

- VOIDS

- FEATURE WALL

- FEATURE STAIRCASE

- LOBBY

- MAIN STAGE

- SECOND STAGE

- VIP BAR

- RESTAURANT

SKETCH PLANNING

04

PLANS

BUILDING ALTERATIONS

LIGHTING PLAN

FEATURE WALL CONSTRUCTION DETAIL

DESIGN FEATURE FOCUSES:

- ACOUSTICS

- VENTILATION

INITIAL RENDERS

MAIN STAGE DESIGN PROCESS

COLOUR PALETTE

MATERIALS

COLOUR TYPOLOGIES

FINAL RENDERS

- MAIN STAGE

- LOBBY

- VIP BAR

- DRESSING ROOMS

- SECOND STAGE

- CONFERENCE SPACE

- RESTAURANT

- GREEN ROOMS

- TOILETS

2D RENDERED ELEVATION

3D RENDERED SECTION

FINAL POSTER

BRANDING

NO.11 ROBINSONS AND STEELE, 1925

NO. 9 & 10 MAGUIRE &GATCHELL 1930

THE TEMPLE BAR INN 40-47 Fleet St, Temple Bar

The Temple Bar Inn on Fleet Street is home to a 3 star hotel with 101 boutique en-suite spaces. It is a five floor building over a basement. Temple Bar Inn is describe themselves as ‘‘your gateway to exploring the vibrant Temple Bar Quarter and all that Dublin’s historic city centre has to offer.’’ There is a hotel bar and restaurant in the building and the ground floor is home to a Tesco Express. The location of this property would make for a great entertainment venue. However, due to the size of the building, the show spaces would have to be for smaller capacities only.

HAYMARKET HOUSE Smithfield Plaza

Haymarket House is a new office development in Smithfield Plaza. ‘‘It is modern office design in an historic setting, Haymarket House is designed to connect seamlessly with the unique warmth and character of its surrounding streets. It’s distinctive square structure integrates with Smithfield Plaza and its surrounding streets with access on four sides to the ground floor retail elements. External cladding of warm natural brick is punctuated by floor-to-ceiling punched glazing allowing for maximum light penetration, and finished with distinctive Brise Soleil aluminium panels and slender, Contemporary fins.’’ I considered this building given that it is located in Dublin’s creative quarter which is an ideal location. It has a total 6,880sq m. which is a decent size. During my search I swayed from choosing this new development due to it’s lack of historical interest.

NEW IRELAND ASSURANCE 9-12 Dawson Street

This impressive series of twentieth-century blocks was built between 1929 and 1971 and for much of that time served as the headquarters of the New Ireland Assurance Company. The earlier block was designed by Vincent Kelly in a severely rectilinear manner and is part of an interesting group of public and corporate buildings of the same era. The 1964 block, by Morris and McCullough Architects has a highly decorative exterior. The corner block of the 1964 section gives a front onto Dawson Street and is fine example of a building in the Modernist style, overlaid with Gaelic lettering and Celtic motifs and detailing.

CHOSEN BUILDING

9-12 DAWSON STREET is the chosen building for this project. It is located in the heart of Dublin’s city center, making it a prime location for an entertainment venue. It is easily accessible by public transportation, and it is in close proximity to many other popular attractions, including high end shopping areas, bars and restaurant.

The building is a beautiful and historic structure that dates back to the 19th century. It features intricate protected details and ornate facades that would make for a stunning and memorable entertainment venue. The unique architecture adds character and provides inspiration for the interior.

BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

The building offers ample space for a variety of entertainment options. With of 60,000 sqm in total, it can accommodate a variety of events, such as concerts, comedy shows, and theatrical performances. The large space also provides flexibility in the design and layout of the venue.

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

PRODUCED

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

1705

Joshua Dawson (c.1660–1725), a government official and property developer, purchased the seemingly unimpressive lands from Henry Temple and came up with a plan to develop the area from the east side of Grafton Street as far as Molesworth Street. At the time Grafton Street was an unimpressive narrow lane way and to its east there was little but marshland without so much as a lane way crossing it.

1707

By 1707 he had already laid out the plans for Dawson Street. At this time, he was also responsible for developing Duke Street, Anne Street and the smaller lanes we know today as Anne’s Lane and Duke Lane.

1710

In 1710 this same year he built himself a house on Dawson Street, which is The Mansion House as we know it today. He resided here until 1715.

The street remains largely the same today. Many original buildings have been retained and been refurbished and renovated. Also vancancys in the street have been filled with more modern establishments in recent years.

1800s

In the 19th Century the advent of the motor car saw major changes to the street with many premises becoming lavish car dealerships for the city’s wealthiest citizens. 1901 RIAC opened on Dawson Street and remains there today.

Around 1728 Dawson Street is completed. The street is lined with brick houses mostly for residential purposes but many have shopfronts located on the ground floors.

The Church of St. Anne was constructed for the newly created parish of St. Anne’s and the area continued to develop quickly.

The culture and lifestyle on Dawson Street

By the 1740’s the Earl of Kildare had built an enormous Mansion, designed by the famous Richard Cassels, as his main city residence on Kildare Street. This is the building we know today as Leinster House. This decision by the Earl of Kildare suddenly made south of the city far more popular as a place to live. He famously remarked, “Where I go, fashion will follow”.

Many wealthy residents moved to Dawson Street because of it’s location in the increasingly popular south city, and one early resident was William Parsons, the Earl of Rosse. Parsons is most associated with Birr, Co. Offaly where he had a country estate and built the world-famous Birr telescope, but his townhouse was none other than 40 Dawson Street – now home to Café en Seine.

The terrace houses often tended to be occupied by shopkeepers who traded on the ground floor, and the owners lived above the shop where they also had their workrooms.

In 1750 there were five dressmakers and milliners, six drapers, three tailors and breeches makers, four pharmacies, five saddlers and harness makers and two gymnasium’s, one of which was for women. With all these establishments taking residence on Dawson Street, you can see why is was one of the most fashionable and popular shopping streets in the city.

In the 19th century, the street began to change as the city grew and developed. Many of the grand houses were converted into commercial premises, and the street became known for its fashionable shops and businesses

During the 20th century, Dawson Street continued to evolve, with the construction of new buildings and the modernization of older ones. One of the most significant developments on the street was the construction of the Royal Irish Academy building, which was completed in 1866 and still stands today.

Today, Dawson Street remains one of the most vibrant and bustling streets in Dublin. It is home to many of the city’s top restaurants, cafes, and shops, and is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. Despite its modernization and development, however, the street retains much of its historic charm and character, with many of the original buildings still standing and in use.

ROCQUE, 1957

The 1934 building was constructed as an four story over basement extension to No. 11-12 Dawson street. It was one of the very first modernist buildings constructed in the city, the architect being Vincent Kelly who had studied in UCD under Professor William A Scott. The building is in the early modernist style with a robust but plain façade populated with large rectilinear window opes. The entrance door is modestly placed within the rhythm of the window opening pattern and is flanked by two narrow vertical windows which have been altered from their original design. Internally the large open plan main offices are to rear with smaller cellular offices to the front backing onto the No.12 onto Dawson street, served from a modest dogleg stair which wraps around a lift. Subdivision and reordering of the original layout has occurred over the years with loss of original finishes and plan-form. A sky bridge connected the building to offices onto South Fredrick Street which has now been removed. The facade to rear has had a number of alterations to the original fenestration. The original interiors were relatively modest with geometric cornicing which had been concealed suspended ceilings at a later date.

1964

The 1964 renovation by Morris and McCullough building is described as “Modernism tempered by a classical sensibility”, in the words of Christine Casey, Professor of History of Art at Trinity College Dublin, in her seminal book Buildings of Ireland: Dublin. The building is the most dramatic of the ensemble, and one of the most dramatically embellished buildings of it’s generation in Dublin. The nationalist sentiments of the New Ireland Assurance Company are proudly declared on the building’s façade which is constructed predominantly in Irish materials. The building’s front facade is a classically modern fivebay composition with centrally placed solid double bronze entrance doors decorated with Irish emblems. At second floor, three balconies are faced with repousse bronze panels decorated with Celtic interweave. Raised letters spell out the company’s name on the lintel above the balcony doors. The Celtic and Irish decorative elements are a significant part of the building’s historic and aesthetic appeal and this building may be the only surviving 20th century building combining modernism with nationalist expression through the use of Celtic epigraphy and symbolism.

The 1964 internal layout has been somewhat compromised by later alterations. Of particular note is the loss of the double height entrance space. The main terrazzo stair centered on the entrance hall has stained glass windows commissioned by the New Ireland Assurance Company. At second floor the boardroom ran the full width with openings onto the three balconies overlooking Dawson Street.

1935-1936 OSC MAP

INTERIOR OF VINCENT KELLY 1934 BUILDING

1964 BUILDING

NO.10 DAWSON ST. ,EARLY 1900’S

NO.10 DAWSON ST. ,EARLY 1900’S

The 1971 building that was designed by Campbell Conroy Hickey replaced the earlier buildings at No. 9-10 Dawson street. The building takes its lead from its 1964 companion at No.11-12 Dawson Street, and is a five-bay structure with identical floor to ceiling spans. The slightly narrower street frontage at 9-10 Dawson Street has been accommodated by the elimination of the vertical structural elements and the emphasis is on the horizontal concrete floor beams, clad in granite. The tinted glass harmonises with the colour of the window frames so that when viewed from a distance the windows appear as a continuous horizontal band. At street level the building is handled quite differently from No. 11-12, with a suspended dropped canopy, recessed ground floor glazing, and the entrance door offset at the south end of the elevation. A narrow horizontal gap between the uppermost granite band and the parapet adds to the muted elegance of the structure.

THOM’S DIRECTORY ENTRIES

1971 FACADE CHANGES TO 9 & 10 DAWSON ST.

THE BUILDING AS IT WAS RENOVATED IN 1971

ROBINSONS AND STEELE, 1925

PROPOSED NEW USE ENTERTAINMENT VENUE

The proposal for this project is to redevelop 9-12 Dawson Street into a late night events hub. A venue for smaller music artists to host their gigs. The target demographic being indie/ rock/pop artists and bands. The venue will also be fit to host small events like comedy shows or live podcast shows which are becoming increasingly popular, by having additional more intimate show spaces. With the inclusion of bar spaces and a separate restaurant open to the public it will mean that their is always opportunity for some event to be hosted. Given there is ample space in the building I would also like there to be smaller rooms for hire that could host events like film screenings and festivals.

Existing venues in Dublin that could be considered competitors would be the likes of The Olympia Theatre, The Academy and Vicar Street. However none of these are in a close radius of 9-12 Dawson Street. And also these are nearly exclusively music venues.

AIMS OBJECTIVES

The aim for this project is to redevelop the old New Ireland Assurance Building into a small music and events venue. I imagine this venue to be the type of environment that will attract indie/rock/pop artists and bands to play here. The venue will also be capable of hosting smaller events like comedy shows or live podcast shows which is a new popular trend in the entertainment business. I would also like to have space that could host a small film screening or a premiere for example. The venue will have multiple bars so that there is service available on any floor. And also a rooftop restaurant that is open to the public, ensuring that there is always a reason to attend the buzzing events hub, even without a ticket.

People attend an events venue seeking to be entertained and I want to create an interior that becomes part of the entertainment.

It’s important to me that I am successful in conveying the history of the building through the interior elements. With my research I have found that the buildings of 9-12 Dawson Street have had multiple uses throughout the years including being home to a tailors and also a marble, stain-glass and metalwork merchants. I want to play off this rich history to create dynamic, layered interiors. My objective is to create an environment that feels like it always has a buzz, a sprawling energy to it. I think by creating lots of voided and atrium spaces it will help to achieve the feeling that the whole building is interlinked and always communicating. I want one space to feel like it is spilling into the next so that the person wants to keep exploring.

SIXTH FLOOR

rooftop restaurant

FIFTH FLOOR

VIP bar

FOURTH FLOOR

artist green rooms offices

THIRD FLOOR

VIP lounge bar

second stage

conference space

SECOND FLOOR

bar / concession

main stage

small show space

FIRST FLOOR

bar / concession

main stage toilets

GROUND FLOOR

lobby

ticketing

security

main stage

toilets

BASEMENT

talent/artist parking

store rooms

switch room staff

GRAFTON STREET

GRAFTON STREET

DAWSONSTREET

DAWSONSTREET

PROJECT FEASIBILITY & LOCATION SUITABILITY

Dawson Street in Dublin is a vibrant and bustling area known for its gourmet restaurants and upscale bars. The street is popular with tourists and locals alike, attracting a diverse mix of people. Adding an entertainment venue to the area would complement the existing businesses, provide a new and unique experience for visitors, and generate economic benefits for the area. Here is some reasons why an entertainment venue would be a good addition to Dawson Street.

Dawson Street currently lacks a dedicated entertainment venue. By adding one, it would attract a new demographic of customers looking for a different experience. An entertainment venue would diversify the entertainment offerings in the area because as of right now, there is no direct competitors in the surrounding vicinity.

An entertainment venue would attract tourists to Dawson Street, which would benefit the local economy. Tourists are always looking for unique experiences and an entertainment venue would offer them something they can’t find elsewhere. This would also contribute to the growth of the hospitality industry in the area.

An entertainment venue would create jobs in the local community, which would also boost the local economy. The venue would require staff for

various roles, including performers, bartenders, servers, and security personnel. Additionally, the venue could create opportunities for local artists to showcase their talents and promote their work.

An entertainment venue would increase foot traffic on Dawson Street, which would benefit the existing businesses. The venue would attract a new demographic of customers who may not have visited the area before. This increased foot traffic would lead to increased sales for the surrounding businesses, which would help the local economy.

Dawson Street is known for its upscale bars, but it lacks a dedicated nightlife venue. An entertainment venue would fill this gap and provide a new and unique nightlife experience for customers. This would increase the appeal of Dawson Street as a destination for nightlife and attract more nightlife businesses to the area.

Adding an entertainment venue to Dawson Street would benefit the local community in several ways. It would diversify the entertainment offerings, attract tourists, create jobs, increase foot traffic, and enhance the nightlife. These benefits would contribute to the growth of the local economy and make Dawson Street a more attractive destination for visitors.

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

SUNLIGHT ANALYSIS - 21st June

By John Healy for Goldwing Real Estate, 2018

SUN PATHWAYS

The sun rises from the back of the building so generally the street front and facade don’t get sunlight until about 13:00 in the summer time. The front of the building will generally get full sunlight around 14:00 and it will remain until after 18:00 when the building begins to become shaded by surrounding buildings.

INFLUENCES ON DESIGN AND PLANNING

By this analysis, it makes sense to have the lobby and bar areas to the front of the building to ensure that they get sunlight in the late evening and the show spaces and stages can be located in the rear of the building where daylight is not important.

DUBLIN TEMPERATURES

Average winter temperatures of between 5°C and 8°C

Average summer temperatures of between 15°C and 20°C

TYPOLOGIES

Barbican, London

Earth, London

Vicar Street, Dublin

Radio City Music Hall, New York City

Andermatt Concert Hall. Switzerland

Sverdlovsk Philharmonic, Russia

SOHO House, London

Bond Zero, New York

CORE, Milan

BARBICAN, LONDON

The Barbican Centre is an events and performing arts venue in London city and is the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre was designed architects by Peter Chamberlin, Geoffry Powell and Christoph Bon in what is described on the centre’s website as ‘‘an icon of Brutalist architecture’’. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhibitions. It also houses a library, three restaurants, and a conservatory. There is also multiple bars throughout the centre, within the different foyers as well as a separate martini bar too.

LONDON

EartH comprises of two main spaces and a restaurant. On the ground floor, a multi-purpose 1200 capacity dedicated events space and upstairs the theatre, a 700 capacity tiered seated venue with original Art Deco features. Each space can be hired individually or the venue can be hired as a whole. EartH Bar + Kitchen is a space for hosting a drinks reception, a team off-site, a birthday party etc. Situated on the first floor of the building, the space is also the break-out area for larger events hosted in the Hall or Theatre. They offer a full drinks service in the room’s private bar to a capacity of up to 300 people.

EartH,

STREET, DUBLIN

Vicar Street is a concert, performing arts centre and events venue in Dublin, Ireland. Located on Thomas Street, Dublin 8, Vicar Street has capacity for 1,050 people for seated performances and 1,500 people for standing gigs. The venue has become a popular setting for a wide range of acts including stand-up comedy, drama performances and a variety of concerts. With the intimate size of the venue and round table layout, the venue is one looked on with warmth by fans and acts alike.

VICAR

The infamous Radio City Music Hall, NY originally opened in 1932 and was design by Edward Durell Stone and interior designer Donald Deskey. The establishment is built in the Art Deco style. The 5,960-seat Music Hall was the larger of two venues built for Rockefeller Center’s “Radio City”. It was largely successful until the 1970s, when it’s declining popularity nearly drove the theater to bankruptcy. Radio City Music Hall was designated a New York City Landmark in May 1978, and it was restored and allowed to remain open. The theater was extensively renovated in 1999. Although Radio City Music Hall was initially intended to host stage shows, within a year of its opening it was converted into a movie palace, hosting performances in a film-and-stage-spectacle format through the 1970s, and was the site of several movie premieres. It now primarily hosts concerts, including leading pop and rock musicians, and live stage shows such as the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. The Music Hall has also hosted televised events including the Grammy Awards, the Tony Awards, and the MTV Video Music Awards.

RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL, NEW YORK

ANDERMATT CONCERT HALL , SWITZERLAND

The Andermatt Concert Hall was designed by Studio Seilern Architects under the direction of Christina Seilern. The auditorium, awash with natural light and with seating for about 650, offers an intimate atmosphere and features a flexible stage with space for a 75-piece orchestra. From street level, the acoustic reflectors are seen as floating over an empty space, like a sculpture that has been placed as public art. The hall is required to be used for multiple purposes with the flexibility to host different seating or event layouts ranging from an orchestral performance to a rock concert or a congress setting. The flexibility and ease of change between layouts are based on a retractable system that allows up to 9 rows stepped platform to disappear under the main balcony

SVERDLOVSK PHILHARMONIC CONCERT HALL, RUSSIA

Zaha Hadid Architects were the winner of the international competition to build the new Sverdlovsk Philharmonic Concert Hall in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The main auditorium and the chamber music hall – seating 1,600 and 400, respectively – are suspended under a large canopy that cantilevers to protect a new public plaza. Glass facades blur the boundaries between interior and exterior and give views over the Weiner Gardens.

SOHO HOUSE, 76 DEAN STREET, LONDON

Soho House at 76 Dean Street is a members only club in a mid-Georgian townhouse spread over four floors. It’s popular with the neighborhood’s media crowd. Among its many features is a screening room, a fully air-conditioned 43-seat cinema offering a varied programme of advance screenings and new releases. A membership in Soho House gives you access to all spaces and facilities including the bars and restaurant, the screening room, and outdoor spaces.

BOND ZERO, NEW YORK

The 20,000-square-foot club space that lives in the top two floors of the New York building is designed to feel like entering an elite New York loft residence. Inside there’s an Assouline library and a screening room as well as multiple bars and lounges.

William Sofield, who’s worked on Gucci stores and Tom Ford boutiques, created Zero Bond’s sleek and contemporary interiors.

CORE, MILAN

‘‘We think obsessively about experiential architecture, managing seamlessness, and curating conditions for discovery and transformation. Our architecturally interesting spaces are infused with art and culture, and activated by extraordinary culinary experiences.’’

01/ CROWDS

A music event is all about the audience. Using the concept of people gathering in crowds provides some interesting imagery. As well when thinking about the movement of crowd, people dancing, singing, and laughing together. They will be the life of the venue. It has been customary for years that crowds ban together to create atmospheres with individual lights, waving lighters in the air at concerts in the past to now using phone torchlights. Although maybe not entirely suitable as a driving concept in itself, perhaps there is opportunity for influence with lighting and ornamentation.

02/ TAILORING

Through Thom’s directory entries I found that Robinsons and Steele tailors occupied no.11 Dawson Street for around 40 years, circa 18921930. Robinsons and Steele LTD, were a military and civil tailors, as well as providing court and diplomatic uniforms. To pay homage to the history of the building for the design influence I decided to look into the form of the suit.

Tailoring is the art of designing, fitting, fabricating, and finishing garments. The word “tailor”, which first appeared in the Oxford Dictionary in 1297, comes from a French word— tailler—meaning “to cut.” The Latin word for tailor was sartor, meaning someone who patches or mends garments.

The iconic form of the tailored suit is relatively unchanged in the hundreds of years since it’s invention. Clean, sweeping lines create a timeless silhouette. As a form, the suit is very structured, it has definite lines and seams that give it rigidness. However the fabric of the suit gives it a softness and a controlled movement. These characteristics are what makes the suit an inspiring design influence. The aim is to create a space with strong architectural structure but also have a fluidness to the spaces that connects them together.

03/ SOUNDWAVES

When an object vibrates, it causes movement in surrounding air molecules. These molecules bump into the molecules close to them, causing them to vibrate as well. This makes them bump into more nearby air molecules. This “chain reaction” movement, called sound waves, keeps going until the molecules run out of energy.

With the intended new use for the building being a venue for music and performing arts, the form of the soundwave is a very suitable inspiration. The organic shapes and forms provide endless possibilities for design and most often produce beautiful and highly successful spaces.

The abstract form of the soundwave helps to create boundless possibilities of shape. The curve of the sound wave can be interpreted in many ways to create forms for voided space and atrium’s, feature staircases, ceiling design, hallways, archways, tiered seating and other furniture.

04/ MOTORING HISTORY ON DAWSON STREET

In the 19th Century the advent of the motor car saw major changes to Dawson street and many premises became lavish car dealerships for the city’s wealthiest citizens. The RIAC (Royal Irish Automobile Club) was founded on Dawson street in 1901 and remains there to this day.

The first petrol pump in the Irish Free State, according to Bob Montgomery, curator of the RIAC archive in Dawson Street, Dublin, was at 25 Dawson Street. The year was 1923 and it was put up by the Nassau Motor Company.

05/ COCKTAIL CULTURE

The modern cocktail culture has it’s roots in the prohibition era however it has firmly prevailed in the near century since. An important element in the venue will be the bars on each floor. These bars will have a speakeasy, cocktail bar feel and so looking to the cocktail itself is a suitable inspiration. A cocktail is essentially a designed drink.

SKETCH PLANNING

When floor planning for the venue it was necessary to work out how to divide the building in a way that allowed the public and private areas to be completely separate. The resolution involved placing the main and second stage so that there is room for a backstage that connects directly to the service lift. The green rooms/ artists floor also is connected to the stage spaces through the service lift, ensuring that they don’t have to enter into any public spaces to effectively navigate the building

Initially a piece of fabric was cut by using a pattern piece of the front section of a suit jacket. This pattern piece was then manipulated in various methods to create forms and then photographed from numerous angles. The fabric piece was placed inside this wooden frame structure to demonstrate a sense of space. Also so that we can begin to see how these forms might work within an interior.

EXPERIMENTS

Beginning to look into the forms of the tools of the tailoring craft allowed exploration of some more structural forms. The first series of images are edited photographs of an experimentation of pressing the fabric scissors into clay. By repeating this action multiple times there is some really strong graphic shapes created. The photos to the right show the imprint of the scissors handle and the shapes that it created.

EXPERIMENT 3 TAILORING TOOLS

This formation of the pins was created by pressing a pin cushion into clay. The pin heads became stuck in the material and so we can see now how the arrangement of the upright pins look when they are placed inside the pin cushion. When photographed from different angles there is some intriguing forms coming through. As well their is some shapes created within the imprint the pins leave in the clay.

EXPERIMENT 1 SOUNDWAVES

To explore the shapes and forms of soundwaves, it was useful to create these paper models. By manipulating an maneuvering them into different positions it helped to create ample amount of curvilinear shapes.

EXPERIMENT 03/ CROWDS

While in the modern day everyone has smartphones with torches to wave at concerts, the tradition of crowds holding up lights started with lighters. Pictured above is photo documentation of how a flame looks when first sparked. This was achieved by filming the process with a slow-motion camera and then deducting stills from the videos that show each frame.

SIMULATING CROWD VISUALS

Creating this model pictured was an attempt to simulate a visual of how a mass crowd holding up lights looks like. This was achieved by piercing many small holes into a cardboard box. String lights were placed inside the box so that it glowed from within and these small dotted lights were visible. By moving the camera while photographing the object, some shapes and forms began to emerge, as can be seen in the photos to the right.

LONG EXPOSURE EXPERIMENTATION

By using a long exposure camera setting and moving the model in large sweeping movements, these images were created. From this experiment, there is some very satisfying forms emerging. From these photographs there is visible concepts for void and atrium spaces, balconies, columns, ceiling structures and much more.

With choosing crowds as my driving design influence, I began by extracting the lines and forms visible in the above image. The light had created a spiral shape and a tunnel of sorts. By picking the centre point of the spiral and extending lines from the edge of each curve to that centre, a very art deco style fan shape began emerging. I extracted a smaller form (outlined in red) and used the form to experiment with a shape for a void in the lobby of the venue. Then I off-set the fan shape and extruded the curved forms. By placing them in the building structure I was experimenting with them perhaps being curved walls of corridors or even a structural element through a void.

I was drawn to the large vertical form that appeared as a trick of the light in the first photo here. This was immediately inspiration for a possible form that could penetrate the whole building. I extracted the shape and extruded it to rectangle form that I placed into the building to create an offset atrium through the entire venue. I played with transparency of the form, considering how it could work as a glass wall or solid wall.

With this concept I took interest in the large tilted rectangular form that emerged in the above photograph. The trick of light here created a very domineering shape. I began to experiment with how this could provide influence for architectural structure within the building. This void concept illustrated involves a sizable angled wall constructed in the front of the building. The void will be in lobby but would cut though 5 floors above basement. The materiality of the slanted wall will be somewhat transparent, perhaps glass or metal with ornamentation so as to let light penetrate the other spaces.

INTERIOR VIEWS

VOID CONCEPT 1

With this concept, the form was inspired by the photograph on the left. I constructed some shapes to replicate the forms, however in a more linear, organised manner. Then I manipulated the series of shapes into this vertebrae-like composition. With this concept the columns in the lobby are incorporated into the design. The large arched contours create a dominate structure in the foyer. The connecting bridges are an addition that add structural interest as well as providing additional space that could be incorporated into the adjacent bar.

VOID CONCEPT 3

This concept uses the curved shapes that can be identified in the below image. By simply layering and staggering the balconies, it creates a voided space with a flowing energy. When thinking about materiality, I think a metal ornamentation would provide interest and texture. While somewhat simple in form, it looks effective when viewed from the lobby perspective.

Here is an exploration of how void concept 01 could be developed. This was achieved by pushing in sections of the wall on alternate floors and hence creating a staggered effect. One of the most redeeming and appealing qualities of this concept is the balconies spaces that are created on the first and third floors. It creates nice viewing spaces of the foyer below for the patrons enjoying the bar.

FINAL CONCEPT

After looking at how the form of void one could be further developed I went and revisited the original shape and imagined how the large wall through the void could look as a feature in itself. I wanted to play with pattern here and I chose forms that I could repeat in a sequence that would then somewhat represent the idea of a crowd.

FEATURE STAIRS 1

CONNECTING THE FOYER BARS

There is a foyer bar on each the first, second, and third floors of the building. The objective of the feature staircase is to connect all of these bar spaces so that the patron can venture easily throughout. Each of the three bars will have a different selling point and so the patron will find something new to explore on each floor. The screen form around the spiral staircase provides a sense of secrecy, what the patron will find on the next floor is not obvious because their view is slightly obstructed. This provides a sense of adventure within the interior.

FEATURE STAIRS 2

This alternate design for the feature staircase uses a straight stair instead of a round one. Maintaining the same panel design but in a straight formation, creates a cage like structure surrounding the staircase. The stair design helps to incorporate the existing columns. This is achieved by creating a small rectangle atrium to the right. The atrium is enclosed with glass. This allows for the detail wall paneling to be viewed in the above and below floors.

LOBBY AREA SEATING

The foyer of the building will be an area with extremely high traffic, the hundreds of people attending the venue will all be passing through this area in order to access the rest of the building. For this reason, it is necessary to have all fixed furniture in the space. There also is not a bar in this foyer so as to not create an obvious area for over-crowding. This design for the booths incorporates the existing columns appropriately. Three booths on a raised platform, connected by a continuous wrap around seating provide ample space for patrons to sit with a drink before a show or a space to wait for friends.

FOYER BAR

The foyer bar will serve the patrons before and after they attend their respective shows. The foyers will also be suitable spaces to rent for business events and seminars. For this reason there is multiple bars and ample seating space.

The round form of the staircase concept lends itself to more organic shaped screens that divide the seating areas. There is a natural pathway that surrounds the staircase and the raised platforms off from that are where the seating areas are located. This plan allows for the patrons to venture around the bar in a path of discovery.

MAIN STAGE CONCEPT 1

The main stage, the largest show space in the venue, will occupy a large section of the rear of the building. The space will be positioned over three floors, the basement, ground and first floors. I hope that it is feasible to propose that the columns running through the middle of the space can become floating columns in the upper floors. The weight would be redistributed with steel beams and new columns placed at the perimeters of the space. With tiered seating above and standing below, I have estimated that this space will accommodate a maximum of 800 people.

MAIN STAGE

VIEW FROM STAGE

SEATING TIER

The ceiling design of the main stage area is a fixture that is constructed with a series of tiny LED light tubes. There is three sections, the two curved side sections and the middle plane that is flat. This design allows for a minimum amount of ceiling space to be occupied but with a dramatic effect. The central columns in the original plans of this space will need to be removed and the weight redistributed to the columns at the side walls of the space. The column design is as pictured, large angled structures, three flanking each wall of the space. The beams overhead will be concealed in the ceiling detail.

CEILING DETAIL

CEILING DETAIL DEVELOPMENT

SECOND STAGE

Stage 2 in the venue is for smaller events. This would be suitable for small musical acts, podcast/ comedy shows etc. It will be suitable for approx. 200 people. The main feature of the show space is the curved, dome ceiling shape, it creates an intimate environment. The stage design mimics the form of the ceiling with is curved shaped.

CONCEPT SKETCH

Further development of the second stage area saw a simplification, and deconstruction of sorts, of the curved ceiling. The final concept is this staggered arch effect with a transparent mesh material to allow for them to be illuminated from with in.

RESTAURANT

The concept for the restaurant began with this idea for the bar. It is comprised of many illuminated glass components in this curved formation that stretches up on to ceiling.

Further development of this space saw the extension of the glass ceiling detail over a larger section of the restaurant. Under this section is lower bar seating for patrons that wish to enjoy drinks or appetisers only. The rest of the ceiling is clad with a suspended grid structure. This grid structure can be seen repeated throughout the space. Mesh screens that have a grid form have been placed at perpendicular angles to create a grid form floor plan too. The existing columns in the space are clad with a wooden panel detail and a central island of booth seating has been stationed around these columns.

VIP LOUNGE DEVELOPMENT

The VIP lounge is the private section of the venue. It will be for the artists/ talent to use preshow but will also host after parties. The VIP lounge could also be used as a rent-able space for small parties as it is designed to function like a small scale late night venue/ nightclub. The lounge spans over two floors and is connected by a spiral staircase.

SKETCH VIEWS

DRESSING ROOMS

The dressing room area provides a space for the acts to prepare for a show. The ceiling concept has a likeness to the feature wall detail in the lobby void space. While this is pleasing aesthetically, it is also highly functional because a space like this needs to have ample amounts of flattering lighting.

GROUND FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR

THIRD

FOURTH FLOOR

SIXTH FLOOR

GROUND FLOOR BUILDING ALTERATIONS

BUILDING ALTERATIONS

DOOR FOR EQUIPMENT. AT STAGE

OVERVIEW

The ground floor of the building will be an extremely high traffic area. For this reason there is plenty of open space in the floor plan and all primary and secondary pathways are min. 2M wide.

In accordance with part B of the TGD, all fire exits will need to be fitted with illuminated fire exit signs. As the capacity is over 500 patrons it is also necessary that there is 3 exit routes in the main stage area. This is also vital to consider because as quoted in part B ''Stage areas present particular problems in that they present additional fire risk from the presence of combustible materials."

LEGEND

THE MAIN STAGE AREA NEEDS TO BE SUFFICIENTLY SOUNDPROOFED, THE WALL THICKNESS OF 400MM WILL ACCOMMODATE THE NECESSARY ADDITIONAL INSULATION.

WITH CAPACITY OF THE MAIN STAGE SPACE ESTIMATED AT 1500 PATRONS (IF THE GROUND LEVEL IS STANDING ONLY). THE MINIMUM RECOMMENDED QUANTITY OF WC IS:

= 18 WC, 7 BASINS, 1 WHEELCHAIR MALE = 10 WC, 5 URINALS. 6 BASINS, 1 WHEELCHAIR DUE TO THE TYPICAL SITUATION OF QUEUING FOR WC USE IN EVENTS VENUES, THE QUANTITY OF TOILETS ALLOWED FOR THE SPACES IN THIS CASE IS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN RECOMMENDED SO AS TO IMPROVE THE USER EXPERIENCE.

OVERVIEW

The ground will be an area. For plenty of plan and secondary wide. In accordance TGD, all fitted with signs. As patrons it there is 3 stage area. consider part B particular present additional the presence combustible

ACCORDING TO PART K OF THE TGD, A HANDRAIL WILL BE PLACED IN THE MIDDLE OF THESE STEPS BECAUSE THEY EXCEED 1500MM IN WIDTH

EXISTING WALLS TO BE DEMOLISHED PROPOSED WALLS

NOTES FTC 3.7M

DRAWN BY

AISLING GEOGHEGAN

STUDENT NO.

C19436042

MODULE

DESIGN RESOLUTION

PROJECT

DESIGN THESIS

DRAWING VER.SCALE

1:200 ON A3

THE FEATURE STAIRCASE THAT CONNECTS THE GROUND, FIRST, AND SECOND FLOORS WILL COMPLY WITH GUIDELINES IN PART K FOR A PUBLIC SPACE.

01 01/03/20231 OF 4

DATE SHEET

WALL THICKNESS TO ALLOW SOUNDPROOFING OF THE STAGE AREA. RESERVED FOR WHEELCHAIRS ACCESS. TURNING SPACE OF THE STAGE COMPLIANCE WITH GUIDELINES ACCESS.

400MM WALL THICKNESS TO ALLOW FOR SOUNDPROOFING OF THE SECOND STAGE AREA. SPACE RESERVED FOR WHEELCHAIRS ACCESS. AMPLE TURNING SPACE IN FRONT OF THE STAGE FOR COMPLIANCE WITH PART M GUIDELINES FOR ACCESS.

BUILDING ALTERATIONS

THIRD

THIRD AND FOURTH FLOOR

FLOOR SLAB TO BE REMOVED IN THE FRONT SECTION OF THE BUILDING TO CREATE THE LARGE VOIDED SPACE FOR THE LOBBY.

REMOVED IN THE FRONT BUILDING TO CREATE THE SPACE FOR THE LOBBY.

FOURTH FLOOR NOT TO SCALE

THE FLOOR SLAB ON THE SECOND FLOOR IS TO BE REMOVED TO ALLOW A DOUBLE HEIGHT SPACE IN THE SECOND STAGE AREA.

BUILDING ALTERATIONS

400MM WALL THICKNESS TO ALLOW FOR SOUNDPROOFING OF THE SECOND STAGE AREA.

SPACE RESERVED FOR WHEELCHAIRS ACCESS. AMPLE TURNING SPACE IN FRONT OF THE STAGE FOR COMPLIANCE WITH PART M GUIDELINES FOR ACCESS.

LEGEND

EXISTING WALLS TO BE DEMOLISHED

PROPOSED WALLS

DRAWN BY

AISLING GEOGHEGAN

STUDENT NO.

C19436042

MODULE PROJECT

DESIGN RESOLUTION

FLOOR SLAB TO BE REMOVED IN THE FRONT SECTION OF THE BUILDING TO CREATE THE LARGE VOIDED SPACE FOR THE LOBBY.

DRAWING VER.SCALE

NTS

BUILDING ALTERATIONS EXISTING WALLS TO BE DEMOLISHED PROPOSED WALLS FOURTH FLOOR

DESIGN THESIS 01 01/03/20233 OF 4

DATE SHEET

FIRST & SECOND FLOOR BUILDING ALTERATIONS

SPACE RESERVED FOR WHEELCHAIRS ACCESS 800R TURNING CIRCLE SPACE FOR COMPLIANCE WITH PART M GUIDELINES FOR ACCESS.

FLOOR SLAB REMOVED FOR THE THEATRE SPACE ON BOTH THE SECOND AND THIRD FLOORS.

PROPOSED EXTERNAL STAIRCASE THAT LEADS THE PATRON DOWN TO DAWSON LANE. IT IS NECESSARY TO HAVE TWO EXIT ROUTES TO COMPLY WITH PART B GUIDELINES. NOTE: FOR EMERGENCY USE ONLY

OVERVIEW

On both the first and second floor the existing central block of toilets will be demolished. A large section of the floor slab on each floor will also be removed for the theatre area.

EXISTING WALLS TO BE DEMOLISHED

PROPOSED WALLS

LIGHTING AND ELECTRICAL LEGEND

LIGHTING

LIGHTING AND ELECTRICAL LEGEND

CHANDELIER

CEILING HANGING PENDANT

CHANDELIER CEILING HANGING PENDANT

WALL LIGHT

WALL LIGHT

SURFACE MOUNTED

DIRECTIONAL SPOTLIGHT

RECESSED SPOTLIGHT

SURFACE MOUNTED DIRECTIONAL SPOTLIGHT

SEMI FLUSH SURFACE MOUNTED CEILING LIGHT

RECESSED SPOTLIGHT

SURFACE MOUNTED SPOT LIGHT

SEMI FLUSH SURFACE MOUNTED CEILING LIGHT

HANGING PENDANT LIGHT (LONG)

FLUORESCENT LIGHT

SURFACE MOUNTED SPOT LIGHT HANGING PENDANT

FITTED LED STRIP LIGHT

MEGUMI PENDANT AR A1100-25 CROPI WALL WD 144264 SQUBE ON BASE 1.0 LED WD 152161B9 DEEPER 1.0 LED ART ARN4000 ROSEHILL SEMI-FLUSH

FEATURE WALL CONSTRUCTION DETAIL

This construction detail explores a possible solution for how the large feature wall in the lobby area could be made. The structure will have manufacturing challenges due to the angled nature of the wall. The scale is also an element that needs consideration. The construction needs to be completed with a system of smaller components to make it assembly less logistically challenging. The wall will have lights fitted throughout and so electrical fittings need to be carefully considered also.

FRAMEWORK SUPPORTS RECESSED INTO FLOOR

HOW SOUND TRAVELS

Reflection is when sound bounces off a surface back into the room. Hard surfaces reflect more sound than soft ones, so rooms with mainly hard surfaces tend to be louder.

The sum of all the reflections in a room is called reverberation. Large spaces with hard surfaces have long reverberation time (RT), which is the time it takes for a sudden sound to die away. Where good speech intelligibility matters, as in a classroom or a meeting room, RT should ideally be under half a second. In most social spaces (including open plan offices), it should be well under one second.

REFLECTION ABSORPTION

Absorption is when sound energy is transformed into heat energy – usually by a soft surface ¬– and disappears. The absorbency of a material is noted with a number between 0 and 1, where 0 is complete reflection and 1 is complete absorption.

Two measurements for absorption which are similar but not directly comparable are the US-based sound absorption average (SAA) and the increasingly universal weighted sound absorption coefficient (Alpha-w). For simplicity, the International Standards Organization has created sound absorption class (SAC), which groups Alpha-w’s into brands from A (most absorbent) to E (least absorbent).

TRANSMISSION

Transmission happens when sound passes through a surface and can be heard on the other side. Most surfaces will reflect or absorb some sound, so not all the sound reaches the other side; this reduction is called attenuation. Attenuation of 10 dB means that sound seems half as loud on the other side.

The structure and finishing of an auditorium must ensure that every spectator can hear the performance clearly and without distortion. Performers also need to be able to hear each other well enough to play as an ensemble. This is made possible by taking into account the acoustics of the space. Several elements have a role. The audience mostly perceives direct sound when they are close to the stage, which outweighs the weaker late reflections off the room’s surfaces. Listeners can hear a combination of direct sound and reflected sound coming from further from the stage as a succession of distinct reflections that are separated in time. The reflected sound should be delivered in a systematic manner, retaining the authenticity of the direct sound, supporting it, and devoid of loud, long-delayed reflections or echoes that would detract from the sound’s quality.

Reverberation is to sound what reflection is to light. Also known as resonance, reverberation refers to the amount of time it takes a sound to dissipate. As sound waves bounce off surfaces in interior spaces, such as ceiling tiles and wall panels, noise builds up and reflects back on itself, reducing its clarity and making it harder to understand. It’s different from an echo, in which there’s a delay between the original sound and its fainter answer. The volume of any room has a direct relationship to its reverberation time and it is therefore important to establish the correct volume for a particular performance type, or range of types, at an early stage.

INTERIOR ELEMENTS

Many elements, like doors, wall systems etc. are part of the auditorium’s sound isolation. Such elements can be lab tested before installation to measure their sound proofing effectiveness, given as the Weighted Sound Reduction Index, Rw, measured in dB.

DOORS

An auditorium includes doors for entry and exit, as well as potential emergency exits or entrances to other rooms (projection room, room behind the screen etc.). A single acoustic door with Rw > 45 dB could be acceptable if the room on the opposite side of it is silent. Special acoustic doors with greater Rw values (> 50 dB) must be used for improved sound isolation, however even when motorised, these doors are frequently heavy, constructed of metal, and difficult for the general public to handle. A vestibule between the theatre and its surroundings might be a preferable alternative.

VESTIBULE

A vestibule is a small space with a door leading to the theatre and another leading to the area outside. Construction of the vestibule and the doors must be planned to provide an adequate level of noise suppression. Such a space will shield the theatre from outside light and sound leaks. Matte black should cover every surface in the vestibule, and if required, there should be lights there that can be dimmed throughout the performance.

FLOORING

Flooring is one of the simplest ways to reduce the impact of noise in enclosed spaces. This is clear in the case of carpet since we know intuitively that softer surfaces are quieter. Hard flooring, on the other hand, is coming up as an attractive and sound-absorbing choice.

WALLS

The degree to which an auditorium is acoustically separated from its surroundings is measured using the sound reduction index (Dw). Dw is an onsite decibel (dB) measurement that uses a weighting curve that is similar to dBA. Dw levels of 65 dB or higher may be acceptable if the ambient noise level is modest. The Dw value must be greater and 70-75 dB is frequently necessary if there are two neighboring auditoriums with shared walls or other environments with strong noise levels. The Dw value should be 70-75 dB or greater if low noise levels are required in adjacent rooms or other building areas, such as flats or workplaces.

The auditorium’s walls have a significant role in the acoustics of the space. As the materials used to shorten the reverberation period are often soft, harm might be caused intentionally or by mistake. It could be a good idea to use solid, perforated panels, cassettes, or something similar with dampening material behind them to protect the walls from harm. This will preserve the walls’ acoustical qualities while also protecting them.

MATERIALS

Using a combination of soft and dispersing materials will be quite beneficial for the waves that reach the rear wall. Diffusers mounted on the rear wall allow sound waves to propagate throughout the space. Your walls may absorb waves exactly where you want them to by using acoustical panels.

Softer materials, like carpet, fiberglass insulation, and foam padding, have a capacity to absorb sound well, whereas tougher materials, like concrete and brick, have a propensity to reflect it. Wood can effectively reflect sound, but it can also absorb it if holes are made through it.

SOUND SYSTEMS

The best sound will come from speakers facing the audience, and doing so will also lessen the strength of sound waves that bounce off the rear wall. If you have the resources, you can raise the speakers by dangling them from the ceiling to create acoustically superior angles. Many of those direct reflections from the rear wall can be reduced by turning the speakers to face the audience.

Regular ventilation at concerts is an important preventive measure. Enclosed places like concert venues require facility operators to ensure a reasonable rate of airflow to avoid stale air. Quality ventilation systems in the building are essential for reducing the spread of airborne diseases such as SARS. Ventilation also helps with crowd control and temperature regulation within the venue, making it comfortable for patrons and staff alike.

Legal requirements set high standards for air changes in the theatre, with a typical fresh air intake of 8 litres per second per participant. These enormous quantities of air must be delivered at low velocity due to acoustical requirements. This demands that the cross sections of the supply and extract ducts be quite big. It might be challenging to weave these components into an existing structure or even to prepare for a new one. The choice between a complete air conditioning system and a simpler heating and ventilation plan might be marginal in temperate areas.

Audiences should experience comfortable temperatures, humidity levels, and air velocity while avoiding extremes of stuffiness (stagnation) and draughts (excessive air movement). The acceptable indoor air temperature is influenced by the local climate. Higher internal temperatures can be tolerated by those who live in warmer environments. In Ireland, audiences might consider an internal design temperature of 22°C and a relative humidity (RH) of 50% to be typical; but, in tropical regions, audiences would find 35°C and 80% RH to be acceptable. In colder areas and throughout the winter, similar fluctuations apply.

Heating is typically only needed to get the auditorium warm before the audience arrives in temperate climates. The provision of clean, cold air is essential during a performance. The two main air distribution models are as follows. In the first, cold air is introduced at a high level and mixes with the ambient air to provide, on average, a pleasant environment across the room. Extraction is often done at a low level and placed to encourage excellent airflow throughout the room. The second delivers the cooled air at a low elevation, close to the audience. As the chilled air heats, it is then dragged upward and removed at a high altitude.

A natural ventilation plan has basic logic since it makes use of forces found in nature. The ‘stack effect’ refers to the ability for rising heated air to draw in colder air from the exterior of a structure. Although this internal impact can be overridden by external wind forces, there are straightforward ways for modifying and correcting. Allowing air to travel in accordance with natural principles rather than exerting energy to force it to move in the opposite direction makes perfect sense. Such tactics lessen the need for large mechanical equipment, promote energy efficiency, and cut operating expenses.

When regulatory standards for fresh air supply were introduced, it complicated the use of natural ventilation systems. Mechanical systems that were more dependable, easier to build, and substantiate had been created by this point. However at the same time, their use has come under scrutiny as a result of growing interest in sustainability and advancements in natural ventilation technology. It is now completely possible to ventilate a small auditorium by natural means in a temperate climate and in a quiet location, despite the design challenges presented by the need to balance the large amounts of air needed with the attendant acoustic issues caused by the large openings required in the external building fabric. The design of the building fabric  might also be advantageous. Heavy buildings can reduce heat gain and provide coolness at night.

VENTILATION

Mechanical ventilation is still necessary for larger projects that are located in urban areas, on busy and loud construction sites, or under more extreme weather situations. Yet, these systems have become far more ecologically friendly and economically viable to operate when integrated with heat recovery and structured to cooperate with natural air flow patterns.

PRE-COOLING

Reducing the size of the plant in the building is possible with the use of a pre-cooling approach. As auditoriums are not always in use, there is a chance to pre-cool the air in the room before the audience arrives. The air is cooled several degrees below the intended temperature. The audience then begins to come, and the show begins as the ambient temperature progressively increases. Pre-cooling typically takes an hour, although some theatres have the capacity to resume the process at intervals by supplying bigger volumes of colder air.

High-level diffusers provide the cooled air to the desired location. Due to heat absorption from high-level lighting equipment and the rising heat produced by the crowd itself, the air is provided at a colder temperature than what is needed by the audience. Under seating levels or seats, air is vented or returned at low level. In multi-level settings, high-level supply might come solely from the ceiling or in combination with distribution at the rear of sitting tiers.

Winter pre-heating functions similarly to summer preheating. Before the crowd enters, the auditorium is warmed. The heat generated by the audience, lights, and equipment then balances off the heat lost through the fabric and ventilation, allowing the mechanical system to operate with the fewest resources possible by simply heating fresh air.

Auden Theatre in Norfolk, UK. The natural ventilation strategy draws cool air into the building at low level, as the air is warmed it rises within the auditorium volume and is exhausted at high level through wind towers, assisted by the prevailing winds.

Low Level  air distribution is presently the most popular. The air is provided at about 20° C under the seats, in the riser or seat base, with a “displacement” mechanism. In order to achieve a pleasant temperature in the seating area, the air is delivered at low velocity and at a temperature that is only 2° C below the operating temperatures. Hence, cooled air is given right where it is needed, close to the audience. Low air velocities are necessary to ensure comfort without draughts, which also minimises supply air noise issues. Then, high-level exhaust or return air extraction occurs. A system like this for ventilation relies on warm air naturally rising in a stack.

Example: Auden Theatre ventilation strategy

Example: Ventilation under seating solutions

Above are some initial renders of the lobby space. While the colour palette emerging is attractive, the space still lacked some atmosphere. It was apparent that showcasing the space during the daytime wasn’t helping. The carpet was also overpowering the space here and required some alteration.

This conference and multi-use space was where I played with the idea of introducing some alternative colour palettes in to the building however the blue didn’t feel harmonious enough with the rest of the spaces and so I re-introduced the tobacco shade here.

LOBBY

CONFERENCE/ MULTI USE SPACE

This lounge space proved to be a challenge to light correctly so that the ambiance was preserved but that the colours could also be prominent. There was also a challenge of showcasing this space with a wide enough angle to do it the most justice. Ultimately, I thought that the space would be better showcased with the use of a 2D elevation as it would better display the relationship that the VIP bar and lounge spaces have together.

With the second stage area, while the colour palette was working here, their was a disconnect with the use of the space and the choice of materiality on the columns. The intention of the space was that it would feel warm and welcoming and to achieve this is was necessary to introduce some softer textiles and fabric to the space, which would also be more efficient in terms of acoustics.

This was a preliminary render of the rooftop restaurant space. The chosen view here was an attempt to showcase ceiling detail over the bar area, however it was not effectively communicating the use of the space.

VIP

Above shows the first iteration of the main stage design. To begin with, the palette was very typical and traditional of a theatre space with the use of the red/burgundy tones, combined with the dark walnut. The introduction of the curved panels to the side walls added some additional interest bu perhaps were overdominating due to their scale. The lighting of the space was also very cold and lacked ambiance.

With this next iteration of the space I began experimenting with the materiality of the tilted columns in the space. The previous version with the marble felt like it was falling flat and so I introduced this gold and while I appreciated the warmth that this material brought the space, the placement still felt wrong. I was also experimenting with adding more graphic patterns to the booth seating and the flooring.

With this next iteration, I began to play with an alternative colour palette and introduced these warmer mustard and tobacco colours. I also tried many other types of patterned fabric on the seating. I returned to a marble texture on the columns but tired a stronger veined calcetta. This was getting closer to the imagined space however the tones were still slightly off and the lighting still slightly too cold.

This is the penultimate iteration of the main stage visuals. The visual embodies most of the characteristics of the final design but still has some differences. This iteration saw the removal of the wooden side paneling and an introduction of some flatter acoustic panels with a copper foil finish. This helped immensely with the distribution of light throughout the space and as a result gives it a larger feel.

The primary colour palette for the building interior will be this warm analogous palette above. With using this palette the aim is to curate an environment that is warm, inviting and flattering. These rich colours provide a sense of opulence. These colours will be paired with warm wood tones and low lighting throughout the spaces in the venue.

MATERIAL SELECTION

#AD7803 #B36204 #9C3E0B

#7D1D0A #540008

WARM ANALOGOUS PALETTE

WALNUT

AGED BRASS DETAILED GLASS

GRAPHIC PATTERNS LEATHER TEXTURED PLASTER

WARM PALETTE TYPOLOGIES

LOBBY DESIGN

The design of the lobby space needed to make a bold and welcoming statement. As you enter, your eyes are immediately drawn to the large feature wall, which serves as the centerpiece of the space. The large slanted wall that penetrates the void is ornamented with a series of round, metal-spun hemispheres. This prominent use of metal is a nod to the history of the building with it being home to Maguire and Gatchall (a metalwork merchants) in the past. As well as this, the use of metal here has a very musical communication as the forms are indicative of brass instruments. The warm colour palette of these gold, rust and amber tones makes for a inviting ambiance but is also moody and flattering on the patrons.

MAIN STAGE DESIGN

The main theatre space is crucial for the identity of the venue. With this space in particular, the design started with finding a solution for the need to remove the three existing columns that are in the centre of the space. The proposed solution is to remove these columns from the centre and redistribute the weight to the side walls by installing beams in the ceiling. The side columns are designed to have a slanted form that mimics the language of the feature wall in the lobby space. The ceiling detail is constructed from many brass cylindrical LED lights. The intention behind the ceiling detail is that all of the lights are a reflection of the crowd below. The curved modular seating alternates in size to accommodate different size groups of patrons but could also be entirely removed for a show that requires standing space.

VIP BAR DESIGN

The VIP bar area is a private bar for the acts, their entourage and special guests. The space could also be available for private renting and as it is connected to the VIP lounge below, it could serve well a space for hosting parties too. The ceiling detail is the most dominant design feature of the space, the sunburst effect emits from the the spiral stair that leads down to the VIP lounge.

DRESSING ROOM DESIGN

The dressing room provides an area for hairdressers, makeup artists and stylists to work from in order to get the acts ready for a show. The concept of the central station means that the space feels communal and conversational but while still providing enough individual space. This type of room requires ample and flattering lighting and so the solution I came up with was this ceiling detail that provides enough light and also mimics the form of the feature wall structure in the lobby and hence carrying the concept throughout the building.

SECOND STAGE DESIGN

The second stage area will seat approximately 200 people and will be suitable for smaller shows or screenings, like comedy shows or live podcast shows but also could maybe host a screening for a small film premiere. The staggered, illuminated mesh arches provide visual architectural interest but are not intrusive to the show space. The curtain walls provide warmth and acoustic stabilisation, as well as this, the columns are clad with wooden acoustic panels to absorb sound. The metal sunburst on the rear wall is a design detail that links in with the VIP bar and lounge areas.

CONFERENCE/ MULTI-USE SPACE DESIGN

The purpose of this space is to primarily host conferences or even corporate dinners/awards. For this reason there is a dedicated space for storage of extra banquet tables and chairs in the rear of the room. The space also has it’s own dedicated bar so that it can fully function in isolation should it be rented out privately. In addition to private rental, this room could also be used by artists to host meet and greets with fans. The space has direct connection and access to the private quarters of the building by way of the backstage area of the second stage.

RESTAURANT DESIGN

The rooftop restaurant design carries through many elements of the design language of the rest of the building, however it is slightingly manipulated to have it’s own unique identity. For example, the bar/ ceiling detail is embodying the concept of crowds with the many LEDs, in the same way that the Main Stage area does, but in more linear fashion in this space. As well, the grid form on the ceiling is the same language as the feature wall grid structure in the lobby and also the ceiling in the dressing room area.

GREEN ROOMS DESIGN

The greens function as a comfortable space for the artists and performers to relax and prepare for the show. Each green room has a private en-suite with a shower and a small kitchenette area.

TOILET DESIGN

It is important to consider the design of the toilet spaces in an events venue as it will undoubtedly be a part of every patrons experience of the venue. The design of these toilets is driven by this graphic paper on the ceiling and top half of the walls above this stacked subway tile. The sink area makes a statement with this strong veined marble and gold sanitary ware.

VIP BAR AND LOUNGE RENDERED ELEVATION

This 2D elevation shows how the VIP bar and lounge areas communicate with each other. This brass spiral staircase connects the two spaces, the upstairs provides the bar service and below is a moodier and more relaxed atmosphere. In conjunction with each other, these spaces have a likeness to a nightclub or even private members club.