THÉÂTRE VIVANT, PARIS ETS 5 Henry Jiao Dip. 5
0. Introduction
p.2 - p.43
1. Conservation
p.44 - p.127
2. Acoustics
p.128 - p.199
3. Materiality
p.200 - p.221
0. INTRODUCTION BRIEF / PROPOSAL / LOGISTICS / PROGRAMME
DIP. 5 PRIMARY CITY ELEMENTS • THE THEATRE
The initial brief of Dip. 5 was to explore the evolution of the theatre as an architectural object throughout different socioeconomic climates in history, employing this analysis in a design placed in the city of Paris. In this introduction I will explain my personal development and understanding of this brief through various images, site analysis, and an exploration of the theatre typology. The several chapters following this preamble will focus on the resulting design strategy formed through testing the technical challenges faced by my project’s key principles of: conservation/adaptation, acoustics, and lighting.
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POLICHNE THEATRICAL AREA 3. Axonometric view, Theatrical Area Polichne, Lemno Island, Greece a. eísodos (Entrance) / b. ‘Orchestra’ - Stage / c. exit-stage-right / d. Audience / e. House, Dwelling
UNIT GROUP RESEARCH - AN ATLAS OF THEATRE
3000BC Polichne Theatrical Area19
To begin the term, the unit group developed an atlas of theatre book to trace the history of key moments and movements in the theatre typology. Each individual study drew a model of a particular theatre and examined the socio-political climates that shaped each theatre.
The origins of theatre lie in religious rituals and ceremonies. The first physical buildings to contain theatre grew from domestic structures with small intimate audiences.
ANCIENT THEATRE ERETRIA
THE ODEON OF POMPEII
i.
ii.
iii.
3. Axonometric view, Odeon of Pompeii, Naples, Italy a. Orchestra /b. Skene /c. Theatron
71
3. Axonometric view, Eretria Theatre, Greece a. Skene /b. Orchestra /c. Theatron /d. Eisodi /e. Charon Steps /f. Proskenioin /g. Logeion /h. Rainwater channel
400BC Ancient Theatre Eretria
80BC Odeon of Pompeii 51
The Hellenistic period saw the development of large-scale theatres, taking advantage of natural sloped landforms to inset stone seating. Three distinct elements of the theatre were formed: i. Skene (back-stage) ii. Orchestra (stage) iii. Theatron (viewing area)
The Romans further developed Greek theatre, introducing a new enclosed theatre: the Odeon. These smaller spaces were designed for more intimate musical performances, benefiting from enhanced acoustics.
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FARNESE THEATRE
THE GLOBE THEATRE
6. Axonometric view, Farnese Theatre, Parma, Italy a.Auditorium /b. Proscenium /c. Stage /d.Parterre
3. Axonometric view, The Globe theatre, London, UK a. Entrence / b. Circulation Tower / c. Stage
/ d. Gallery/The e. Lord’sGlobe Room/ f. Tiring-house 1599
1617 Farnese Theatre 127
Shakespeare’s Globe was London’s first public playhouse. The design blended all classes; from standing space to private boxes 119 for lords, it was able to host over 2,000 people in an immersive experience.
A model for Baroque theatre, the building is a prototypical design with a proscenium arch. The stage is over 40m deep, accommodating rows and rows of mobile scenery and complex machinery.
THEATRE DU MARAIS 3. Axonometric view, Theatre Du Marais, Paris, France
3. Axonometric view, Bayreuth Festspielhouse
a.Auditorium /b. Gallery /c. Stage /d.Parterre
a. Orchestra pit / b. Proscenium / c. Stage d. Fly tower / e. Audience / f. Scenery storage
1634 Theatre du Marais
101
The first permanent theatre in France, renovating an existing Real tennis hall. The typology represents a theatre in the round with all spectators surrounding a central stage.
1872 Bayreuth Festpielhaus 135
This impressive theatre is closest in layout to the contemporary theatre, with a large stage area and flytower. The multiple prosceniums help to create a spectacle and force perspective into the stage.
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UNIT TRIP - PARIS
La Scala
Continuing our research into the theatre typology, our unit took a trip to Paris to visit a range of modern and traditional theatres while looking for a site to propose a new theatre that might respond to a new condition or typological shift.
A modern theatre nestled between residential buildings, La Scala is an industrial black-box design with three tiers of U-shaped seating and subterranean rehearsal rooms and actor space. It has a large bar and restaurant area that face the street above its main entrance.
Philharmonie de Paris
Cent Quatre
Jean Nouvel’s 2015 design within the Parc de la Villette, the main concert hall contains seats for over 2,400. Cloud-like boards are suspended from the ceiling to reflect the sound of musical instruments with geometric laser-cut holes in walls absorbing sound.
A modern adapted space, the Cent Quatre is primarily an open incubator for all kinds of art and performance. It contains two small auditoriums for ticketed shows that sit alongside a central spine where people are free to come and practice and rehearse dancing, acting, music, and other acts. The company also offers spaces for artists in residence and has several installation pieces.
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Maillon, Strasbourg A Contemporary theatre by LAN architects, under construction and consisting of a small and large room; 250 and 1,000 seats respectively. One of the key driving forces for the project was adaptability and each room is capable of reconfiguring its seating in different arrangements to suit different performances. Each room acts as an acoustic black box with chequered wall panels to absorb and reflect sound at a 50:50 ratio.
Further to the adaptable seating, each black box is designed to open up to face large public spaces that allow performance to extend beyond the stage or even theatre room. These large acoustic panels are designed to insulate the theatre room acoustically when shut, but can twist and fold away to create an opening.
Palais Garnier Built for the Paris Opera from 1861 - 1875, the building is overflowing with opulence. Careful consideration is made to the theatricality of lighting in all of the spaces within the building; one corridor linking a dark hued ‘night’ themed room to a brightly redlit ‘sun’ room. Mirrors are enhance these effects of light, creating trompe-l’œil that further play with the sense of illusion.
The grand building acts as a place for important figures to see and be seen in society. It seats almost 2,000 people though this central space (above) is almost a third of that of the stage and flytower. A rehearsal room sits above the theatre of almost equal size, and large vaulted entrance halls all add to the grandeur of the theatre.
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Sacré-Cœur
Parc Monceau
Arc de Triomphe L'église de la Madeleine
Palais Garnier
Les Halles Louvre Museum Eiffel Tower Les Invalides
PARISIAN CONTEXT
One of the most renowned features of Parisian urbanism is the striking linking of nodal monuments following Haussmann’s influence on the city between 1853-1870. This is quickly recognisable in the large straight boulevards that cut existing fabric into triangular fragments. Place de la Bataille-de-Stalingrad The circled monuments on this map highlight some of the most well-known nodes within the city which include: palaces, parks, public squares, memorials, museums, opera houses, and churches.
Place de la RĂŠpublique
Place de la Bastille
Place de la Nation The red circle represents my chosen site within the city. Visually, it forms a node no different to some of Paris’ major landmarks; but in reality it is extremely mundane. With my studio project, I hope to activate this currently untapped node of the city.
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A NEW TYPE OF MONUMENT
There are currently over 100 theatres in Paris. With the unit brief of adding in another, I was excited to develop a new typology to stand out from the rest. Through studying and visiting the city, I became interested in the everyday life of its inhabitants. Paris is the most densely populated city in Europe, the lives of its inhabitants often very exposed to the public realm. This often spills out into alleys and courtyards that form interesting assemblages between buildings.
With my proposed theatre placed across a rather unremarkable Parisian block in the 18th arrondissement, I hope to make a spectacle and celebration of local everyday life. I hope to blur the lines between theatre and city, using the block as a stage to expose the rich culture of Paris.
Vis-Ă -Vis. Gail Albert Halaban
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Location Plan, 75018, Paris 0
500m
ALONG THE RAILWAY
My site sits on a slim island between the Gare du Nord (1864) and the Gare de l’Est (1850). It is also bisected from East to West by the Métro Line 2, constructed on an elevated viaduct in 1903. While these sunken and elevated rail lines form physical barriers to the site, they provide excellent accessibility from public transport. One of the primary routes into the city, the proximity to the Gare du Nord also presents a visual exposure to people travelling into and out of the city. The city block forms a ‘U’ shape that opens up to the West, though currently has very little frontage over the railway (photo above).
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BLOCK HISTORY
Another reason behind the choice of this particular block in Paris as the site of a theatre for the everyday is the rich history of the buildings it contains. This data from APUR (the Atelier Parisien d’Urbanisme) shows this block to have one of the largest mixes of buildings across different moments in time. As this theatre project will mix its program with the life of each building, I am interested in finding areas worthy of preservation as well as ones that may be removed or updated and adapted. This block presents a rare mix of old and new that is well suited to this task.
Pre - 1800’s 1801 - 1850 1851 - 1914 1915 - 1939 1940 - 1967 1968 - 1975 1976 - 1981 1982 - 1989 1990 - 1999 2000 - 2007 2008 - Present
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Block Plan, 75018, Paris 0
50m
ACCESS
Currently there is no way to access the large open strip along the Western boundary of the block. There are several car entrances at ground level from the Eastern street (as shown to the left), creating small residential ‘mews’ that terminate with steel garages facing the railway. The largest of these vehicular entrances is around 3.5m x 2.5m, making any construction within the block very logistically challenging. There are many smaller doors for private access to the buildings behind the street facades. To open up the block for the development of my theatre proposal, my first concern was to create a route linking the north and south via the strip along the railway. This would create new access for construction vehicles and delivery of materials, and could also form a large public space for the final project.
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BRIEF
The brief of a theatre building grew from the organisation of a contemporary theatre layout. The drawing to the right shows a mock arrangement of a traditional black box theatre with public spaces shown in grey and actor / ancillary space shown in white. This arrangement has a large room for 700-1000 people and smaller room for 500 people. Each theatre room is connected to a stage with a fly tower with large back stage areas for delivery and workshops. The public activity meets before and after a performance through the restaurant and bar areas at the bottom left.
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BRIEF EXPANDED
I exploded these rooms of a contemporary theatre to better understand the required dimensions and spaces I would need. For my project goal of introducing a theatre of everyday life to a city block, I wanted to begin to overlap the elements of a theatre with existing building uses and expose the workings of the theatre in a more dynamic fashion.
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POTENTIAL MASSING
Thinking about integrating this brief into an existing urban setting, I wanted to add the grey public spaces as interventions and use the residential buildings as ‘actor’ and ‘ancillary’ spaces.
I started to think about where to add insertions by massing areas of potential development. The diagram to the left shows early volumes that adhere to height limits set by the existing buildings while not obscuring existing window views.
There is a lot of porosity within this block that allows for many new development zones alongside existing buildings. These zones would accomodate for all of the theatre spaces defined in the brief with the exception of a large auditorium to seat over 800 people.
As my project is focused around creating a spectacle of everyday life, I was keen to also begin to adapt existing buildings; not just build around them. I wanted to create an approach of conservation/conversion working deeper into the existing fabric.
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CONSERVATION / CONVERSION As I wanted to go further than the limitations of just building within infill zones, I began to develop a strategy of conversion, conservation, and demolition. Using the historical site data, access requirements, and room sizes outlined in my brief development, the image opposite begins to lay out my approach to this. Blue areas mark opportunities and things I wish to enhance within the block: the importance of improving the railway facade, the views cutting through the block to SacrĂŠ-CĹ“ur, and landmark historical buildings. Red areas mark the more dilapidated and underutilised buildings and components across the site that might be removed to create more opportunity areas or to expose the residential life within as part of the theatre program. Black areas show the main interventions of new public space that grows and feeds from the existing buildings. This contains a large and small theatre room and their accompanying ticket offices, workshops, and restaurant areas.
16. ADMIN / OFFICE - renovated residential units overlooking new public spaces
6. EXTENSION ROOF - ‘gut’ existing building / removing roof to insert SMALL ROOM of theatre
15. SMALL ROOM - small theatre (200 seats) within envelope of existing building
17. REHEARSAL (B) - renovating unused flat, exposed in ‘landmark’ building
19. ‘PARASITE’
14. LIVE / WORK
- theatrical intervention viewing lift in negative space
- actors’ residences and working space on new semi-public ‘street’
9. ENTRANCE (EAST)
1. ENTRANCE (NORTH) - ‘peel off’ facade to reveal internal life of building and add new entrance extension
historic buildings
- ‘peel back’ facade to reveal life inside block and add new semitransparent skin marking street-level entrance
10. ENTRANCE / REHEARSAL (A) - ‘floating’ rehearsal space growing from facade - new Northern entrance to block
20. CAFE - cafe / immersive theatre - important corner of site
No access
street access
18. ‘PARASITES’ - theatrical spaces / interventions
small green courtyard
3. RAILWAY FACADE (B) - run-down car garage / storage areas - complete demolition - opens up new public space along western railway edge
- demolish rear extensions/storage areas to introduce a new route through the block. - new TICKET OFFICE next to Eastern entrance - East-West Axis
interesting historic building
car access
2. RAILWAY FACADE (A) - ‘peel off’ dilapidated facades of garage / storage areas to repurpose as workshops - renovated to highlight new theatre project palette
8. REAR STORAGE / DISUSED SHOP
‘landmark’ building
sunken park discontinued train tracks
7. LEAN-TO - unused shed structure with little natural lighting - demolish to create new public zone around ‘landmark’ building
13. ENTRANCE / RESTAURANT
11. BIG ROOM - main theatre ‘black box’
no access
- ‘floating’ restaurant extension - new Southern entrance to block
5. ENTRANCE (SOUTH) 4. RAILWAY FACADE (C) - ‘peel off’ elevation to insert MAIN ROOM of theatre projecting over railway
View through block to Sacré-Coeur
visual barrier to site
- remove unused railway structure - ‘peel back’ blank residential facade - southern entrance extension - adding ramp to mirror Northern edge and create North - South Axis
12. RAMP - new ramped access to open railway public space
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DEVELOPED MASSING
Following on from the analysis of the areas most suitable for conservation, conversion, and demolition - I began to develop my initial massing studies with a focus on the main large theatre space.
Thinking about the block mainly from the perspective of the rail tracks, I wanted the black box of the theatre to be clearly readable and prominent from passing trains. I think that it would be interesting for this volume to cantilever over the tracks; clear of the railway cars. This would also allow a new unobstructed strip of public space running from the North to South of the site. The removal of an old garage in the centre of the site also forms a public square and clears space for vehicular access to workshops.
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Là-Bas
La Bête humaine
Carhaix’s Lodge Chantelouve Lounge Les Bonnes The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
Durtal’s Bedroom
Durtal’s Study
Hall
Engine Room
Kitchen
Street
Madame’s Bedroom
Michael’s Bedroom L’Enfer
Restaurant Bathroom
Restaurant The Fall of the House of Usher
Torvald’s Study
Narrator’s Bedroom
Neighbour’s Bedroom
Narrator’s Bedroom Festen
Faust’s Cabinet Marguerite’s Bedroom Marguerite’s Garden La Leçon Les Liaisons dangereuses
Banquet Hall
Jeanne’s Living Room Office / Dining Room House Lounge The Metamorphosis Neco z Alenky
Merteuil’s Bedroom
Gregor’s Bedroom
Samsa Living Room
Bedroom
Bathroom
Repulsion
Bedroom Train Carriage Le Dieu du Carnage A Doll’s House
Living Room
Helmer Living Room
Cell / Cavern
City Gates
Jeanne’s Bathroom
Jeanne’s Bedroom
Jeanne’s Kitchen Long Day’s Journey into Night
House Bedroom Tourvel’s Bedroom Private Lives
Valmont’s Bedroom
Tyrone Living Room
Usher Cellar Usher Reception Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce
Hotel Suite
Faust
Bedroom
Dining Room
Hall / Stairway
A+V Hotel Suite
E+S Hotel Suite
Hotel Terrace
Living Room
Dancer’s Window
Jeff’s Bedroom
Lonelyheart’s Window Romeo and Juliet
Newlywed’s Window
Pianist’s Window
Thorwalds’ Windows
Carol’s Bedroom
Kitchen
Hallway
Capulet Room
Balcony
Friar’s Cell
Street
Rear Window
THEATRE PROGRAMME
As my theatre proposal is focused on making a spectacle of ‘everydayness’, I studied an array of plays, books, and films set in conventional settings of bedrooms, kitchens, train carriages, restaurants, etc. I drew out a catalogue of these spaces as minimum standards for the stages I hope to produce in my proposed theatre. I think that building into existing residential buildings will create opportunities to use existing residential rooms as the settings to recreate these exciting fictions.
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La Metamorfosi, 1915
Les Bonnes, 1947
Novella by Franz Kafka - taking place within the home of Gregor Samsa. Moving between his bedroom and family living room.
Play by Jean Genet - the escapades of two maids in their Madame’s bedroom while she is away.
Rear Window, 1954
Repulsion, 1965
Film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, several character studies through windows from the perspective of the protagonist Jeff.
Film directed by Roman Polanski, depicting a woman’s spiral into an isolated madness, her own home violently turning against her.
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PROGRAMME NARRATIVES
The narrative structures of these works usually involves movement from room to room. These following studies map out the changing locations each play, film, and book analysed. This has helped me to imagine different ways of arranging scenes and/or spectators within the existing block. One option for a play with multiple scenes is a theatrical promenade, which radically changes the forms needed for a theatre viewing space.
La Bas
La Bete Humaine
Les Bonnes
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
Le Dieu du Carnage
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Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
A Doll’s House
La Lecon
L’Enfer
Les Liaisons Dangereuses
The Fall of the House of Usher
Long Day’s Journey into Night
Faust: A Tragedy
The Metamorphosis
Festen
Neco z Alenky
Private Lives
Rear Window
Repulsion
Romeo and Juliet
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DEVELOPING A TOOLKIT OF THEATRICAL INTERVENTIONS
Building on top of the more traditional theatrical spaces shown in the developed massing - the examination of narratives to be acted out in the theatre helped me to create a toolkit of smaller responses. While the large central room marks a clear theatre box within the block, these smaller ‘parasitic’ interventions could lead visitors into rabbit holes of intrigue, blurring the lines between spectator / spectacle.
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Vertical viewing platform
Seating looking down into an existing flat, thinking of new perspectives for a play
Deus ex machina - adding theatrics and illusion to an everyday home
Juliet’s Balcony
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1. CONSERVATION CONSERVATION / CONVERSION / DEMOLITION
CONSERVATION PROCESS
Propping Temporary Permanent
2. Removal
1. Set up
Enabling
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ALTERING LOAD-BEARING WALLS
Removing load-bearing structure is a delicate process in adapting buildings, allowing the potential for larger spaces and new interventions. The required enabling works, propping, and temporary structure is a clear example of the set up and removal work of the conservation process outlined in the previous page. The following diagrams will show the step-by-step process of removing load-bearing structure from set-up (1) through to removal (2).
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0. Existing Load-bearing wall
1a. Enabling / Propping Work Bricks removed (hole drilled in non-masonry construction) to allow insertion of temporary structural pins or needles to take the load off of the wall. These can be timber sections or steel beams for heavier loads.
1b. Demolition
1b. Demolition
Brick course removed underneath structural pins to make room for a spreader beam.
More of the wall can be removed as the load has been transferred to the temporary pins.
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A.
B.
1c. New structure / temporary structure
1d. Finishing
A new spreader beam (A) can be added in place of the removed course which is also propped temporarily by a support (B) to allow the safe removal of more wall.
The remainder of the wall can now be safely removed to form an opening as it is no longer load-bearing.
2a. Removal of propping works
2b. Removal of temporary structures
The prop supporting the new spreader beam can now be removed as the new opening is finished. This new opening can be further reinforced with structural columns connected to the spreader beam if required.
The structural needles are now defunct as the load is being transferred into the spreader beam below and can be removed safely. This leaves the final wall.
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UDL
Existing Structure
Propping Structure
The uniformly distributed load of a building’s weight is transferred evenly down through a load-bearing wall. Through blockwork or brick courses or solid structure.
Inserting structural needles takes the load off of the wall below and transfers it laterally towards temporary props either side of the wall.
Temporary Structure
New Structure
A spreader beam below the needles takes the load of the wall with temporary props to keep stability. The loads on the wall are now completely diverted away from the existing wall structure.
Linking the spreader beam to new columns creates a new portalframe that diverts the UDL to concentrated loads either side of the wall.
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PARTY WALLS
One interesting feature in the construction of buildings in Paris is the nature of party walls, or lack thereof. In the U.K., it is common for rows of buildings to share side walls, separately owned buildings relying on each other’s structure for support.
In Paris, each building is fully supported on each side by its own independent walls. This can be read in the material treatment, openings, and columns present on a building’s facade.
This fact makes demolition and adaptation of buildings a lot simpler than those in the U.K. Each building within a row can effectively be treated as an independent structure and can be adapted and altered without fear of impacting on its neighbour.
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FACADE RETENTION METHODS
There are several methods for retaining an existing facade that focus on maintaining material condition and structural integrity. The following pages detail different methods of scaffolding and frame options. These can be adapted to various situations to maintain one or all facades while creating space for new construction work.
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H. TEMPORARY SCAFFOLD SUPPORT
A.
F.
Applied on the external face of an existing facade, this method is relatively fast and simple, the scaffold frame supports the existing facade(s) and is connected by ties through openings or into the facade itself (which would need to be repaired after the scaffold’s removal)
B. C.
D.
E.
A. Diagonal sway bracing B. One or two-way to support lateral loads C. May need parking shores trussed out D. Scaffolding ladder beam E. Rigid steel portal frame to form gantry F. Through Ties G. Temporary Foundation H. Existing Facade
G.
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F.
F.
SCAFFOLD WITH FLYING SHORES For the retention of multiple facades, a flying shore can be employed. This forms a trussed beam between facades that provides additional lateral support between temporary scaffold systems at each side.
A. E.
C. D.
B.
C. D.
A. Trussed flying shore B. Open area for working C. Steel gantry D. Temporary foundations E. Raking shores F. Existing facades
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FULLY BRACED FRAME A.
A.
C.
E.
D.
Placed on the external side of a facade, this frame allows for the demolition of floors and walls connected to the facade by supporting vertical and lateral loads. A. Wailings connected to support through tie in facade B. Base of system kentledged (weighted) to resist uplift and overturning forces C. Truss - resisting lateral loads D. Space between supports can house temporary working spaces and site accommodation E. Existing facade
B.
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FACADE TIED TO NEW FRAME A.
B. E.
D.
This method provides support to the facade from the inside, allowing existing walls and floors to be demolished by diverting loads into a new frame. This new frame can then be used as the structure for the new building - overlapping temporary and permanent structural work. A. Restraining bracket B. Through tie (requires repair work to facade) C. New foundation structure D. Steel Frame E. Existing Facade
C.
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F. FACADE TIED TO TWO FRAMES B. If needed, this method can provide additional support by placing a frame on either side of the wall. The internal frame can again be used as the structure supporting new walls and floors.
A.
C.
A. Restraining bracket B. Through support linking internal and external frames C. Steel Frame D. New foundation E. Temporary support foundation F. Existing facade
E.
D.
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FOUNDATION SUPPORT
When new loads are added in an existing context, it may become necessary to reinforce existing foundations. There are several methods for achieving this depending on specific context. All share the same principles of adding a new large pad to help transfer vertical loads down to the ground while counteracting lateral loads.
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J. UNDERPINNING Similarly to the process of removing a load-bearing wall, the brickwork needs to be propped to take weight off the foundation while a new support is added. This is done in intermittent sections across the wall and can also be used for concrete formwork. A. Timber packer B. Needle C. Cleat D. Prop E. Sole plate F. Existing slab G. Existing footing H. New underpinning J. Existing wall
A.
B.
C. D.
F.
E.
G. H.
B. PARTIAL UNDERPINNING A. An easier and simpler method of underpinning can be used depending on the existing quality of the walls and ground conditions. ‘L’-shaped new pads provide additional support of vertical loads while resisting lateral loads and uplift forces.
E. C. D.
A. Existing slab B. Existing wall C. Existing footing D. New foundation E. Rebar into old concrete
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B. BORED CONCRETE PILES A. This is a more modern method of underpinning, less intrusive and safer than the previously shown examples. The use of a hydraulic jack also allows the foundation of the existing building to be raised if needed. This method does require more available machinery to drill or bore the new concrete piles. A. Existing slab B. Existing wall C. Existing footing D. 300+ diameter auger hole E. Concrete poured to this level in first stage F. Concrete poured to this level in second stage G. Pier usually 2-3m deep H. Hydraulic jack
D. F.
C.
H. E.
G.
B.
CANTILEVER NEEDLE BEAM
A.
D.
F.
E.
C. G.
H.
A lot less invasive than using a standard needle beam and underpinning, the cantilever allows all work to be done from the outside of the property. One pile works in tension to increase resistance to lateral and vertical loads. A. Existing slab B. Existing wall C. Existing footing D. Hole cut in wall to insert new needle beam E. Cast in-situ concrete needle beam F. rebar connections between piers and beam G. Drilled concrete pile H. Tension pile
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A. B.
KEY AREAS OF RENOVATION
Using the knowledge gained from studying different methods of facade, floor, and wall adaptation, I began to experiment with the process of adding masses to key existing buildings within my block. Building A: removing a facade to expose the life within and create a stage for a new theatre, adding a large mass for a main theatre room. Building B: removing a roof to insert a small theatre room looking down at the units below as a new form of viewing a play. Building C: Peeling back an existing facade and adding a new structure to mark a key entrance to the site and new restaurant / bar area.
C.
B. A.
C.
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Facade to be demolished
BUILDING A
An isolated block of flats sitting in the centre of the site. Built from 19901999. While there are no available drawings of the building online, I have created a model assuming structure from window openings, the lift overrun on the roof, and visible markings on the facade. The building looks to be built from concrete, forming a shear wall structure from external facades, internal partitions, and a concrete lift / stair core. The floors are likely concrete with multi-directional rebar to resist lateral loads in both directions. The newest building on the site and most prominent to the railway view, I wish to adapt this structure to insert my main theatre intervention. The first move will be to demolish the Western facade to open up the inner life of the block as a new ‘stage’ of everyday activity. A new extension on the West will form a seating area and new architectural language of the theatre visible from the railway.
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Facade to be demolished
Western Facade
Long Section
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Facade to be demolished
Southern Facade
BUILDING STRUCTURE
The structure shown through the long section on the previous pages will be uninterrupted by the removal of the Western facade with the main considerations needed across the short section.
Facade resists lateral loads at each level
Currently, the Western facade is taking significant load straight down from the roof to ground level, picking up loads at each floor and helping to brace each floor plate horizontally against lateral loading. The shaded arch shows how each floor is acting as a beam to resist bending
Short Section Facade provides a direct loadpath to Earth
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1. ENABLING WORK
Taking the principles applied to removing load-bearing walls - I think that the start removing this facade; holes could be made at each floor level to construct new steel columns from the ground. These columns would link horizontal transfer beams beneath each floor, creating a rectangular portal frame at each level. These frames would take the loads away from the facade down into Earth. The cuts needed in each floor would not impact the structural integrity of the building as the two-way loadbearing nature of the reinforced concrete would be capable of diverting loads around each opening to existing spans.
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2A. PROPPING
To handle the lateral loads resisted by the existing facade, there would need to be some horizontal props. Constructing a new frame on the external side of the building would create a propping support to take these lateral forces. This frame would be connected by needles through the facade to the frames outlined in the previous pages. Together, these internal and external frames would transfer all lateral and vertical loads previously supported by the existing facade, allowing it to be completely demolished. This external propping would also provide a platform to work on the demolition of the existing facade and could form the foundation of a new structure.
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2B. PROPPING
To create a new stage from a void of demolished floor plates within the building, there would also need to be the construction of a secondary framework connected to the propping facade frames. This would be threaded through holes made in the floor plates in a similar methodology, transferring loads away from floor structure and down to the Earth.
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3B. TEMPORARY WORK
The remainder of the building after the demolition of the facade and floor plates is now supported by a large frame structure. The extent to which this is retained in the new design is dependent on how the extension is formed. The following few pages explore several design options building from the frame created to allow the removal of building elements.
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Massing Option 1
Massing Option 2
A straight extrusion from the original facade, this envelope maximises the temporary structure but blocks access at ground floor; dividing the site into North and South.
Raising the massing resolves the ground floor, moving the extension to be level with the new proposed stage.
Massing Option 3
Massing Option 4
A ‘backpack’ design would allow an extended cantilever out of the site and over disused railway tracks. I think that this creates an exciting tension and spectacle of the new volume.
Forming connections to internal supporting structure around the stage would allow a smaller cantilever; a raked stage creating a shape that would ease the load of the new structure onto vertical supports.
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FINAL MASSING
The final massing option maintained the maximum cantilever over disused railway tracks to create a structural spectacle while maintaining a free ground floor passage underneath the theatre. The external addition is sufficient to house a theatre for approximately 1,000 people depending on configuration. The internal stage area utilises the temporary structure needed for the removal of floors and the old facade to help support the new cantilevering structure. The existing building that is retained can help to form spaces of circulation and support the main stage while retaining some residentail use to create a spectacle entwined with everyday life.
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Roof to be demolished
BUILDING B
A more recent structure built as a two-storey extension to an eight-storey residential building, the majority of this building sits in the shade of the block. The only windows are North-Facing with the Southern and Western facades abutting other buildings. It is a relatively drab and overlooked concrete building crammed into a small space. It is in close proximity to two roads connecting to the street but is isolated by brick walls. My ambition for this building is to develop a strategy to remove its roof and insert a theatre from above to look down on the strangely placed apartments below; re-purposed as scenes to act out ‘everyday’ plays.
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Roof to be demolished
Western Facade
BUILDING STRUCTURE
Roof resists lateral loads to walls
The structure of this building is relatively simple and lightweight. The building is supported by concrete sheer walls. The roof is currently acting like a beam in two-directions, supporting the external loadbearing facade walls. The main priority in removing the roof and/or middle floor plate is to retain the horizontal support to these walls so they don’t collapse.
Short Section
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Roof to be demolished
Northern Facade
Removing the roof will have a positive impact on the loadbearing walls below; taking off the vertical load of its weight
Long Section
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1. ENABLING WORK
The first move for enabling the removal of any horizontal structure will be to insert column pins through the structure. Again, this is similar to the process of removing a load-bearing wall but on a different plane.
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2. PROPPING
As this building is much lower and therefore much more structurally simple and stable than ‘Building A’, a scaffolding support option is likely sufficient to hold in place the retained facades. The small extension to the West face is not being removed and the Eastern edge of the building is connected to an existing structure. Therefore the scaffold retention method need only be applied to the Longer North and South faces as they will be losing greater structural integrity. By tying the scaffolding to the new pins set up within the structure, all horizontal loads against the walls that are resisted by the roof can be absorbed into the propping structure.
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3. TEMPORARY WORK
The roof can now be safely demolished along with the first floor if necessary for the space below. All of the building skin is retained by diverting structural loads into the temporary frames and scaffold.
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Massing Option 1
Massing Option 2
Building on the framework set up within the building before the roof demolition creates a large shoe-box style hall.
Elevating this shoebox can create an interesting divide between old and new but is perhaps too jarring.
Massing Option 3
Massing Option 4
Keeping the new intervention within the old but tapering its sides creates a more compelling interaction of old and new but creates a space that may be more complex to plan.
There is also an option to create a raised flytower within the old building but this is likely unnecessary for the scale of this theatre.
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FINAL MASSING
The final massing chosen is a simple ‘T’ shape inserted within the old context. The upper floor has the potential to create a generous arenastyle seating arrangement looking down into a stage to offer a different perspective of plays. The jigsaw-like insertion makes interesting opportunities to detail old and new parts of the building and can be supported fully by the propping structure set up for the demolition; removing the time and waste taken to dismantle props after completing the new construction.
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Facade to be removed
BUILDING C
One of the oldest buildings on the site, dating back to the 1800’s, I wanted to take a more delicate approach in adding a new extension to this area and reinvent it as a key landmark. A clear flaw to the ornate balconies and stone clad facade work is a blank Western facade facing the railway that borders an inaccessible strip of mud and grass along the site. In its current state it is a graffiti-covered blank facade that makes the block quite unapproachable. I think that a key move for the project is to reinvent this building as a new gateway to the inner block and create a new North-South passage parallel to the railway. Removing this facade will create an interesting moment of exposing life within the old block to a new extension, while giving the opportunity to adapt and improve some of its residential uses. The shops at the ground floor of this building currently sit uninhabited and boarded shut. The re-activation of this space would also generate opportunities for these spaces to be used more proactively.
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Facade to be removed
Southern Facade
Facade resists lateral loads at each level
Long Section Facade provides a direct loadpath to Earth
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Facade to be removed
Western Facade
Short Section
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1. ENABLING WORK
To start the process of facade removal, a lightweight scaffold could be set up either side of the building; attached to the faces to be retained. These would tie together for additional lateral support. Threaded through windows, these frames would support lateral loads on retained facades, allowing the removal of the Western face.
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2. PROPPING
Additional structure should be built up inside the building - spreader beams under each floor to transfer vertical loads down through temporary columns to the ground. The propping internal structure and enabling external work have now taken over from the Western facade in counteracting vertical and horizontal loading.
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3. TEMPORARY WORK
A secondary frame may be erected parallel to the removed face to facilitate the formation of a new extension while also further propping the building against lateral loading. This frame will likely form the new structure of the extension - reinforcing the existing building with the proposal.
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Massing Option 1
Massing Option 2
Introducing a new facade with elements of transparency to expose the inner life of the block and create a ‘billboard’ for the theatre of the everyday visible from the railway.
Creating a new tower structure to mark the new site entrance,
Massing Option 3
Massing Option 4
Cutting more into the existing structure to reveal different crosssections of life.
A lowered massing to highlight the new facade to the railway.
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FINAL MASSING
The final massing chosen is a similar puzzle-piece style to Building B, but rotated to a different axis. I like the idea of a cantilevering volume that also relates to the main theatre growing from Building A. Projecting this volume into the old building allows a blurring of old and new and of everyday life and theatre activity. It also marks a clear entrance to the site from the street and would create interest from the railway.
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B.
LINKING INTERVENTIONS
Combining the massing of Buildings A, B, and C shows the overall strategy of new interventions growing out of an existing context.
One main desire was for a new prominent frontage for the block overlooking the railway; the main theatre room and entrance (A+C) acting like billboards to the vast number of passengers passing in trains along the tracks. The new entrance C. also opens itself up to the elevated train line to the South of the site.
C.
A.
Building C also creates an opportunity to resolve the level difference to the street and create working access to the site along the railway,
By demolishing existing delapidated car parking and shed structures between Building A and B, a new public space can also be opened up.
Continuing the conservation / adaptation strategy in these buildings; other areas can begin to develop around the main theatre rooms - a new entrance to the North mirroring Building C, new workshop spaces within converted parking structures, office spaces, and smaller stages. All acting like parasitic insertions taking over the block with areas of theatre and spectacle.
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2. ACOUSTICS THEATRE ACOUSTICS / NOISE INSULATION
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KEY PRINCIPLES
The human brain is capable of deciphering a large amount of information from the reception of sound waves, such as a sound’s source location, its characteristics, and relative loudness. Humans can generally hear from 5,000 - 20,000 Hertz (Hz). The table to the left shows how high-pitched sounds (like a piccolo) vibrate at high frequencies, low-pitched sounds (like a bass drum) vibrate at lower frequencies. These frequencies cause vibrations which travel through air in sound waves. Within a room, these waves become reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through different materials. The consideration of how these sound waves behave within a space is the key to acoustic design.
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ACOUSTIC DESIGN Within an auditorium, sound is multi-directional, arriving at each ear directly from the source and through reflections from ceilings, walls, floors, and furniture. These reflected sounds can be measured against the time of reception of sound from its original source - being much later or ‘early’. If a sound reflection arrives much later than the direct source, it is interpreted as an echo. The optimum direct-reflected sound difference is below 50 milliseconds; where reflected sound ‘fuses’ with direct sound and is interpreted as one. The length of time it takes for a sound to disappear in a space depends on reverberation time. Inappropriate reverberation times can cause sound to be fuzzy or muffled within a space. It is important to absorb ‘late’ reflections to avoid echoing and poor sound quality. Hard surfaces will reflect more sound and increase reverberation time, while soft furnishings will absorb sound and reduce it. The optimum reverberation time for vocals is usually around 1.5 seconds. Surfaces close to the source of sound will help to provide early reflections, like a room’s ceiling or walls. While surfaces furthest away like back walls will provide late reflections so should provide acoustic absorption.
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Stage
ANCIENT THEATRE OF ERETRIA 500BC - OPEN AIR Outdoor auditoriums have a noticeably poor sound quality. The larger they are, the worse this can be, acoustics feeling thin and distant. This is because there are no surfaces for reflections of sound - most of the sound waves from the source are dissipated into the air above and surroundings. The simple act of adding a reflective ceiling would drastically increase the acoustic performance.
The Greeks and Romans can be credited with designing the first spaces to improve acoustics in this way. As shown in the unit’s group research project, early Hellenistic open-air auditoriums were often coupled with smaller covered spaces for musical performances. These Odeum (Odeon) structures offered improved acoustics by enclosing the performance space.
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PALAIS GARNIER 1875 - ORNAMENT The science of architectural acoustics is just over 100 years old, so buildings like the Opera Garnier (built between 1861 1875) contained happy accidents that benefited their acoustics. Designed with a vision of opulence, the heavy ornamentation of the Palais Garnier are extremely beneficial in diffusing sound within the main theatre room. The irregularity in the shapes of the angels and flowers that surround walls, balconies, and ceilings all scatter sound within the room, reflecting early reflections into the audience and enhancing sound quality.
Stage
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Stage
CARNEGIE HALL 1891 - SHOEBOX TYPOLOGY In stark contrast to the Palais Garnier, Carnegie Hall in New York strips back almost all decoration to create a more simplistic shoebox theatre with horseshoe shaped seating. There are no sound-absorbing curtains, no chandeliers, and no frescoed walls. The smoothness of the auditorium walls and domed ceiling shape help to focus sound reflection towards the audience. The building is often praised for the sound of its performances.
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BERLINER PHILHARMONIE 1963 - VINEYARD TYPOLOGY Designed for ‘Music in the Round’, the audience surrounds the orchestra in vineyard like terraces. The building is considered a turning point for concert hall design, departing from the basic shoebox geometry typical of most earlier designs. The acoustics of the space are, however, disputed - the room is incredibly wide (with over 2,400 seats) so the sound is much less intense. It performs more similarly to an open air theatre, with no balconies to create immersive sound reflections. Also, the experience varies depending on which side of the orchestra someone is sitting, different instruments overpowering others.
Orchestra
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Stage
OPERA CITY CONCERT HALL TOKYO 2007 - REINVENTING THE SHOEBOX Due to the acoustic pitfalls of the statement buildings in the wake of the Berliner Philharmonie, there has been a resurgence and reinvention of the shoebox typology. The Tokyo Opera Hall was designed in conjunction with acoustic specialists, and uses solid oak ceilings and walls with angled grooves to bounce sounds at a high level, diffusing high frequencies. The closeness of the walls on each side reduces the delay in reverberation time to increase intimacy and intensity of acoustics. Improving on the smooth surfaced Carnegie Hall; these irregular shapes prevent acoustic ‘hardness’ and ‘glare’.
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ELBPHILHARMONIE HAMBURG 2017 - REFINING THE VINEYARD A mixed use complex; the 2,000 + seat vineyard style concert hall is accompanied by a 550 seat small hall, both nestled between 47 apartment units, 250 hotel rooms, and an elevated public square. This recent example improves on the acoustic problems of the Berliner Philharmonie by employing specially designed panels across all of its surfaces designed at specific sound reflections. The large chandelier is also covered in this material to reflect sounds across the room evenly. The depth of balconies jutting into the circle of seating also helps to create intense reflections for the seats below.
Stage
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KURSAAL AUDITORIUM 1999 - NOISE INSULATION One consideration for acoustics that is highlighted by the Elbphilharmonie is noise insulation (placing a theatre close to residential and hotel uses). Both sides need to be insulated from one another. Most concert halls are surrounded by a gap of air to prevent sound travel, though noise can also be transferred through vibrations in a building’s structure. The most common solution is clearly shown at the Kursaal auditorium - placing the auditorium box within a secondary box (usually containing foyer / ancillary spaces). This effectively forms an incredibly large air gap between two double-skin facades to further insulate the auditorium from external noise.
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Close up of part of the 10,000 individually ‘microshaped’ acoustic drywall plates at the Elbphilharmonie. These act as a more sophisticated version of the ornaments in early concert halls - specifically designed to create a soft but intense sound. Different shapes on panels help to reflect and diffuse sound; scattered to create a more even sound across the whole space. Certain panels also provide absorption for late reflections to reduce echoing effects.
1. Scale
2. Shape
3. Materials
3a. Absorption (+ Insulation)
3b. Reflection
3c. Diffusion
These case studies have shown the biggest determinants of acoustics to be Scale, Shape, and Materials (ordered by importance). Ultimately, the further the boundary of a room, the weaker the sound for a listener. Shape can help increase intensity and reverberation of sound to minimise the negative impact of large-scale rooms. Material properties can be summarised by 3 properties: sound absorption, reflection, and diffusion. I will begin the acoustic study of my own theatre project by examining scale and shape, exploring material at the final stage.
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Optimum Reverberation Time A. Speech B. Speech + Music C1. Modern Music C2. Classical Music
1. SCALE
The first exploration into the acoustic performance of my theatre spaces will be tests of scale. This will determine the number of spectators while forming a guideline for optimum reverberation time; volume being fundamental for the calculation of actual reverberation time. The graph opposite helps to estimate optimum reverberation times. As outlined in the introductory section of this report, both of my theatre spaces will be exclusively programmed for plays - consisting solely of speech. The top graph opposite shows a cut off point of where a volume may become inappropriate for optimum acoustic performance of approximately 5,000 cubic meters.
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ACOUSTIC CALCULATIONS
a = ΣSα a = Sabins ΣS = Total surface area of material /m2 α = Sound absorption coefficient at given frequency RT60 = 0.049 V/a RT60 = Reverberation Time V = Volume of space /m3 a = Sabins (total room absorption at given frequency) These are two fundamental equations for calculating the reverberation time of a given space - the first step is to find the Sabins value, or how a room handles sound absorption through coefficients of different materials within it. Which goes on to help define a space’s reverberation time. As is clear in the second equation, reverberation time is directly proportional to the volume of a space, clarifying the reason that scale is the first importance in acoustic planning.
Building B Envelope (as defined by conservation and structural test massing)
Building A Envelope (as defined by conservation / structural test massing)
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VOLUMETRICS - BUILDING A
The initial envelope of the large hall is approximately: 14(D) x 28 (W) x 12.5(H) = a volume of 4,900m3. This is very close to the maximum desirable volume of an acoustic space focused around speech. From the lessons learned in case studies, this volume in its current state will likely have undesirably late reflections from its width leading to poor acoustics in the red highlighted zones. Using a comfortable estimate of 2m2 per person (calculated from earlier precedent studies of single level seating within LAN’s Strasbourg theatre), the current volume’s floor area of around 400m2 should comfortably seat 200 people. This is about half of the desired number of users - modern theatres in Paris requiring around 400-600 seats within their large rooms to sustain business (based on La Scala). Numbers of 400+ seating can comfortably be achieved within this space with the use of tiered seating and balconies. While this will not change the external scale of the building, it will drastically increase internal surface area that will effect the Sabins value of the space.
Volumetric Development 1
Volumetric Development 2
By designating the side wings of the building as circulation arease, the internal theatre volume will have much more direct early sound reverberations; vastly improving the acoustics. More of the seating will also be in direct range of the sound source.
A tapering design will increase floor area available for seating while also beginning to reshape the focus of acoustics within the room. Mezzanine levels and balconies will also add seating while providing surface areas for sound reflection and intensification.
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VOLUMETRICS - BUILDING B
The initial envelope of the small hall is approximately: 11(D) x 26 (W) x 4.5(H) = a volume of 1,287m3. While this space faces the acoustic challenge of a stage placed below the audience, the 11m depth is ideal for early reflections of sound, while the width of 26m is minimised by the stage being offset towards the centre of the volume. This smaller shape will provide a much more intimate and intense acoustic experience for its audience. The overall mass has a floor area of approximately 300m2, but the sunken stage dimensions of 8.6 x 10.6 = 92m2 reduce the available seating area to around 200m2. This will comfortably allow for around 100 viewers which is appropriate for the intimacy of the setting. The current floor to roof height of 4.5m was developed as a visual preference from the exterior of the building, and while it may be beneficial for early acoustic reflections from the ceiling, it doesn’t allow much room for acoustic panels, noise insulation, or building services. In developing the acoustic properties of the smaller hall this should ideally be increased.
Volumetric Development 1
Volumetric Development 3
By reducing the stage height from first floor level to ground floor level, the height of the theatre is able to increase while maintaining the same external massing. This will allow for more options and care to be applied to ceiling finishes and seating arrangements.
Altering the size of this ground floor stage and centring it will help to provide a more even sound reverberation in the room above. Offsetting the stage to one side opens up a physical connection across the theatre while also creating the potential for horseshoe shaped seating.
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End Stage
135° Encirclement
220° Encirclement (classical Greek)
Transverse Stage
90° Encirclement (wide fan)
180° Encirclement (classical Roman)
180° Encirclement
Thrust Stage
360° Encirclement (arena)
2. SHAPE
Different theatre shapes provide a range of experiences, commanding immersion in a show or a feeling of communal watching. The addition of galleries and balconies to these arrangements can increase seating and add another dimension to a shape. Theatres today are often required to provide flexibility between various options - sliding seating racks can change from end to traverse and even encircled stages. As well as the variation of the audience’s visual experience, each shape introduces a range of acoustic challenges and opportunities. For a theatre in the round (360°), there is the challenge of delivering sound evenly to every side - chandeliers can be employed to reflect sound from the ceiling. Over the next few pages I will add in the detailed requirements of sightlines in order to combine visual performance with my acoustic studies of a variety of shapes to search for the best option for my small and large theatre volumes.
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EARLY THEATRE SHAPE STUDIES
To get a better sense of scale and shapes, I studied the floor plans of various shapes of theatre, including their audience sizes and stage: seating spatial ratios. I also looked at the ancillary spaces needed for different sizes of theatre hall. I began to plot a range of these shapes within my block, using the existing buildings as the stage areas. The porosity of the block offers lots of space for interventions at any shape and is able to comfortably support rooms of 50 - 550+ occupants.
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X P
B
A
CALCULATING SIGHTLINES For a point (P) 600-900mm above the edge of the stage, a direct sightline is drawn to the eye level of the front row seating (A). +100mm to this point (X) estimates the top of the viewer’s head, connecting the path of P-X determines the sightline for the next row to the next viewer’s eye (B). This method can be repeated for rows moving backwards to set up the required raking of seats.
Y
P
VERTICAL SIGHTLINES The introduction of galleries brings the challenge of upper sightlines. The sofit of each balcony must not impact the view of those seated below - each seat must have an unobstructed view of the stage (P). It is also desirable that from the back tier, viewers should also be able to see a performer at the back of the stage. The position of the Proscenium (Y) will also affect extreme upper sightlines.
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d
X
a
X
Y t
Y
STAGGERED SEATING
An option for improving sightlines is to offset alternate rows to create ‘windows’ between the heads of the viewers in front. The same sightline calculation is applied to calculate seating rakes, but is applied to alternate rows. The key consideration in staggered seating is the width of the viewing ‘window’ being wide enough to not obstruct the length of the stage. For a given row spacing (X) and seat spacing (Y), the unrestricted width of view of the stage (a) is directly proportional to the distance (d) of the seat from the stage. a = kd k=Y-t X
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CHAIR DIMENSIONS
As defined by British Standard 5588: Part 6, Places of Assembly (no exact figures for French standards in Paris) Minimum dimensions: A. Back-to-back distance between rows of seats with backs: 760mm B. Back-to-back distance between rows of seats with no backs: 600mm C. Width of seats with arms: 500mm* D. Width of seats without arms: 450mm E. Unobstructed vertical space between rows: 300mm * 525mm is more comfortable, with 550 often used.
A
A
A D
E
E
E
A
E
B
C
D
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Building A Shape Option 1
Building A Shape Option 2
A single tier of seating in a wide fan arrangement.
Wide-fan seating with a single gallery level.
276 seats at a gentle rake defined by the principles of sightlines.
420 seats (side balconies increasing this number to 450). This number of seats is a lot closer to my desired audience scale.
Building A Shape Option 3
Building A Shape Option 4
Wide-fan seating with two gallery levels.
Elizabethan-style perimeter seating over 3 levels
608 seats. Taking full advantage of the volumes height, though the acoustics for the top tier of seating will likely be a lot weaker than the lower two tiers due to the height of the volume.
650 seats with backless and armless bench-style seating. An additional 166 seats could also be set up in the centre of this arrangement as shown above.
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Building A Shape Option 1
Building A Shape Option 2
This volume wastes a lot of its height, and would create unnecessary echoes from sound reflections in its high roof. It is inappropriate for the desired acoustic result and number of seats.
This approach is successful in potential intense and even reverberation times and allows direct sightlines from all seating to the stage. There is lots of opportunity to utilise early reflections along walls and create an intense sound within a large space. The gallery helps to intensify reflections of sound above and below; extending the acoustic loudness into the backs of the volume.
Building A Shape Option 3
Building A Shape Option 4
This option is capable of providing some sound reflections to all of its levels, but sacrifices good sightlines from the back rows due to limits of pitch and the overall shape volume.
This horseshoe layout leaves little potential for fitting sound reflective surfaces on its walls as most surface area is taken up by absorbent seating areas. There would be some potential for ceiling reflections only beneficial for the top tier of seats. All of the arrangement relies on direct vision and sound which is unsuited to the overall scale of the volume.
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Building A Shape Option 1
Building A Shape Option 2
Too few seats Wasted volume - poor acoustics Good sightlines
Optimum number of seats Good acoustics at all points Potential for good control of reverberation time Good sightlines
Building A Shape Option 3
Building A Shape Option 4
More seating Potential for good acoustics and reverberation time Poor sightlines in back rows of seats
Maximum seating Flexibility to extend the stage area to the centre of the space if central seating is removed. Direct sound only - little opportunity to control reverberations Direct sightlines from all seats
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Building B Shape Option 1
Building B Shape Option 2
180° seating looking down into the stage 300 backless and armless seats: steeply raked to improve sightlines
180° seating looking down into the stage 420 backless and armless seats: each end extended to the full extents of the volume
Building B Shape Option 3
Building B Shape Option 4
180° seating over two levels 164 seats: very steeply raked to maximise sightlines down
Transverse stage using fold-away seating racks 150 seats: steep rakes maximising the height of the volume
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Building B Shape Option 1
Building B Shape Option 2
The central space above the sunken stage provides lots of opportunity to reflect sounds from the ceiling above towards the surrounding audience. The shallowness in the depth of seating allows room for ancillary space on either side and will increase the intensity of sound within the room.
Extending two rows of seats to the full extent of the volume increases seating capacity but reduces the quality of sightlines and sound for the furthest rows of seats.
Building B Shape Option 3
Building B Shape Option 4
Setting up seats in a steep rack around the stage works best with the steep sightlines required to look down into the space. An accentuated ceiling shape will help spread sounds for intense reflections.
Employing fold-away seat shelving on two sides of the stage creates the option of a transverse or end stage. These can mirror the ceiling shape to help reflect and diffuse sound. Removing the one side of seating present in other options also provides another surface for sound reflection.
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Building B Shape Option 1
Building B Shape Option 2
Large number of seats (but too high for the scale of the space) Uniform distribution of sound Potential for good control of reverberation time Good sightlines around the stage
Maximum number of seats (too high for the scale of the space) Potentially poor acoustics at back rows Potential for good control of reverberation time Poor sightlines at back rows
Building B Shape Option 3
Building B Shape Option 4
Optimum number of seats for the scale of the room Uniform distribution of sound Best sightlines from all seating
Optimum number of seats for the scale of the room Uniform distribution of sound Potential for good control of reverberation time Good sightlines from most rows Flexibility in layout with fold-away seating
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FINAL SHAPES
The final volumes and shapes of each building form a large room of 450 seats, and small room of around 150 seats. These also provide two different experiences of viewing stages - a proscenium style theatre with a wide-fan seating arrangement, and a transverse arrangement looking down into a sunken stage. Both spaces blend the setting of the stage into the existing architecture of the ‘everyday’ buildings within the block through the conservation and adaptation methods previously covered in this study.
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3. MATERIALS - SOUND ABSORPTION / REFLECTION / DIFFUSION
Having decided on the overall scale and shape of my two main theatre spaces, I will begin to explore how materials are applied within to maximise the acoustic performance. My main focus will be on maximising early reflections with hard surfaces, using irregularities to diffuse sound more softly, and on the absorption of late reflections to reduce echoing. Following this, I will also look at the sound-proofing issues of each theatre box and how this will be insulated from external noise and be insulated itself to prevent noise to the closely positioned residents of the block.
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NOISE INSULATION
It is important to reduce background noise within a theatre (such as external traffic or service machinery). The difference between available sound level and background noise is called the dynamic area, and should be as large as possible. Noise insulation is doubly important in this project as the noise within the theatre should not overpower the everyday life of the existing inhabitants of the block. Sound insulation is measured in dB Dw (the difference in decibels between two rooms). The key factors that affect this are: Reverberation time: sound energy increases in a rome with higher reverberation times, requiring greater insulation Room size: smaller rooms condense sound energy, requiring increased insulation Partition size: larger wall surface areas allow more sound energy to transmit and require increased insulation.
25-30 dB Dw
Most sentences clearly understood through wall
35-40 dB Dw
Speech can be heard with some effort
45-50 dB Dw
Loud speech can be heard with some effort, music easily heard
55-60 dB Dw
Loud speech is inaudible. Music can be heard faintly - base notes still permeating
65-70 dB Dw
Loud music heard faintly
75+ dB Dw
Most noises effectively blocked
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LARGE HALL
As seen from the stage, the wide-fan arrangement with a gallery level provides a good line of sight to the stage from all across the room. Its trapezoid shape will help to hone reflections towards the back row. In addition to its scale and shape, it is important to provide additional surfaces of sound reflection and diffusion. Panels can be applied to side walls to aid early reverberations, angled towards the audience to intensify sounds. The base of the gallery level is also shaped to reflect noise down into the audience below. For the upper tier, it is necessary to utilise angled ceiling panels for a similar effect. These seats are the furthest from the stage so should have the most focus for reflected sound. The chairs and audience compose the majority of ‘soft’ sound-absorption, but it will also be necessary to ensure the back wall provides additional absorption to stop sound reflecting back from the stage as a late reflection or echo. I have shown this with irregular slats that create tunnels into which sound will dissipate, similarly to the acoustically treatment of a music studio.
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LARGE HALL - SECTION AA
Along this plane, the key acoustic consideration is for the back rows of seating. The gallery level’s soffit helps to hone sound underneath, and angled ceiling panels of hard material will provide reflections to upper levels. Around the room, I have applied thick double-skin walls with an air gap to ensure high noise insulation levels. The 600mm thick wall has a solid build up on either side with a cavity that could be filled with rockwool to provide insulation of over 70dB Dw.
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LARGE HALL - SECTION BB The flanks of the theatre allow space for circulation spaces but also create a box-within-box arrangement of increased noise insulation, creating a giant air gap between two large wall buildups. Along the side walls of the large room, the viewing balconies can also be treated with a face material to reflect sound into the space. Their projection from the side wall creates the opportunity for earlier sound reflections into the space; offering a more intense sound.
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SMALL HALL
A view looking down into the sunken stage, two rows of retractable seating face one another. The reflections of sound up from the stage along the walls will be relatively unhelpful in this configuration. As such, the key component to be considered is the roof structure. A triangular ceiling will help to reflect the sound waves from the stage into the two sides of the room to create an equal acoustic experience on both sides. On the right side of the view is the access from side to side of the room and entrance / escape of the hall. The right hand side marks the boundary of the existing volume below and edge of the new building.
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SMALL HALL - SECTION AA
Hanging triangular panels from the ceiling will help to scatter sound evenly to either side of the room. Similarly to the Tokyo Opera Hall, these could have irregular surfaces to create softly diffused sound scattered into the audience. As the stage is sunken, the direct sound will be very weak from the space below and the audience will rely heavily on the reflections from above. Due to the angle of the space, there is little area of concern for late reflections. The use of folding seating racks adds thickness to the walls at either side, providing a large air gap for effective noise insulation.
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SMALL HALL - SECTION BB
In the other direction, the hall employs a similar wall buildup to the large room, achieving noise insulation of over 70dB Dw to block out external background noise.
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TWO THEATRE ROOMS IN CONTEXT
Together, the theatres are well insulated from one another, and from the context of he block.
Both are in close proximity, allowing for links to shared ancillary spaces such as toilets, a bar, restaurant area, and ticket foyer. The two spaces face the railway to clearly mark the theatre in its context from the frequently used train tracks.
The two rooms also help to frame the new public space created on the site along the newly opened North South passage parallel to the train tracks.
I think that the scale of each room is appropriate; providing spaces for intimate and large shows at around 150 and 450 viewers respectively. These two spaces also provide different styles of theatre through their shape: a wide-fan proscenium arch more traditional of contemporary theatre design. Coupled with a sunken traverse stage setup.
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3. MATERIALITY LIGHT / ILLUMINATION / AMBIENCE / ENVIRONMENT
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EXISTING MATERIALS
The site has an existing material palette of earthy-tones. The more modern buildings are constructed with smooth exposed concrete. There are some ornate buildings clad in stonework, with the oldest buildings built from masonry, all using brown bricks.
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DELLE BONIFICHE ECO-MUSEUM 2019
A restoration of an existing hydraulic water pump station, light transparent materials were applied as a new skin to create interesting light ambience within the new museum building. This project inspired me to explore the use of polycarbonate within my proposal as it seemed an extremely theatrical material - light creating an interesting play of shadows through its semitransparent surface. The build up of the structure is quite simple, polycarbonate applied as a consistent external and internal finish, fixed to horizontal metal battons supported by a steel frame structure.
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POLYCARBONATE
Early on in the project, I was drawn to the use of polycarbonate in construction due to the transparency and flexibility it offers. The material is commonly used in renovation work as it is extremely strong and lightweight, and is easy to work with on-site. It can be applied as a new skin, slotting into aluminium gutters bolted to an existing facade, and can be used independently in a cavity wall system - supported by a metal framework. I think that the material is appropriate for the site as it can be transported in very easily and will not require large machinery to install or replace for its use. The panels can also create very theatrical effects playing with light and transparency - helping to reveal life within the block along the demolition cuts that I want to make while not blatantly exposing the private lives within. Commonly, Polycarbonate has a life expectancy of 25 years, can be made from 70% recyclable material, is resistant to sunlight and extreme temperatures, can block UV rays, and come in a range of colours and transparencies.
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MATERIAL PALETTE 1
I think that the transparency of polycarbonate blends well with the existing materials of the block, creating a distinct language of the proposed theatre with light grey aluminium fixings, dark grey details, and the creamy-white polycarbonate. While the material is more costly per square meter than glass or other plastics, its lightness creates massive savings on structural steelwork. Its ease of installation also massively reduces labour time and costs on site and is very easily replaceable if any buildings were to be damaged or renovated in future. It also provides a unique quality of light to spaces that is less easily attained with glass.
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POLYCARBONATE ON SITE
Despite the benefits of this material, I found that the overall vision of the project began to fade and become overpowered by the existing buildings on site. Looking back at earlier massing of black boxes, the continuity in colour from floor to wall to roof was more indicative of the aesthetic I am looking for across the site. The transparency of polycarbonate is also ill-suited for the needs of the main theatre spaces that would ideally exist as dark boxes. It also brings an issue of overheating with a greenhouse effect inside a space. Due to these drawbacks, I began to look into different precedents of material use that might be better suited to my project.
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KUNSTMUSEUM MORITZBURG 2008
The clarity in the fusing of old and new in this project by Nieto Sobejano is something I wish to replicate in my own project. I think that I will adopt similar principles of clear crisp massing in a single colour to contrast the roughness and patinated surfaces of older brick and stonework. I think that dark grey colouring is very characteristic of the theatre as it is reminiscent of the dark and enticing spaces found within. The following cinema project is indicative of this.
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CINETECA MATADERO CHURTICHAGA 2012
Dark grey painted timber panels clearly demarcate the new rooms of this cinema, interacting nicely with the colourful brickwork. I prefer the colours used in this project, but it loses out on the crispness in intervention of the previous case study. I think that the use of panel systems is perhaps too distracting and visually blends the old and new rather than giving a clear separation.
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MATERIAL PALETTE 2
Reworking my material palette, I think I will maintain the use of polycarbonate in certain renovated areas; perhaps with a darker pigmentation. For the main theatre rooms that don’t require any natural light sources, I think I will go on to explore the use of dark grey concrete. This will provide a homogeneous surface suitable for external and internal floors, ceilings, and walls. This will help to develop a clear language of the new interventions within the block both inside and out.
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BLACK CONCRETE
Black pigmentation of concrete commonly comes from adding either iron oxide or carbon. Carbon creates a darker jet-black colour and is the cheaper option, but can weather out over time or appear blue in finish. Darker coloured concrete may also highlight efflorescence; white powdery deposits that appear on new concrete as salts dissolves. This can usually be remedied by cleaning the surface, either by brushing or with chemicals in more extreme cases.
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REFLECTIONS / NEXT STEPS
I think that the analysis of existing structures and how to preserve and remove floors and facades has helped me to develop a strategy for all interventions within the block. The examinations into key principles of acoustic design have aided me in shaping two of these key interventions - developing a large and small theatre hall through various iterations in scale, shape, and materiality. Continuing to apply this knowledge to my studio project, I hope to develop the supplementary spaces around my two theatres, exploring the materiality of the site as a whole in more depth.
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