Building
the Unicorn: Unicorn
Theatre For Children
And Arup
The Unicorn
Theatre for Children
is the first purpose
designed professional
theatre for children
in the UK. Designed
by architect Keith
Williams and engineered
by Arup, the theatre
will include a 340-seat
main auditorium, a
smaller 120-seat studio
auditorium, an education
studio, a rehearsal
studio, public areas
and a café.
Arup has designed
the structure, building
services and acoustics
for the theatre.
Dramatic
Structure
In response
to the architectural
design, Arup's
structural engineering
highlights include
the main auditorium
box which cantilevers
out over the
main foyer.
This has enabled
the foyer space
to be column
free with spacious
11m high ceilings
and a large
glazed façade
suspended over
the theatre
entrance. High
above the entrance,
there is another
cantilevered
box structure,
hanging from
the main auditorium
box on a steel
gallows bracket
frame. This
two storey tower |
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was a challenge for
our structural and
acoustic teams, as
the plant room at
the top of the tower
would have generated
high levels of structureborne
noise, audible in
the main theatre.
The tower has therefore
been designed to be
cantilevered and structurally
decoupled from the
main theatre by use
of an innovative resilient
system, the result
of integrated design
between our structural
and acoustic teams.
Beyond the larger
structural features,
Arup's engineering
expertise has extended
to the technical facilities
such as the complex
steelwork associated
with the support of
theatre equipment,
the innovative lighting
bridges with flip-up
floors and the technical
balconies
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Lights,
Power, Action
The building
consists of
a number of
primary spaces,
each with different
uses requiring
specific building
services to
each area. In
addition, the
theatre requires
a very high
level of servicing,
and a high volume
of electrical
services, electrical
designers faced
the challenge
of distributing
power in relatively
constrained
areas.Complete
systems for
both sound,
lighting, power,
data systems
outlets, cabling
and containment
have been |
provided along with
distribution systems
for temporary connections
for stage power and
a clean earth sound
power system. Lighting
systems for House
lighting in public
areas and for production
purposes in staff
and technical areas
around the auditoria
have been provided,
all controlled via
the theatre lighting
systems.
Arup's electrical
design includes provision
of fire / voice alarms
and a paging system.
There are also containment
systems for security
and data/telecoms
installations. All
of these facilities
have been co-ordinated
with the complex spatial
arrangements of the
building including
low headroom areas
and routing outside
of the auditoria according
to specific acoustic
requirements.
Apart from the two
passenger lifts, there
is a 5000kg scenery
lift which is able
to transport large
items to the auditorium
stage dock from the
studio loading bay.
This scenery lift
also includes an acoustic
door to the rehearsal
room in order to acoustically
separate the rehearsal
room and the main
auditorium avoiding
any auditory disruptions
between the spaces.
Sound - not noise
A major design challenge
for Arup Acoustics
was the provision
of adequate sound
insulation between
the two auditoria
in the building. To
make it more challenging,
the studio theatre
is located directly
under the stage of
the main theatre -
the former being fundamentally
a concrete box-in-box
type of room supported
on resilient bearings.
This construction
allows for high sound
levels and simultaneous
use of the two spaces.
There have also been
enhancements to the
acoustic design in
both theatres to provide
a high level of speech
intelligibility to
help focus the children's
attention during their
activities.
The Arup team is
excited about this
special project.
Arup's team leader,
Jim Fleming says:
" With so much
emphasis on enriching
our youth, creating
facilities like
the Unicorn Theatre
has been a satisfying
undertaking for
the Arup team. It
carries the aspiration
that creating a
good quality built
environment extends
beyond bricks and
mortar, it can nurture
the culture of generations."
Arup design
team:
Structure:
Jim Fleming, Kate
Horsfall, Matt Clarke,
Andy Smith
Acoustics:
Seb Jouan, Ian Knowles
Electrical:
Dan Brace
Mechanical:
Paul Lander, Hillary
Williams
Public Health:
Peter Kinson, Jenny
Bousfield
About Arup
With its origins
as consulting structural
engineers, Arup
is now a firm of
designers, with
over 7000 staff
working worldwide,
from more than 70
offices in more
than 30 countries.
This workforce contributes
to an expansive
design portfolio
ranging from: concert
halls to galleries;
automobiles to infrastructure;
and structural to
environmental engineering.
Arup is constantly
evolving its skill
base to reflect
the diversity of
both its clients
and staff.
For further
information on Arup,
contact:
Nicola Martin,
Arup Communications
Officer
(0)20 7755 4248
or email: nicola.martin@arup.com.
Arup's website is
www.arup.com
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