Bath Film Institute

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Basil Spence Project 2014 Group 22

Jack Kerr Stephen Oldham Adam Park Hun Pu Simon Welbirg

Sterility defines the modern condition and cinema has seemingly devolved into an industry driven by commerce. The role of the spectator has diminished to one whereby cinema is now considered a purely visual art. To this extent, the modern cinematic experience lacks the complete tactile and emotive connection between 'spectator' and 'spectacle' required for complete detachment and suspension of disbelief.

There is a need to re-enchant the cinema as a machine for mediating more successfully between reality and fantasy, presenting a wholly enriching experience.

CONTENTS

01 Introduction & Analysis

03 05 07 09 11 13 15 17 21

The Brief & Response Bath - The City and Site Site Considerations Concept (Macro) - Re-Enchanting the River Corridor Concept (Meso) - Threshold - Above/Below Concept (Micro) - The Plinth & ‘Lantern’ Concept (Nano) - The ‘Core’ & ‘Screen’ Scheme Development Precedents

23 Scheme

25 27 29 31 32 33 35 36 37 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 53 55 56 57

Scheme Overview Cinema Experience Narrative & Storyboard Riverside View Site Plan Lower Ground Plan Ground Floor Plan First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan Roof Plan East Elevation South Elevation Long Section Short Section Sectional Perspective Sectional Perspective Model Park View Landscape - A Tangible Fantasy River Flood Strategy Swing Bridge Design

59 Tectonics

61 65

73

79

83

89 93 94

Materiality Rough/Pure

Light, Form, Surface Tectonics and Materiality

Core Wall Conditions

Animated Facade

Plinth - Interaction with the wall

Performance Core

Plinth Wall Structure - Crinkle-Crankle Core

An Integrated Solution

Immersive, Permeable, Interactive Realisation Construction

Construction Sequence

Exploded Isometric

Scale Concrete Wall Casting Environmental Strategy

Plinth, Core, Facade

Heating and Cooling

Daylight, Energy & Ventilation

Breathable Core Model Photos Night View Conclusion

INTRODUCTION & ANALYSIS

THE BRIEF & RESPONSE Is the screen inert; reflecting something back to us or is it the recipient of our own projections?

CINEMA AND FILM Film, perhaps above any other art form, has the ability to detach the observer from 'reality' and evoke emotion and imagination. The screen forms a threshold between conscious reality outside of the cinema and the unconscious fantasy world of film. It is whilst in this state of suspended reality that the cinemagoer attaches their own interpretation and emotion to the projected image.

BRIEF The Bath Film Festival is the city’s principal cultural event. The creation of a Film Institute will support this event whilst providing a year-round cultural hub at the heart of the city. The project also presents an opportunity to reinvigorate Parade Gardens as a site of significance, enriching the life of the city centre and its wider context, within the theme of 'Betwixt and Between.'

RESPONSE The modern cinematic experience suppresses the ability of film to transcend reality, focusing on commercial entertainment over the art of storytelling. Sterility defines this modern condition, far removed from the enchantment of the Picture Palaces of old. Our aim is to provide Bath with a Film Institute which can extend the mediation between 'reality' and 'fantasy' created by film beyond the walls of the cinema, to instead encompass the wider city context. It is important for us to create a Film Institute which has the ability to both engage with the city and facilitate detachment from it. The Institute will therefore aim to enrich one's filmic experience whilst contributing to the cultural vibrancy of Bath.

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"Alice finds a door that leads to“the loveliest garden you ever saw."

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Illustration by John Tenniel, 1865

BATH THE CITY

The City of Bath is a world heritage site situated on the banks of the River Avon, characterised by Georgian architecture throughout the urban fabric.

The overall urban planning of the city is a combination of large Georgian squares and parades overlaid onto a medieval street layout. Our site is placed at the heart of Bath - an area currently known as Parade Gardens.

Located at the base of the Avon Valley, the surrounding hills provide a constant green backdrop to the city. Green spaces within the centre of Bath are limited, with the exception of the Rec and Parade Gardens sited on opposing sides of the River Avon.

In this respect our site offers a unique opportunity to merge landscape with urban fabric and enhance the city centre.

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BATH History of Parade Gardens

THE SITE

1568 Walled and protected.

Abandoning the river as a resource.

1610 The city attempts to utilise the river with the monks from the abbey installing a mill and weir.

Currently, Parade Gardens is a controlled access Victorian-esque garden, manicured and interspersed by flower beds and large Plane trees. The history of the site and its use reveals a tendency for the city to turn its back to the river and to abandon, rather than embrace, this natural and beautiful resource.

Historically, the medieval city wall pushed the river to the periphery while the construction of the Georgian city elevated itself above the river level, disconnecting it further.

Even today when inhabiting Parade Gardens there is a curious sense of disconnection - that it belongs neither to the city nor the river, separated by changes in elevation and dense lines of trees along the riverside.

1795 The riverbank is turned into an orchard which lies outside of the city boundary.

1810 The riverbank area provides green space to the city for sport and recreation.

SITE CONSIDERATIONS

CULTURAL NODE Potential to formalise Orange Grove as an urban square of huge significance in the city centre.

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ENHANCED CONNECTIONS There is a need to strenghten east-west connectons and for the city to embrace the river.

GREEN HEART Vision for Parade Gardens to be a more accessible, vibrant landscape at the heart of the city.

LEVELS There is a need for greater connectivity between the city, park and river.

CONCEPT - MACRO RE-ENCHANTING THE RIVER CORRIDOR

RIVERSIDE REJUVENATION AT A CITY SCALE Our wider aim for the site was concerned with addressing the relationship of Bath with the River Avon. To date, a curious association has existed between the two whereby, particularly since the Georgian period, the river has been neglected and given little prominence in the cultural (and aesthetic) life of the city. To first consider the wider context of the site and its riverside position was motivation to design a scheme which embraced the waterfront, forging stronger connections to the city, and re-enchanting the presently lamentable state of this under-utilised landscape.

Our vision for this transformation was two-fold: 1) Animate the river itself by allowing the city’s waterways to be completely navigable.

2) Re-landscape Parade Gardens and surrounding riverbanks - return to ‘wilderness’ reminiscent of the rural character of the city’s surroundings.

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Vision for a reinvigorated ‘green heart’ and river corridor

CONCEPT - MESO THRESHOLD - ABOVE/BELOW

MEDIATION BETWEEN CITY & LANDSCAPE AT A SITE SCALE Our wider site aim introduced landscape as an important consideration and highlighted further the site’s duality resulting from the difference in level of Parade Gardens (the natural level of Bath) and the elevated Georgian streetscape. It is our aspiration for the scheme to mediate succesfully the transition between city and landscape, serving as a threshold at the north end of the site.

Furthermore, film is a mediator between the realms of fantasy and reality/mythos and logos. Our building aims to echo this dialogue when considering one’s entrance from the urban ‘reality’ of the city and ultimate realease into the ‘fantasy’ riverside landscape below. Transition through the building therefore represents a mediating, experiential process where one is immersed in film.

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“The message of the movie medium is that of transition.”

- McLuhan

‘FANTASY’

‘REALITY’

Strategic positioning between city and park

CONCEPT - MICRO THE PLINTH & ‘LANTERN’

PROGRAMMATIC SCALE - GROUNDED PLINTH & ELEVATED ‘LANTERN’ Historically, photography and film were captured in ‘negative’ and then inverted by exposure to reveal the final image(s). This introduces a relationship of reciprocity which is similarly expressed by our building. The topography of the site dictates that one enters at ‘street level,’ above which the urban fabric of the city is built, and below which is the level of the park and subterranean landscape of Bath’s vaults. Sectionally therefore our building is idealised as being composed of three elements - a public mediating plaza level, a plinth enclosing spaces below and an elevated volume above.

We envisage this volume to be a magnetic illuminated object projecting its presence in the city at night. The ‘magic lantern’ animated by light and activity within expresses the cinema building itself as a motion picture, observable from the outside.

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Positive & Negative / Above & Below

CONCEPT - NANO THE ‘CORE’ & ‘SCREEN’

AN EXPRESSIVE SKIN AND IMMERSIVE HEART Cinema relies on a screen to be the medium of interaction with its audience. In our building this idea is transposed into the handling of the external skin. While the plinth is solid and grounded, the rest of the building is wrapped in an ethereal glass facade. Circulation directly behind this animates the facade of the building analogous to projections onto a cinema screen - people outside the building are an audience to the activity of those inside.

Cinema ultimately is an immersive experience whereby one is able to transcend reality. In this way, we conceived the cinema spaces to be contained within a core structure - an immersive heart where one’s journey through the building reaches climax, and detachment from the reality of the world outside is facilitated.

This core later becomes a vital part of the design, integrating architectural narrative with structural, environmental and acoustic strategies.

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“The value of film... is in images and feelings it entices in our soul.�

- Lang

Inner Core / Outer Screen

SCHEME DEVELOPMENT 01 - ENGAGE THE RIVER

Our initial move was to arrange the building into separate blocks beside the river in an attempt to activate the waterfront. This reflected our wider site aim to strenghten connections between the city and river.

The blocks respond to the different levels of the site with monolithic volumes at street level and transparent public space below, open to the park and river. One's journey to the Film Institute would lead them down into the park, thus detaching them from the city. Ascension into the solid cinema volumes above facilitates immersion. This movement from park level, where one is grounded, up into the cinema volumes also reflects the ability of film to remove an audience from 'reality' and suspend them in 'fantasy.'

East-west connection is provided by a bridge from Parade level across the site. The direct nature of this serves to reinforce the relationship with the river, and focuses visitors across to the eastern bank when they exit the cinemas onto the bridge.

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02 - URBAN FRONTAGE

The notion of 'threshold' was developed and we wanted the building to mediate between the city and park more successfully. As such we moved the building blocks to create a strong urban frontage at street level to the west of the site. Space below and between the volumes bleeds into the park, with landscape generating forms, roofs and terraces engaging the river.

At street level, the building appears monolithic and formal, addressing the surrounding architecture of the city. The solidity of the blocks also reflects the immersive nature of the cinemas contained within.

We considered landscape to be an integral part of the design, conceiving it as the ultimate destination for visitors - a 'fantasy' realm extending one's filmic experience beyond the cinemas themselves. The narrative was very much that one enters from the city at street level, becomes immersed in film and is finally released into the landscape beyond. In this way, the Institute is a threshold from the city into the park.

SCHEME DEVELOPMENT 03 - PLAZA & LANDSCAPE

Since the connection between city and park was so important to us, we wanted to retain as much of Parade Gardens as possible to be landscape. Separating the building into distinct volumes resulted in much of the site being covered, so at this stage we conceived the building as a more unified entity to the north of the site. This positioning creates stronger connection to the city with a large plaza at street level, and also retains a significant area of park to the south.

Programatically the building is arranged with a public level leading from a plaza, sandwiched by small cinemas above and large cinema below. The large cinema is a multi-functional space with movable seats and walls on a counterweight system, allowing it to be opened completely to the landscape beyond.

On plan, the main rectangular volume mediates between the plaza and landscape. A semi-transparent glass facade is animated by activity within the building, introducing our concept of the 'screen.'

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04 - PLINTH & 'LANTERN'

The final iteration was a simplification of form, achieved by distilling the notion of a plinth at park level and a volume of urban scale above. The plinth encloses the 'Institute' - an educational and interactive floor with the two smaller cinemas contained within a core at the heart of the building.

This is conceived as the primary space to be used in the day and so consequently opens up to the park. One storey above the plinth is the main cinema/ performance space - a single immersive space. Between these is a mediating public floor at street level.

At this stage, the concrete core became an integral part of our design. Since the large cinema is elevated, our structural solution resulted in two 'crinkle-crankle' concrete walls running through the building from top to bottom. All three cinema spaces are contained within this core which is the immersive heart of the Film Institute.

The volume on top of the plinth therefore consists of the concrete core with circulation around, all wrapped in a semi-transparent cast glass facade.

Since this main performance space will primarily be used at night, the building appears as a 'lantern,' animated by light and people circulating inside.

Plinth

Open to Landscape

Volume Above Plinth

City & Park Connected

PRECEDENTS

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NELSON-ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART, Steven Holl Architects, Kansas City, USA, 2007

KUNSTHAUS BREGENZ, Peter Zumthor, Bregenz, Austria, 1997

Translucent cast glass injects light into the gallery spaces during the day. At night its glow illuminates the surrounding sculpture park and the building becomes an 'objet d'art' itself.

A concrete core defines gallery spaces at the heart of the building, with circulation spaces behind an external cast glass facade.

The Museum is conceived as five 'lenses' woven into the landscape which focus movement through the site.

"From the outside, the building looks like a lamp. It absorbs the changing light of the sky, the haze of the lake, it reflects light and colour and gives an intimation of its inner life according to the angle of vision, the daylight and the weather." – Peter Zumthor

CENTRE GEORGES POMPIDOU, Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers Paris, France, 1977

BRISTOL HARBOURSIDE, Grant Associates Bristol, UK, 2008

Engages the city by creating a large public plaza and constraining its footprint to one edge of the site.

The primary vertical circulation hangs off the front facade, animating the elevation through the movement of visitors.

Regeneration project for Bristol’s harbourside strengthens the connection between city and waterfront through the creation of a series of enchanting inhabitable green corridors.

This concern for city, landscape and waterfront engaging one another is an important aspect of our scheme.

SCHEME

SCHEME OVERVIEW

The main strategic moves of our final scheme can be summarised as follows:

1 Positioning of the building to the north of the site to retain significant area of landscape and engage the urban square in front of the Abbey. Terraced landscape to embrace river.

2 Creation of a plinth level extending the Georgian 'Parade' to form a plaza accessible from the street.

3 Cast-glass volume above the plinth. Semi-transparent facade animated by circulation within.

4 Fully integrated concrete crinkle-crankle core running through the building to house the immersive cinema spaces at the heart of the Film Institute.

URBAN GESTURE & ACCESSIBLE RIVERSIDE LANDSCAPE The creation of the plaza is a strong urban gesture and very much defines the building as a threshold between the city and park. The plinth reads as an extension of the Georgian Parade level of the city, embedding the building into the subterranean language of Bath's vaults and engaging the natural level of the city. Urban in scale, the volume above the plinth addresses the city and surrounding context.

The juxtaposition of plinth and glass box reflects the ability of film to mediate between the different worlds of 'reality' and 'fantasy,' and that of our building to mediate between city and landscape.

The park is made accessible and engages the river with habitable terraces.

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Long Section through City

SECTIONAL ORGANISATION Sectionally, the building is very simply organised into a public street-level floor sandwiched by cinema spaces - the large multi-functional 'Performance' auditorium above; the smaller 'Institute' cinemas below.

PERFORMANCE (Night) PUBLIC PLAZA (Mediating between city and park) INSTITUTE (Day) The narrative for the different cinema volumes is dependent on the time of day. The plinth containing the 'Institute' will be primarily used in the day providing access to the park. The elevated main auditorium will primarily be used at night when the surrounding cast glass facade is lit and animated. The different cinema spaces therefore have their own distinct environments.

Approach View from City

CINEMA EXPERIENCE 4 DISTINCT ENVIRONMENTS

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Tangible fantasy - the screen glows in the landscape

Act of ascension - the means of detachment and enlightenment

PICTURES IN THE PARK

PREMIERE

The outdoor park space is liberated allowing large performance, events and festivals to be hosted.

On these evening occasions, the films will be projected onto the concrete south-facing facade of the Institute, creating a unique experience within the landscape.

Cinema 1, the largest performance space holding a maximum capacity of 750, is celebrated as the 'premiere' venue. Taken up through the building's facade and arriving at the core, one becomes detached from the normality of public life and immersed into the experience of cinema.

Descent to the earth - becoming grounded and lost in one's self

Descent to the earth - journey of shared solitude

CINEMA

SOCIAL

Cinema 2 primarily shows popular and mainstream films, catering for a whole range of audiences; both young and old. Located at the core of the plinth, it is at the centre of activity and interaction, allowing one to journey between the crinkle-crankle walls before arriving in the cinema itself.

Cinema 3 serves as a more luxurious and social space, including an in-house bar and gallery. It primarily shows independent, vintage and locally made films, seeking to encourage an interesting and more diverse experience of cinema. Designed as a permeable and flexible space, it works in conjunction with exhibition events and social gatherings, with direct access into the park.

NARRATIVE & STORYBOARD AN EXPERIENTIAL PROMENADE

Bath is upheld as the ‘Promenading City’ and we considered one’s journey through our building as an extension of this existing narrative for the city.

Beginning therefore as one of many amongst the streets, the building might welcome visitors in the following sequence. One’s experience changes depending on the time of day (at night the elevated main cinema becomes the focus, whereas in the day the primary activities occur within the plinth providing connection to the park), however four distinct phases of transition still occur.

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NIGHT

DETACHMENT

DAY

INTERACTION

IMMERSION

RELEASE

RIVERSIDE VIEW

SITE PLAN

5m

20 10

35

Bridge

LOWER GROUND PLAN Bar

INTERACTION & IMMERSION

Mediateque

Store

Foyer/Exhibiton

Meeting Proj.

Classroom Meeting

Studio

Cinema 2

Riverside Terraces

Studio Classroom

Cinema 3

Recording Studio

Foyer/ Exhibiton

Bar & Gallery

Bar & Gallery

Proj.

2m 4

33

Steps from Plaza

10 15

Office

Exit to Park

Foyer/ Exhibiton

Plant

Editing Studios

Exhibition Space/Foyer

Studio Space

Cinema 3

GROUND FLOOR PLAN Plaza

PUBLIC MEDIATION

Reception & Ticket Office

Shop

Store/Plant

Servery

Steps to Park

Cafe

External Seating

2m

10 4

35

15

Steps to Park

FIRST FLOOR PLAN PERFORMANCE

Bar/Lower Foyer

Dressing Room

Dressing Room

Plant/Store

Main Foyer & Bar Cinema 1

2m

10 4

15

SECOND FLOOR PLAN PERFORMANCE

Upper Foyer

Cinema 1 Cinema 1

2m

10 4

37

15

ROOF PLAN

Viewing Balcony

Kitchen

Restaurant

Rooftop Garden/Private External Performance

2m

10 4

15

EAST ELEVATION 2m

10 4

39

15

SOUTH ELEVATION 2m

10 4

41

15

LONG SECTION 2m

10 4

43

15

SHORT SECTION 2m

10 4

45

15

SECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE

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1:100 SECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE MODEL

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PARK VIEW

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LANDSCAPE A TANGIBLE FANTASY

EMBRACE THE RIVER Terracing makes the waterside more accessible and inviting, reconnecting the city to its natural asset.

Wetlands reintroduces wild riverside character.

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Our building was conceived as a ‘threshold' mediating between city and landscape, similar to how film can be said to mediate between reality and fantasy. To this analogy we considered the elevated cityscape of Bath to be one’s reality, and the landscape below a ‘fantasy’ realm.

EXTERNAL PERFORMANCE AND THE VAULTS Walkway at the edge of the site engages the neighbouring vaults which might be used for additional cafe/ restaurant/workshop spaces. Seating also allows external projections onto building to be viewed.

“What modern movies lack is the wind in the trees.”

- D.W.Griffith

AN INVITING, INHABITABLE LANDSCAPE Reclamation of the park as an open, accessible feature of the city centre. Landscaped steps down each side of the plaza soften the transition and provide seating as further space to inhabit.

An enchanting landscape as the endpoint to one’s journey through the Film Institute is designed to challenge the notion of ‘fantasy’ inherent with cinema. Whilst one might experience a digital world of fantasy watching a film, we wanted to extend this transition. Our landscape serves as a tangible fantasy, softening one’s reconnection to city life.

WILDERNESS - A TRULY GREEN HEART TO THE CITY Far removed from the previous formality of Parade Gardens, a free and natural landscape reflective of its position by the river and historical use.

RIVER

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1

PARK By massing the scheme towards the north of the site, the area of public green space retained has been maximised. Generous steps either side of the institute improve access to the park level which terraces gently down to the river.

2

TERRACED RIVERSIDE Walkways along the river front incrementally step down towards the river, bringing visitors closer to the water than is currently possible. Improved access will encourage the populating of the area and improve connections with the river.

3

LOCK GATES The existing radial gate is to be replaced by a lock, allowing the river to be fully navigable. As a result river traffic will further animate the site.

4

SWING BRIDGE The bridge forms a continuation of the riverside walkways on either side of the river, creating a loop around the site. Consequently it must be able to open to allow the passage of larger boats and the flow of water during times of flood.

5

RESTAURANTS Current plans to convert vacant vaults below Grand Parade in to restaurants would link into the proposed riverside walkway, and further enhance the riverside promenade.

3

4

2

1

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FLOOD STRATEGY AN INTEGRATED LANDSCAPE

A sequential approach to the flooding strategy has been taken in order to passively react to variable levels of flooding. The redevelopment of the riverbanks as a series of terraces allows for the incremental flooding of a large area of the site.

Consequently the flood water capacity of the site is increased, enabling a flood-proof building without negatively impacting the risk of flooding downstream.

The building has been located on the area of the site at the lowest risk of flooding, however it would still be breached by a 1 in 100 year flood. In such an event pre-installed barriers would be raised on the south side of the building which, combined with the external concrete walls of the plinth, create an impermeable building perimeter.

1:100 1:20

Terraced riverside Liftable Barriers

Incremental flooding of the site up to a 1:100 year flood

SWING BRIDGE DESIGN

BRIDGE ELEVATION

2m

10 4

15

The bridge is perceived as a continuation of the riverside walk which runs along the river banks. Modern and elegant, it sits low to the river enhancing connections with the water and preserving views of Pulteney Bridge beyond. Prestressed concrete construction creates a slim profile. The structure is comprised of two elements: A fixed cantilever on the west bank and a balanced pivot section which rotates about the island. This allows larger boats to pass through and the flow of water during times of flood.

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The bridge is constructed of a prestressed concrete deck with integral steel tendons. It takes the form of an aerodynamically shaped box girder section which tapers towards the centre, creating an extremely slender profile and resulting in economical use of materials. The form also reduces hydraulic loading against the flow of water in times of flood. In these occasions, the main section of the bridge swings open whilst the cantilever section on the west bank remains fixed, requiring significant foundations to act in counterweight.

Timber boarding finishes the deck, and steel balusters with timber handrails reinforce the simple elegance of the design.

4m

200mm

625mm 1.5m

CROSS-SECTION THROUGH END OF BRIDGE

CROSS-SECTION THROUGH CENTRE OF BRIDGE

1m 2

TECTONICS

MATERIALITY ROUGH/PURE

CONCRETE The primary material used throughout the building is concrete, generally cast insitu. Its mass is used to ground the Film Institute within the park, defining the language of the plinth; Its solidity reflects both physically and metaphorically the building's core containing the cinema and performance spaces. In particular, we believe it is a material representative of the immersive nature of film.

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CAST GLASS The second main material of the building palette is cast glass. The technique of manufacture by pouring molten glass into preformed metal moulds has been used since Roman times, and allows unique forms to be created. We have used vertical cast glass U-channels as the facade to the building above the plinth. As such a pure, ethereal volume sits on top of the solid concrete base. This juxtaposition reflects the ability of film to mediate between the different worlds of 'reality' and 'fantasy.'

The cast glass channels will be manufactured with different opacities, allowing the facade to be further animated by movement of people inside. At night, the building has a magical glow when lit.

MATERIALITY LIGHT - FORM - SURFACE

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DARK AND LIGHT

SOLID AND TRANSPARENT

RHYTHM AND FRAMES

In its simplest form, the Film Institute is composed of a pure light box which rests upon a solid, grounded plinth. The lighter element is expressed by translucent cast glass, juxtaposing the solidity of the concrete plinth on which it floats.

A solid concrete core sits inside of the cast glass facade, providing separation of the immersive cinema spaces at the heart of the Institute from the surrounding circulation areas. Its mass and and texture strongly counterpoints the delicacy and purity of the cast glass surround.

Cast glass U-channels are hung vertically, creating a rhythm of frames at a finer scale to that of the crinkle-crankle concrete wall behind. The language of the textured core is therefore applied to the building’s elevation in a manner which is suited to the delicate nature of the material.

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INTERMEDIATE FLOORS Timber floors surround the performance core, mediating between the solid concrete wall and light cast glass facade to provide circulation and foyer spaces.

2 GROUND FLOOR Bristol Pennant sandstone paving continues from the plaza into the building to form a continuous circulation zone. A polished concrete floor creates a cleaner internal space for the cafe and shop within the core.

1

PLAZA 2

3

3 PLINTH FLOOR The lower ground floor utilises concrete for both structure and exposed finishes to the core and external walls. Internal finishes are complimented and softened by plasterboard internal walls and timber ceiling soffits.

CIRCULATION

CORE

TECTONICS AND MATERIALITY CORE WALL CONDITIONS

D INTERACTION E PERFORMANCE

E

B

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

A GROUND B INTERMEDIATE C ROOF

C

1 Bristol Pennant sandstone paving 2 50mm Concrete screed 3 100mm Insulation 4 400mm Concrete slab 5 Plywood 6 Timber soffit

10

7 8

Cast glass facade Walk-on rooflight

9 Gutter 10

Reused plywood formwork bench

1 2 3 4 5 6

A

A GROUND FLOOR D

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

The crinkle-crankle concrete walls forming the core through the entire height of the building define spaces on each floor and create several key conditions:

7 8

9

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

6 7 8

Cast glass facade Steel tendon supporting roof Steel I-beam connection

1 Bristol Pennant sandstone paving 2 Drainage layer 3 50mm Concrete screed 4 DPM 5 100mm Insulation 6 150mm Hollow-Core concrete slab 7 550mm Pre-stressed concrete beam 8 Plasterboard ceiling soffit PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

1 Timber floorboards 2 Plywood 3 Timber studs 4 Plywood 5 Timber soffit

9 10

Cast glass facade Steel balustrade fin

11

Openable walk-on rooflight

12

Reused plywood formwork bench

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

ODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

C ROOF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

11 9 10

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDU

INTERMEDIATE FLOOR

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

B

12

6 7 8

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

1 2 3 4 5

TECTONICS AND MATERIALITY ANIMATED FACADE With circulation spaces positioned between the core and cast-glass skin, the semi-transparent facade is highly animated by the movement of people inside. This is particularly apparent at night when the facade is lit and the main auditorium is used.

The opacity of the vertically hung cast glass U-channels is varied across the elevation, creating a series of frames which get more opaque to reflect the immersive core within.

This notion of frames references the historical development of motion pictures from many static images, as pioneered by Eadweard Muybridge.

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MATERIAL PALETTE 1 2 3 4 5

Cast Glass U-Channels Concrete Reused formwork Pennant Sandstone Douglas Fir

2

3

5 2

4

3

5

1

GROUND FLOOR

67

2

2

3

3 5

4 1

1

INTERMEDIATE FLOOR

ROOF

TECTONICS AND MATERIALITY PLINTH - INTERACTION WITH THE WALL

4

2

2

3

Within the plinth of the Institute the crinkle-crankle walls define individual spaces with which visitors are able to interact.

2 3

2

Outside the walls, educational and exhibition spaces are defined. The walls themselves are engaged by interactive recording, editing and studio spaces, allowing visitors to experience the different stages of film production.

RECORD - EDIT - VIEW Sunken editing pods formed against the wall provide spaces for visitors to edit films shot in the adjacent recording studio. The studio spaces inside of the wall allow these films and other work to be shown on continuous loop. At the heart of the core are the cinema spaces themselves where complete immersion is achieved.

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EDITING POD

STUDIO

PERFORMANCE CORE

Above the plinth, the core encloses the main performance auditorium. This space is multi-functional, adaptable to both cinema or theatre functions. As such its elevated position above the plinth both celebrates the 'performance' and allows the space to be used independent of the 'Institute' spaces contained within the plinth.

The angles of the crinkle-crankle wall create a unique acoustic environment within the auditorium, which can be controlled further by movable acoustic panels.

Wall panels cover the converging angle of the wall, preventing the concentration of sound and giving space for speakers behind. When in cinema mode, acoustic panels cover the entire wall surface to maximise sound absorption, giving approximately 0.8 seconds of reverberation.

In order to increase this to a minimum of 1.2 seconds as required for a theatre auditorium, the panels fold in to expose a portion of the concrete wall. To further increase the reverberation time, acoustic ceiling panels move from a horizontal to vertical position, doubling the surface area exposed.

Mechanical ventilation is provided to the space by means of fresh air being blown into the auditorium having been treated in the plant room and transported via ducts embedded within the core wall. Air is then extracted through the same ducts and expelled at roof level.

CINEMA

THEATRE

TECTONICS AND MATERIALITY PLINTH WALL

The materiality of the plinth serves to express the immersive nature of the spaces within. The use of concrete strongly grounds the building at park level, particularly when considering its juxtaposition with the glass volume above.

The vertical grain of the external surface continues the language of the internal crinkle-crankle core. This texture echoes that of the core walls but is reduced by a scale factor of 20, forming a tactile surface. Corrugated metal sheeting can be used as formwork to generate the external profile.

INTERNAL CORE WALL PROFILE

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1:100

EXTERNAL PLINTH WALL PROFILE

1:5

1:1 PLINTH WALL TEXTURE

STRUCTURE CRINKLE-CRANKLE CORE - AN INTEGRATED SOLUTION

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ARCHITECTURE Unique, tactile and engaging spaces created. Solidity of the core reflects the immersive nature of the cinematic experience within.

STRUCTURE Increased bending and buckling capacity to allow allow elevation of the main auditorium; highly efficient and economical with materials.

ENVIRONMENT Heating and cooling air distribution strategy through integral ducts. Internal environments regulated by exposed thermal mass.

ACOUSTIC Converging angles effectively distribute sound to provide a unique and variable acoustic environment for multi-functional use.

STRUCTURE CORE - IMMERSIVE/PERMEABLE/INTERACTIVE

We wanted to create an intermediary public level at street level, from which you either ascend to 'Performance' or descend into the 'Institute.'

This established a section with an open floor sandwiched between two immersive volumes. The elevation of the large auditorium required a unique structural solution.

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CONCRETE CORE Offers a direct load to the foundations.

Provides support to the top-hung facade and circulation floors.

CRINKLE CRANKLE PROFILE Increases the maximum bending and buckling capacity of a standard 300mm thick wall with greater efficiency and economy of materials.

IMMERSIVE CORE - Main Auditorium Performance Core fully encloses the elevated large auditorium space resulting in an intimate, immersive atmosphere.

Precast concrete beams span the width of the cinema with infill precast hollowcore floor panels, allowing an uninterrupted space.

PERMEABLE CORE - Plaza Public Mediation Core’s north and south ends are fully open and transparent to give accessibility to the plaza at street level and public activities within. Provides a lens to focus visitors to the landscape beyond.

Solid shear walls at the end of the crinkle-crankle walls act as upright cantilevers, providing lateral stability. This minimises eccentricities resulting in a torsionally stiff structure.

INTERACTIVE CORE - Plinth Institute Core encloses the two smaller cinema spaces at its heart and creates interactive spaces on both sides of the crinkle-crankle walls.

Along with the core itself, the whole of the plinth level is constructed with in-situ concrete.

CORE AND FACADE The cast glass facade and lightweight timber circulation floors wrapping around the core are top-hung from the main roof using steel tendons. Pin joints in the crinkle-crankle walls transfer loads through the core to pile foundations.

STRUCTURE CRINKLE-CRANKLE WALL REALISATION

The structure of the core consisting of the two crinkle-crankle walls can be simplified into a 2D portal frame, with each 4m wavelength idealised as a column with an area and I-value.

Area and Second moment of area working method:

DESIGN FROM FIRST PRINCIPLES Fc = Fs

z = lever arm = d − λx⁄2

Concrete force = Steel force

Fc = 0.567 fckb.λ.x

fck = 30N/mm2

b.λ.x = Ac = Area of concrete = 181660mm2 (air ducts taken into account) Crinkle Crankle wall dimensions:

Fs = 0.87fyk.As

1000mm

Wall thickness = 300mm 890mm 110mm

Fc

Fc = 0.567 fckb.λ.x = 0.567 × 30 × 181660 = 3090KN

d = 890mm

x

Moment capacity of the wall = Fc × z = 3090 × 0.7298 = 2255KNm

Fc = Fs = 0.87fyk.As = 3090

es = 0.00217 x⁄ = 0.0035⁄ d 0.0035 + 0.00217 = 0.62 x⁄ < 0.62 to ensure slow failure d x = 0.45d = 0.45 × 890 = 400.5mm

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As = 7103mm2 Ac =181660mm2

Location of reinforcement bars: UK practice x⁄d = 0.45

BS EN 1992-1-1

which is far greater than the maximum experience of 622KNm

Area of steel reinforcement required:

Fs

λ = 0.8

z = d − λx⁄2 = 890 − ( 0.8 × 400.5⁄2 ) = 729.8mm

50mm cover

110mm

λx

4000mm

eck = 0.0035

0.567 fck

0.002Ac <As<0.04Ac

TECTONIC WALL MODEL

CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE

Concrete plinth structure to be cast in-situ.

1st storey of crinkle-crankle walls cast in-situ.

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Ground floor (plaza) ribbed in-situ concrete slab cast.

2nd storey of crinkle-crankle walls cast in-situ.

Lift shafts cast in-situ.

Main auditorium precast concrete floor and roof set together with remaining crinkle-crankle walls, cast in-situ.

Restaurant constructed.

Timber floors and concrete staircases installed.

Cast glass facade hung in place from the roof.

BENDING MOMENT DIAGRAM

FULL EXPLODED ISOMETRIC

Structural efficiency by balanced moments

CONSTRUCTION SCALE CONCRETE WALL CASTING

To examine the tactile sense of the crinkle-crankle wall's materiality and visualise how it would relate to surrounding spaces, we cast a 1:20 scale model of a section of the wall using cement and mdf formwork.

Cast into formwork

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Removing the formwork

Finished model

ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY PLINTH - CORE - FACADE

The concrete core and plinth both act as controlled environments.Thermal mass of the concrete wall is exposed on the interior to assist in regulating internal temperatures of these spaces.

The cast glass facade wraps around circulation zones which are treated as semicontrolled thermal buffer zones. The glass/concrete double skin is an effective way of controlling the environment of the cinema spaces at the heart of the building.

CONTROLLED PLINTH

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CONTROLLED CORE

SEMI-CONTROLLED FACADE

Waste hot air used to heat uncontrolled spaces during winter

OVERVIEW

Natural cross-ventilation Rainwater harvested and held in storage tank for use flushing toilets Electricity supplied from micro hydropower plant from the island

Ventilation is supplied through ducting within crinkle crankle walls Hot water comes in at 30째C from the natural springs Cold water pumped from the river to a heat exchanger Heating and cooling ventilation supplied to cinemas through diffusers

PLANT ROOM

MICRO HYDROPOWER PLANT

ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY HEATING AND COOLING - SPRING & RIVER WATER

COOLING AND VENTILATION

HEATING AND VENTILATION Mechanical ventilation will be used in combination with natural ventilation to heat the controlled spaces.

28.5°C

30°C HOT SPRING WATER

4 IN SERIES FINNED COIL HEAT EXCHANGER

OUTDOOR AIR

0°C

WINTER CONDITION - HEATING

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Water will be taken from the hot springs feeding the thermal baths which run under the site to heat air in plant rooms, which is then distributed through the building.

15°C

Considering the transparent ground floor as the worst case scenario in winter, the water supply temperature will need to be 28°C to maintain an indoor temperature of 21°C at a required flow rate of liquid at 0.18l/s.

Worst case total flow rate will be 0.9l/s to supply the whole building. Current flow rate of the springs is 12.5l/s, hence within capability. A small heat pump will be needed to provide additional increases in extreme conditions.

Cooling strategy is similar to heating. Having two plant rooms allows us to heat or cool air as appropriate and move the conditioned air in the most efficient way.

13.9°C

13.5°C RIVER WATER

4 IN SERIES FINNED COIL HEAT EXCHANGER

OUTDOOR AIR

21.7°C

SUMMER CONDITION - COOLING

Air is extracted and cooled from an intake vent near the riverside, and then distributed around the building. ?°C

Considering a full capacity for the large cinema as the worst case situation, mechanical cooling will almost always be required.

750 people each giving off 80W of heat will result in a heat gain of 60KW and peak indoor temperature of 28°C. With a supply temperature of 13.9°C we have assumed a useable water temperature of 13.5°C pumped through a concrete pipe.

A small water pump will be required when occupancy levels are high at earlier times specifically over the weekends, working at 3.5l/s.

ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY DAYLIGHT, ENERGY AND VENTILATION The majority of spaces within the Film Institute do not require natural daylight and so these have been located within the core and plinth. Those spaces which do require daylight, such as the cafĂŠ, offices and restaurant have been strategically positioned towards the perimeter of the building to reduce artificial lighting demands and energy consumption.

SOLAR GAINS AND STACK EFFECT In summer, the main concern regarding excessive solar gains will be the south facing cafe and circulation spaces surrounding the core. To address this, the large cinema overhangs the cafe, providing considerable shade in summer whilst allowing desirable solar gains in the winter.

In the circulation spaces, there are openable rooflights, allowing air to be drawn up naturally via stack effect, effectively cooling these spaces in summer.

ENERGY GENERATION As a result of replacing the radial gate with a lock system, we have installed a hydropower plant within the island capable of producing 30KW of power to the building. This relies on a Kaplan turbine, running at 85% efficiency and assuming a 1.5m head drop over the weir.

The peak energy demand will be when all three cinemas are functioning in the evenings, requiring 36.7KW. An additional 9.8KWh of electricity from the national grid will therefore be needed for these periods.

ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY BREATHABLE CORE

With the core running through the entire building, this provided an exciting opportunity to integrate both structure and environment into a holistic solution.

By placing ducts within the crinkle-crankle core either side of the neutral axis, the bending capacity and structural integrity of the wall will not be compromised, thus allowing air to be delivered extremely effectively throughout the building.

For the large cinema, air will then be transported to chambers underneath the seats which will allow diffusors to spread and control the air flow beneath the seats, allowing higher air speeds in our ducts.

Air flows required: Large cinema = 3m3/s

Cafe and resaturant = 0.4m3/s

Total ducting area within core walls = 3.8m2 Forty-four 200Ă&#x2014;420mm rectangular ducts will be required to deliver 8l/sec/person equating to 6m3/s (assuming a velocity of 2m2), as required for the large cinema.

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INTEGRAL DUCTS

MODEL PHOTOS 1:100 & 1:500 MODELS

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NIGHT VIEW

CONCLUSION

The experience of film, though social in its congregational nature, is ultimately a personal one evoking individual emotions and responses when the image projected upon the cinema screen is viewed. The challenge of the project brief was to accommodate and enrich this cinematic experience of the individual, whilst creating a building which also addressed the social context of a city of many. It was therefore important for us to create a Film Institute which has the ability to both engage with the city and facilitate detachment from it. Through integrated strategic design moves, the connection between city, park and river has been strengthened - mediated by an Institute which allows visitors to transcend reality into the immersive world of film.

Conceptually, the idea of the plinth and floating volume above was a strong direction for the scheme.

Integrated design with focus on structural and environmental strategies required that our building evolved from this idealised form. However, the essence of the 'plinth and lantern' is retained, and the strength of the 'core' emerged as a fully integrated design element, of which we are proud.

We believe that we have presented a scheme which contributes positively to the cultural life of Bath's city centre, utilising the transcendental qualities of film to inform our approach. An enriching environment within the building itself is made more enchanting by strengthened connections with the surrounding urban fabric and River Avon.