Electrical Contracting News (ECN) August 2016 | Page 19

ROYAL COURT THEATRE, LIVERPOOL

The slow roll out of the proposed
programme is not only about ensuring that
sufficient funding is secured for each ‘Act’
before work begins but is also based on
the fundamental need to keep the theatre
open with viable performance and social
spaces throughout each phase.
‘One of the biggest challenges
of keeping the building operational
throughout this complex programme of
works has been designing the building
services so that that the M&E installation
could be upgraded without business
interruption,’ comments Steven, ‘which is
why our engineers have worked closely
with the theatre’s team and the architect,
Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), to
build those requirements into the design
and ensure that there was no risk of
business interruption as services were
modified, extended or upgraded.’

Energy upgrade
The Steven Hunt & Associates team
designed the building services for the
Act 2 programme following completion
of Act 1, involving upgrades to the
auditorium. The electrical infrastructure
had to be upgraded for the public areas
and connected to the new extension
without any risk of outages in the
performance space.
Explains Steven, ‘The theatre’s power
distribution was still operating from the
building’s original 1938 panel board which
was no longer fit for purpose. The old
panel has been isolated and made safe but
retained for historical interest. However,
the design needed to accommodate an
installation schedule that would avoid
supply being cut off to the auditorium.
‘The new distribution system involves
amalgamation of the two existing switch
rooms into a single switch room and work
to move the building over to the new
supply had to be delivered out of hours
to ensure that any risk of power outages
was avoided.’
Rewiring and lighting refurbishment of
the auditorium had also been completed
as part of the Act 1 programme but, as
the whole building is on the same supply
network, upgrades to the electrical
distribution in the Act 2 programme had to
be designed to ensure that any isolations
did not affect performances.

PROJECT FOCUS

The safety and security elements of
the electrical installation also had to be
integrated with existing installations as
part of the extension programme. The
wireless fire alarm has been extended
into the ground floor public areas and
new extension with the addition of a
new control panel for the ground floor.
Meanwhile, new access control has been
installed for the stage door entrances and
a full CCTV system has been installed
covering all public areas.

Dramatic lighting
Lighting was a key design element of the
Act 2 programme. Explains Gillian Miller,
chief executive from Liverpool’s Royal
Court, ‘The lighting scheme is one of the
main design elements for creating impact
when people enter the building and the
lighting scheme has been developed to
create contrast with the stripped back
architectural design and bare walls.
‘The lighting theme is black and gold
and there are twin recessed downlights
throughout the foyer area with black
and gold wall lights in the stairways and
break out spaces. The Steven Hunt &
Associates team worked closely with the
architect to ensure that the complexities of
the aesthetic vision were delivered in the
building services design.’
In addition to the dramatic feature
lighting, hidden LED lighting in the lobby
pelmets provides a soft ambient light,
while glass pendants over the lobby have
been included in the design for drama.
Gillian continues, ‘Part of the business
case for the Act 2 programme was
creating a multifunctional space in the
foyer and ground floor public areas
where a variety of events can be held.
With this in mind, all the foyer lighting is
linked to scene setting controls to enable
the theatre to adjust settings depending
on the time of day and the type of event
being held, maximising the flexibility of the
public spaces.’
Energy efficiency has also been
designed into the lighting scheme. All
fittings are LED, including a number of
existing fittings in the basement which
have been rewired and relamped.
PIR presence and absence detection
has been included in the scheme for the
ground floor and basement toilets and
this has also been included in the lighting
control scheme for the office areas on the
fourth floor, along with daylight controls,
dimming and manual switching.
‘While the lighting scheme for the
public areas on the ground floor has been
designed to offer a warm and cosy feel,’
says Steven Hunt, ‘in the office areas the
building needed a task centred lighting
strategy and this was achieved as part
of a low energy approach by using LEDs
and controls.’
Externally, recessed LED strip
lights in the terrace floor have been
specified to light the façade, with
further strip lighting under the handrails
and recessed downlights to light the
entrance to the foyer. All of these
external lighting features are controlled
by timers and photocell