I THE ARUP JOURNAL I 3/1994 Front cover: The auditorium of the new Glyndebourne Opera House. (Photo: Martin Charles) Back cover: The central courtyard in Phase 2 of Lloyds Bank headquarters. Bristol. THEARUP (Photo: Peter Cook) Vol.29 No.3 Editor: 3/1994JO URNADavid J. Brown L Published by Art Editor: Ove Arup Partnership Desmond Wyeth FCSD 13 Fitzroy Street, London Deputy Editor: W1P6BQ Helene Murphy 3 Engineering Glyndebourne Opera House, built in 1934, became inadequate an opera house: for modern use, and has now been replaced by a new 1200-seat the new Glyndebourne theatre which opened on its predecessor's 60th anniversary. Stas Brzeski Ove Arup & Partners were responsible for the building's structural, Derek Sugden services, controls, fire, civil, and transportation engineering, John Thornton whilst Arup Acoustics were acoustic designers for all aspects of John Turzynski the project. including the new auditorium. 10 Cape Town's South Africa's rejoining the international community has led to a Olympic Games bid concerted effort to host the 2004 Olympic Games, the choice Mark Bostock lying between Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town. A team Des Correia led by Ove Arup Incorporated managed Cape Town's bid, Cliff McMillan preparing a sports plan and cost estimates, dealing with Ugo Rivera consultations for the technical proposals, and carrying out an economic benefit analysis. It secured the nomination in January 1994 and now goes forward to be considered by the IOC in 1997. 15 Governor Phillip Tower, Sydney Ove Arup & Partners Australia were the structural and civil Bill Thomas engineers, and Arup FaQade Engineering provided the faQade Neil McClelland consultancy services, for this new 64-level office tower on a sensitive site in Sydney. Additionally, detail drawings were provided for the three 100m2 glass roofs over the foyers, as well as the tall stainless steel and glass screens in the entrance area. 19 Lloyds Bank, Arup Associates designed both phases of this new corporate Canon's Marsh, Bristol headquarters on a Sha riverside site in one of Bristol's most Stuart Mercer historic areas. There is a close visual relationship between the Terry Raggett faQades of the two phases, but whilst the crescent-shaped plan Peter Warburton of Phase 1 embraces a new paved public amphitheatre. the circular form of Phase 2 encloses a 40m diameter green courtyard for the Bank's employees. 2 Engineering an opera house: the new Glyndebourne Stas Brzeski Derek Sugden John Thornton John Turzynski sightlines and create the required acoustic; layout of the building is based on circular the fabric must provide good acoustic isola­ forms, which are used to soften its impact on tion ; and the ventilation system should be the site. Recognizing that the auditorium and inaudible. Also, theatre and lighting equip­ stage areas have the same requirement for ment have very specific needs. (These are acoustic isolation and generate similar the technical criteria; the architectural plan­ widths, they are contained by an oval-shaped ning, too, has its own demands). massive brick wall , the 'fortress wall'. At one Apart from the requirement that only one sea­ end is the auditorium, at the other the back son should be lost during construction, stage, and between lie the side and centre Glyndebourne presented another challenge: stages with the flytower above. how to relate to the House and gardens, and Around the fortress wall is wrapped the an­ maintain those qualities which make cillary accommodation: dressing rooms, 'Glyndebourne' unique. offices, and circulation space. Primary ser­ The concept vices distribution is located in this zone . Whatever success the design has stems from There is a basement. The area behind the the simplicity and clarity of the overall con­ proscenium contains plantrooms, stage 1. Glyndebourne in 1934: Organ Room (left), cept of the building, which works for all dis­ Theatre (right). equipment and dressing rooms , whilst in front ciplines at all levels. The diagram may seem there is a ventilation plenum beneath the Introduction obvious but a study of other theatres soon auditorium, cloakrooms for the public, and The new Glyndebourne Opera House opened reveals that its clarity is exceptional. Such plant rooms for the front-of-house areas. The on 28 May 1994, the 60th anniversary of its simplicity is not easily achieved and relies on back stage plantrooms supply air to the the complete integration of architectural, predecessor, with the same opera, The auditorium via two huge concrete ducts. Marriage of Figaro. The original building, con­ engineering, and acoustic design. Instead of trying to reduce the impact of the new Opera Noisier plant such as boilers and chillers are structed by Sir John Christie in the grounds in a separate refurbished brick out-building. of Glyndebourne House (Fig.1 above) near House by fragmenting it, like Glyndebourne Lewes in East Sussex, was not only too small House itself, the Hopkins' chose to create a The rehearsal stage too is outside the main for current demand, but suffered from poor single compact building and then reduce its envelope next to the loading bay, in which acoustics and sightlines, had inadequate visual bulk, both by cutting into the hillside another stage can be built if necessary. The ventilation, and sub-standard back stage and through the detail of the design. contours of the site are such that the rehear­ facilities. By 1987 his son , Sir George Christie, The design is a natural consequence of sal stage is almost completely underground, had begun to plan a new Opera House; after choosing a horseshoe-shaped auditorium for revealing its presence only by a low brick wall approaching nine architects and asking two the intimate atmosphere it creates. The whole topped by a band of glazing and a lead roof. to develop proposals, he appointed Michael Hopkins & Partners early in 1989. Arups became involved in all aspects of the engi­ neering and acoustics design apart from Energy centre theatre equipment and production lighting. Fortress wall Bar, shop and box office The brief called for an increase in seats from 830 to 1150 and an improvement in technical Stage and Ambulatories Backstage \J flytower over standards. Sir George Christie was quite 2. clear, however, that music, theatre , and an Concept intimate atmosphere took precedence over diagram. technology. He did not want a building where the technology became an end in itself. Basement Clarity and integration plant room The design of an opera house is complicated. The problems of long spans over stage areas Rehearsal and the support of balconies and flytower are stage obvious, but there are many more: the form and detail of the auditorium must give good 3. The new Opera House looking westwards toward the South Downs. 8l ;;i_, z "a: ::, Q Q. ::, a: "w ...:,: 3 Brickwork and the fortress wall cities built houses onto the outside of Outside the fortress wall , exposed precast Glyndebourne House is a collection of mellow cathedrals and castles. This structural prin­ slabs with an in situ topping are supported on redbrick and stone buildings with gardens ciple reinforces the architectural concept. precast beams which span between the and lake, set in the Sussex Downs. The new fortress wall and brick piers. The outer ends Opera House not only had to relate to these The Hopkins' work p,laces great emphasis on of the beams appear through the walls and physical characteristics, but also recreate the the honest use of materials, but brickwork in piers to make the construction legible and particular ambience which Glyndebourne large contemporary buildings is normally add detail to the brickwork. Brick spandrel has. In part this is created by the setting and relegated to a cladding skin or a facing for panels span between the piers as flat arches the tradition of picnicking in evening dress in precast units. This is betrayed in the bonding carrying their self-weight. Precasting was the gardens. It also lies, like the picnic, in the patterns, the use of the bricks in unlikely situ­ chosen both for speed and for quality of contradiction between sophistication and ations, and the location of mastic-filled move­ finish ; also, in the case of the accommodation simplicity. In the old Opera House a complex ment joints. These are required by the expan­ structure, its form reflects the use of timber art was performed at its highest level in a sion of brickwork and the lack of flexibility of and cast iron in earlier brick buildings. The building which could best be likened to a modern cement mortars as much as by the concrete mix was selected for its light colour large church hall . Some people were con­ need to absorb differential movements be­ and contained a mica-rich sand to give it cerned that its acoustic qualities should not tween frame and cladding. Nevertheless sparkle. Precast panels were also used to be lost but these in fact were poor with a dry such joints would have undermined the visual form the ceiling over the auditorium and sound and noise from aircraft using Gatwick. integrity of the load-bearing structure and led create the recessed lighting gallery. These to ditticulties in detailing. They would also elements play an essential role in the audito­ Early in the design the architects considered have been difficult to locate structurally and using flint walling , a local material, but settled rium acoustics: apart from providing the mass undesirable acoustically, so the older tech­ necessary as part of the double-skinned on brick as more appropriate. The hand­ nology of lime putty mortar, which is more made bricks not only related its construction acoustic enclosure, their sculpted form tolerant of movement, was adopted. The reflects and diffuses sound .