Structural presentaion on the design of Wexford Opera House

1. Presenter
Cian O’Donnchadha BEng CEng MIEI MIStructE
Arup Consulting Engineers
May 2009
Wexford Opera House

2. Presentation Overview
Background Information
 Theatre Royal Wexford, Site Location, Client Brief, Planning Drawings, Project Team,
Programme
Architecture
Structural Development
 Stability, Main Auditorium, Fly Tower, 2nd Space Theatre, Acoustics Consultant,
Theatre Consultant
Site Preparation Works
 Demolition, Geotechnical Investigation, Archaeology
Construction Phasing & Progress
Wexford Opera House
Wexford Opera House

3. Theatre Royal
 Wexford Festival Opera running since 1951
 550 Seats
 Stage only 5.0m wide
 Opera House
Wexford No room for enlarging from within

4. Theatre Royal Wexford
Wexford Opera House

5. Site Location
Wexford Opera House

6. High Street
Wexford Opera House

7. Wexford Opera House

8. Site Deliveries Restricted by Wexford Streets View of High Street
Wexford Opera House

9. Client Brief
Wexford Opera House

10. Wexford Festival Opera
 2001 - Arup Acoustic and Theatre Consultants, Carr &
Angier appointed to advise client and OPW in specialist
disciplines
 2003 – OPW asked to evaluate proposal for extending the
old theatre
 “The building project is the only option for the future
development of the opera festival, and the unique quality of
the festival requires expression in a building of unique
charm and identity” Jerome Hynes
Wexford Opera House

11. Client Brief
 Fundamental to the aspirations of WFO was that the theatre
should provide high quality acoustic environments
to international standard, to support and enhance the
creation, production and performance of opera in the 21st
century. The emphasis for the room acoustic was that it
should support and help to showcase the young vocal talent
that has traditionally been a fundamental part of the
Festival, but that this should be balanced with a fine
orchestral sound
Wexford Opera House

12. Planning
Drawings
Wexford Opera House

13. Wexford Opera House

14. Wexford Opera House

15. Project
Team
Wexford Opera House

16. Wexford Opera House - Project Team
Client: Building Services:
The Office of Public Works & The Office of Public Works
Wexford Festival Opera Quantity Surveyors:
Architect: Nolan Ryan Partnership
The Office of Public Works & Theatre Consultant:
Keith Williams & Associates Carr & Angier
Civil, Structural, Geotechnical & Main Contractor:
Acoustic Engineers: Cleary Doyle Contractors
Arup Consulting Engineers Steel Contractor:
AMSE
Wexford Opera House

17. Programme
Wexford Opera House

18. Project Time Schedule
 Planning Application Submitted July 2004
 Planning Permission Granted Nov 2004
 Government Funding Confirmed Sept 2005
 Project Design Team Appointed Sept 2005
 Demolition Jan 2006
 Geotechnical Site Investigation March & June 2006
 Tender Issue April 2006
 Contract Award June 2006
 Start on Site July 2006
 Project Completion July 2008
 33 Months from Design start, 24 Month Construction Schedule
Wexford Opera House

19. Architecture
Wexford Opera House

20. Architectural Design
OPW & KWA Architects
Wexford Opera House

21. Wexford Opera House

22. Fly Tower
Plant Room
Foyer Area & Main Auditorium
Entrance
Sound
Stage Area Rear Stage
Rooms
Service Yard
Toilets Orchestra
Storage
Pit
Sprinkler Tank
Wexford Opera House

23. Stage Iron Grid
Lighting Galleries
Fore - Stage Iron Grid
Auditorium seating Flying Galleries
Wexford Opera
Wexford Opera House House – Key Areas

24. Plant Room
Main Auditorium Second Space Theatre
18.0m Wide & Café / Bars
16.0m High
High Offices & Changing
Street Rooms
5.0m Wide
Storage
Wexford Opera House

25. Roof Plant
Offices
Cafe
Bar
High
Street
Foyer Area &
Entrance
5.0m Wide Second Space
Theatre
Toilets & Cloakroom 5.0m Change in
Level Across Site
Wexford Opera House

26. Second Stage
Level 0
Theatre
Sound Main Auditorium Orchestra Stage Area Rear Stage
Foyer & Room 18.0m Wide Pit
Entrance Area
16.0m High
Box Office & Offices
5.0m Wide
High Street
Wexford Opera House

27. Structural
Development
Wexford Opera House

28. Wales Millennium
Wexford Opera House Centre

29. Grand Canal Square
Wexford Opera House Theatre

30. Structural Concerns
 Significant logistical difficulties of building a large
building in a very confined space with access by
streets that were only 5.0m wide between domestic
houses.
 In choosing the principal material, for the structure the
criteria that were most significant were: dealing with
large spans, rapid erection and adaptability.
 A particular issue was the treatment of balconies within
the Main Auditorium which were cantilevered.
Wexford Opera House

31. Structural Design
 Integration of Services in Balconies
 Tight construction programme – 1 year to build
superstructure.
 The design of the main auditorium structure was kept
separate from the architecture and acoustical
enclosures. This allowed the design of these areas to
be refined while the steel frame was erected.
Wexford Opera House

32. Building Stability
Wexford Opera House

33. Building Stabilized
Wexford Opera House By Reinforced Concrete Core

34. Main Auditorium
Design
Wexford Opera House

35. Main Auditorium
Wexford Opera House Design

36. Level 1
Wexford Opera House

37. Wexford Opera House

38. Cantilevering
Balcony Steel
Line of Rostra Seating
Supporting Line of Rostra Seating
Columns
Wexford Opera House

39. Main
Auditorium
Air Plenum
Main Auditorium
Wexford Opera House Balcony – Air Supply to Seats

40. Main Auditorium
Wexford Opera House Balcony Design

41. Main Auditorium - Balcony Design
Vibration Analysis
Wexford Opera House

42. Wexford Opera House

43. Wexford Opera House

44.  Trusses 18.0 x 3.1m
 100 wide slab / 100 screed Plantroom floor
 Lighting Gallery and Fore Stage Grid Suspended
Main Auditorium
Wexford Opera House Roof Trusses Design

45. Main Auditorium Roof Trusses & StruCad Model
Wexford Opera House

46. Main Auditorium Roof Trusses
Wexford Opera House

47. Stage Area &
Fly Tower Design
Wexford Opera House

48. Flying Galleries
Iron Grid
Stage Area Rear Stage Fly Tower
Orchestra
Fly Tower
Pit
9000
Flying
Galleries
10000 Stage Area Rear Stage
Orchestra
Flying Galleries Pit
Stage Area & Flytower – Plan and Section
Wexford Opera House

49. Stage Rear Stage
Opening Opening
Elevation of Front of Stage Elevation of Rear of Stage Area
Steel Frame Elevation Either Face of Stage
Wexford Opera House

50. Iron Grid
Flying Galleries Flying Galleries
Section Through Fly Tower & Plan of Iron Grid
Wexford Opera House

51. Second Space Theatre
Design
Wexford Opera House

52. Second Stage Theatre – Cross Sections
Wexford Opera House

53. Second Stage Theatre – Tension Wire Grid
Wexford Opera House

54. Structural Development
Second Stage – AMSE StruCad Drawings
Wexford Opera House

55. Auditorium
Acoustics
Wexford Opera House

56. Acoustic Detailing – Arup Acoustics
 High quality acoustic environment to international standard
 Room form and finishes developed to suit opera
 Auditorium Hall lined in timber
 The geometry was of the hall was designed to provide
balance of sound reflection from stage to auditorium, from
orchestra pit and for singer feedback
 Seating to have low sound absorption
 Air supply/extracts rates very low
Wexford Opera House

57. Acoustic Detailing
CONCRETE ENCASEMENT TO
STEEL COLUMNS AND BEAMS
Second Space Theatre Blockwork Around Main Auditorium
Acoustic Details
Wexford Opera House

58. Min 125mm Concrete for sound. Timber joists spanning onto
175mm R.C Slab on Comflor 51 acoustic bearing pads on 175mm
R.C Slab on Comflor 51
Second Space Theatre & Bar Areas Sound Proofing above Bar Floor Slab
Acoustic Details
Wexford Opera House

59. Acoustic Detailing
All Plant Suspended from Roof Concrete Surface
of Plant Room. No Vibration To all Walking areas
transfer to Auditorium below
Plant Room Above Main Auditorium Stage – Fly Gallery Platform
Acoustic Details
Wexford Opera House

60. Theatre Consultant
Wexford Opera House

61. Flying Bars @ 200mm c/cs Suspension Lines Supporting
carrying stage props the Flying Bars
Main Stage – Flying Bars Iron Grid Above Main Stage
Theatrical Details - Fly Tower
Wexford Opera House

62. Suspension lines Pullies and Counter
Connected to Roof weighs used to adjust
steel position of flying bars
Main Stage – Flying Bars System Main Stage – Flying Bar System
Theatrical Details - Fly Tower
Wexford Opera House

63. Follow Spot Room
Lighting Galleries
Control Rooms
Lighting Bar
Sound Control
Auditorium Sight Lines & Lighting Galleries
Wexford Opera House

64. Site
Preparation Works
Wexford Opera House

65. Demolition
Wexford Opera House

66. Wexford Opera House

67. Geotechnical
Investigation
Wexford Opera House

68. Geotechnical Investigation
 Desktop Study of previous investigation (restricted access).
 Due to phasing and Archaeology, new geotechnical
investigation carried out in 2 phases.
 Contamination Investigation on a 20.0x20.0m grid, March 06
 Rotary coring to identify depth of bedrock and method by
which it could be removed.
 Presence of Hydrocarbons – Diesel Storage Tank, from the
Wexford Printing Works which were located on the site
Wexford Opera House

69. Geotechnical Investigation
 Stratum Depth Thickness
Made Ground 0m 0m to 3.0m
Siltstone 1.3 to 3.0m 3.9 to 4.9m
Sandstone 4.9m
 Groundwater not observed in any borehole
 Upper sandstones rippable, sustained breaking required for
orchestra pit (7.0m deep)
 Contamination Investigation on a 10.0x10.0m grid, June 06.
Wexford Opera House

70. Contamination categorisation drawings prepared
on a 20.0x 20.0m grid, March 2006.
Wexford Opera House

71. Geotechnical Investigation
Detailed categorisation done on a
10.0x 10.0m grid, June 2006. Rotary Core
Wexford Opera House

72. ddd
Ground Conditions
Wexford Opera House

73. Archaeology
Wexford Opera House

74. Construction
Phasing
Wexford Opera House

75. Phase 1
Phase 2 Phase 3 & 4 Phase 5
Phase 6
Construction Phasing of Wexford Opera House
Wexford Opera House

76. Construction
Site Progress Photographs
Wexford Opera House

77. Site Clearance & Excavation 13th July 2006
Wexford Opera House

78. Wexford Opera House

79. ddd
Phase 1 Foundation to Second Space Theatre
Wexford Opera House

80. ddd
Wexford Opera House

81. ddd
Construction of Orchestra Pit
Wexford Opera House

82. ddd
Condition of Adjoining Properties
Wexford Opera House

83. Wexford Opera House

84. ddd
Phase 1 Steel Frame & StruCad Model
Wexford Opera House

85. Wexford Opera House

86. Wexford Opera House

87. Phase 2 Lobby Stairs
Wexford Opera House

88. Phase 2 Steel Frame Construction and Strucad Model
Wexford Opera House

89. Phase 4 Steel Frame – Cantilever Balconies
Wexford Opera House

90. Wexford Opera House

91. Phase 4 Steel Frame Balcony Steel Frame
Wexford Opera House

92. Phase 4 Auditorium Roof Truss Erection
Wexford Opera House

93. Phase 4 Auditorium Roof Truss Erection
Wexford Opera House

94. Phase 4 Steel Frame - Erection of Balconies and Roof Trusses
Wexford Opera House

95. Phase 4 Steel Frame - Erection of Balconies and Roof Trusses
Wexford Opera House

96. Phase 4 Auditorium Roof Trusses & Wideslab
Wexford Opera House

97. Phase 4 Auditorium – Suspended Lighting Galleries
Wexford Opera House

98. Phase 4 Auditorium – Suspended Lighting Galleries – Metal Decking
Wexford Opera House

99. Phase 4 Metal Decking Flooring to Balconies
Wexford Opera House

100. Phase 4 Concrete Floor to Balcony Areas
Wexford Opera House

101. Phase 4 Suspended Fore Stage Iron Grid
Wexford Opera House

102. Phase 4 Auditorium Steel & Steel Frame to Stage
Wexford Opera House

103. Phase 5 Concrete Shell to Stage Basement
Wexford Opera House

104. Phase 5 Truss Frame on Stage Side
Wexford Opera House
Cladding Frame to Fly Tower

105. Phase 5 Iron Grid Above Main Stage Area
Wexford Opera House

106. Phase 5 Iron Grid Above Main Stage Area Suspended Steel Above
Wexford Opera House

107. Phase 5 Fly Galleries
Wexford Opera House

108. Phase 5 Cladding Frame to Fly Tower
Wexford Opera House
Model of Stage Area & Fly Tower

109. Phase 6 Construction of Steel Frame
Wexford Opera House

110. Phase 5 & 6 Erection of Steel Frame
Wexford Opera House

111. Wexford
Opera House
Wexford Opera House

112. Wexford Opera House

113. Wexford Opera House

114. Foyer Area – Lobby Stairs
Wexford Opera House

115. Jerome Hynes Theatre – Second Space
Wexford Opera House

116. Wexford Opera House

117. Jerome Hynes Theatre – Second Space
Wexford Opera House

118. Bar Area – Level 3
Wexford Opera House

119. Cafe – Level 4
Wexford Opera House

120. O’Reilly Hall – Main Auditorium
Wexford Opera House

121. Wexford Opera House

122. Wexford Opera House

123. Wexford Opera House

124. Wexford Opera House

125. Wexford Opera House

126. Wexford Opera House
Opening Night
Wexford Opera House

127. Thank you
Any questions?
Presenter
Cian O’Donnchadha
Arup Consulting Engineers
Wexford Opera House