Steel sets the stage
A lightweight framing solution, which could also efficiently
provide long spans, meant structural steelwork was the ideal
material for a new theatre in Brixton, south London.
Forming part of Lambeth Council’s
regeneration of Brixton’s
Somerleyton Road, a new steelframed
theatre is being constructed
as the focal point of a project that also
includes 300 homes, workspaces and
community facilities.
The Ovalhouse has been designed
by Edmund Wilson of Foster Wilson
Architects as a fully-accessible space for
both artists and audiences. It will contain
two theatre spaces, rehearsal studios as well
as high-quality training facilities and spaces
designed to be used by the local community.
Ovalhouse, which is currently based in
nearby Oval, has built its reputation on
supporting new artists, working with young
people and communities, and putting on
shows.
Deborah Bestwick, current Director of
Ovalhouse, says: “We’re bringing theatre
back to Brixton. It is wonderful to see the
structure go up and the space take shape.
We look forward to welcoming new friends
as audiences, participants, trainees and new
staff members.
“The theatre will offer a new generation
of theatre companies and artists a space to
develop their work in Brixton and beyond.
We are hugely grateful to our funder Arts
Council England and partner Lambeth
Council, and to the charities who have kickstarted
our fundraising campaign including
Cockayne, The Wolfson Foundation and
The Garfield Weston Charitable Trust.”
According to Foster Wilson Architects,
the design of the new theatre building
is purposefully robust, with exposed
materials, such as the steel frame, that
are capable of adaption to individual
performances, in keeping with the spirit of
studio theatre.
Externally, the design of the building
relates to the industrial architecture
of Brixton and the early street lighting
of nearby Electric Avenue, with a
new anodized aluminium facade that
incorporates a range of lighting and signage.
“Using structural steelwork was the
obvious choice for this project as a
lightweight frame was required because the
Victoria underground line runs directly
below the site, preventing any piling,’’
explains Conisbee Associate Denis Kealy.
“We also needed a framing solution that
could efficiently provide the long spans and
column-free spaces within the building.”
An 800mm-thick ground-bearing raft
foundation was deemed to be the best
solution for the site, onto which a concrete
box basement was constructed, with the
main steel frame starting at ground floor.
Overall, the steel frame is braced for
stability, with most of the bracing located
in lift cores, as well as in one elevation
that abuts an adjacent building and has no
windows.
Steelwork supports precast planks to
form the floors and this solution was chosen
as the underside of the flooring will be left
exposed in the completed building, along
with some steelwork elements, to fulfil the
architectural vision.
The design of the building’s frame
includes a number of spaces of varying
Leisure
18 NSC
May 20
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FACT FILE
Ovalhouse, Brixton,
London
Main client:
Lambeth Council
Architect:
Foster Wilson Architects
Main contractor:
Galliford Try
Structural engineer:
Conisbee
Steelwork contractor:
Mifflin Construction
Steel tonnage: 525t
/Leisure_buildings#Theatres_and_auditoria
/Design
/Visually_expressed_structural_forms
/Facades_and_interfaces
/The_case_for_steel#Take_a_load_off_your_foundations
/Leisure_buildings#Ability_to_span_long_distances
/Braced_frames
/Concept_design#Structural_options_for_stability
/Floor_systems#Precast_units