12 August 2002
Site work begins on Grade I Georgian theatre
Site work has started on the only surviving, working Georgian theatre in the UK. The Grade I Georgian Theatre in Richmond, North Yorkshire, is being restored, renovated and re-equipped by Allen Tod Architecture, structural engineers Michael Heal Associates and consulting engineers Buro Happold.
The design work for the theatre has focused on the restoration of the 1788 theatre and building it to a new level of authenticity.
The challenge for the design team has been to recreate the conditions that would have existed in Georgian times. The team worked alongside historical theatre consultant, Theatre Projects Consultants, who researched history books and drawings to enable an understanding of what the theatre would have been like in the 18th century in order create much of that feeling in the theatre today.
Explained Allen Tod architect Robert Finch: ‘We have been involved in the project since 1993 and are delighted to be playing a key role in restoring this magnificent auditorium to its former glory. The design concept complements the sensitive nature of the theatre and links the old with the new through modern front-of-house facilities and disabled access.’
Initially building services engineers Buro Happold planned to remove the existing condensers and replace them with something that would be more sympathetic to the original ventilation system. Originally this meant installing natural ventilation with purge mechanical extract, however acoustic consultants, Bickerdike Allen Partners, advised against this. It was suggested that using this system would be unsuitable, as external noise from the traffic would affect the audience’s enjoyment of the performance, something that wouldn’t have been a consideration in Georgian times.
Buro Happold therefore used a new purge extract system, a new extract distribution system (reusing existing distribution system where possible), attenuated motorised dampers and an external louver to openings in the roof and gable.
Explained Simon Bourke, Buro Happold building services associate: ‘A particular challenge was to provide conditioned air to the auditorium while avoiding large visible grilles in the ceiling. Whilst in Georgian times the public were either more tolerant of their environmental conditions, or accepted that being warm and stuffy was part of the theatre experience, modern day audiences are more demanding. Therefore it was essential to provide cooled fresh air to the auditorium.’
The challenge was complicated by the re-introduction of period grilles from which raising and lowering candelabras were mounted. Prior to the start of the show these candelabras would be lowered to recreate the original lighting effect. These are then raised by a pulley mechanism that rises up through the grille at the start of the show to provide an unimpeded view of the stage.
By working closely with Theatre Projects Consultants, the period grille craftsmen and ductwork manufacturers, a duct work system was designed that would allow the candelabra mechanism to be pulled up through the ductwork with minimal disruption to the air supply and distribution.
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Buro Happold is a multi-disciplinary international practice of consulting engineers established in 1976 offering civil and structural engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, quantity surveying, building services and environmental engineering, infrastructure and traffic engineering, geotechnical engineering, façade engineering, fire engineering, computational fluid dynamics analysis, access consultancy, project management, urban design and a range of specialist CAD services.
