Entertainment buildings
Guidelines between constraint and freedom
The design of the entertainment buildings intended for the public, concerns multiple areas that are worth analyzing because they have different needs and peculiarities. In fact, cinemas and theaters, dance halls and clubs, exhibitions and venues used for concerts, festivals and events fall into the category. It is therefore easy to understand how, depending on the specific intended use, the needs and consequently the spatial conformation of each individual building change. In fact, the user experience is different: if in discos and during a concert the spectator becomes an active part of the event, in the case of cinemas and theaters the user will be seated and will often passively attend the event. Based on the needs of the case, the spaces will be designed to satisfy specific needs and to provide the user with maximum comfort.
Let's see some now guidelines which can clarify how the design process develops and what constraints must be respected regarding certain types of buildings intended for public entertainment.
A short and useful differentiation
Once the category to which these places belong has been clarified, it is useful to specify that for "buildings intended for public show” means those spaces in which shows and reviews will be held with a variable flow of the public. The internal spaces of each type of building will be divided into an area dedicated to the performance, an area for users and some service spaces and housing the necessary systems. In the larger and more structured buildings there will also be an entrance space divided into a cloakroom area and a ticket office corner with the cash desk. It is necessary to optimize the spaces as much as possible, always taking into account the safety and security of people. The entrances and spaces will be sized on the basis of the expected flow of users and it will be good to guarantee access and use also to the disabled. From a health and hygiene point of view, specific standards will be ensured and the acoustic aspect will have to be given particular attention, since these are structures used for shows and concerts.
That being said, the building that will house the cinema, the auditorium or the theatre will have to relate to the context in a balanced way and at the same time distinguish itself from the pre-existing one. This is because being a place of exchange and meeting it will have to become a point of reference, a centre of attraction and a recognisable place.
The Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center in Zaha Hadid It is part of the redevelopment project of an area of Baku (Azerbaijan) and is in continuity with the surrounding open spaces that act as a connection and social exchange. However, the building, which houses three auditoriums, a library and a museum, stands out with a strong personality from the context
Furthermore, all environments should be designed to at least partially symbolize the function they fulfill, in any case promoting acoustic and lighting comfort in their entirety.
Cinema
The cinema has been one of the most popular spaces in the last 50 years. Designed from the beginning to provide an intense experience, it included a generously sized screen and audio systems optimized compared to normal home televisions. Older buildings are smaller and include an entrance area and usually a single screening room. Over the years and with technological progress, audio and video systems have become even more efficient and cinemas have become real multifunctional centers, equipped with more rooms.
Today there are many types of cinemas: indoor, outdoor, multiplex, multi-story buildings. Each type is characterized by a specific distribution of space and different furnishings. In the first case, the cinema is represented by a room of variable dimensions with a screen and multiple seats oriented towards it. If the room is large, the rows of seats are arranged in a staggered way, in order to ensure good viewing for multiple users. Outdoor cinemas are reminiscent of the old drive-ins, but are equipped with seats and are not accessible by car. This last type has found a high consensus in this last period in which the pandemic has forced everyone to maintain greater social distance and to prefer outdoor environments rather than indoors where the virus would have found greater possibility of spreading. Finally, cinemas multiplex or multi-story have become widespread in recent years and are often located in the outskirts of the city or outside the city. These are buildings that include outdoor parking on the square, multiple screening rooms, halls with ticket offices, bars, restaurants and games rooms. Naturally, all of the aforementioned types must have at least two toilets, one of which is for the disabled.
To view some interesting drawings of cinema and related furnishings click here
Auditorium
This is a building intended for concerts and musical events and for this reason, during its design, great importance was given to theacoustic aspect. The design process of this type has the dual objective of controlling the sound impact of the building on the context and ensuring the correct reception of the sound by the user. In fact, it is good that the sound reaches the recipient without undergoing significant variations compared to how it appears when produced by the sound source. The other aspects that must be carefully taken into consideration then concern the shape of the classroom, the arrangement of the stage and the seats, the minimum height of the ceilings and the choice of finishing materials.
The structural and compositional characteristics of the building will influence the internal acoustic comfort and for this reason it is necessary to make careful choices in this regard. In the event that the auditorium is included in recovery or re-functionalization works, it is essential to analyze the current state and plan improvement actions if necessary. An example of this is theAcoustic adaptation on the floors which usually involves the addition of an insulating layer capable of separating the spaces from noises coming from the context, avoiding the propagation of sound towards the outside and ensuring an optimization of sound reception. The intervention must be aimed at adapting the available space to the scenic and technical needs, guaranteeing at the same time, the quality of the performances. In this sense, it is also a good idea to check the condition of the windows which, if dated, could cause sound dispersion. Furthermore, it is necessary to foresee the use of sound-insulating materials combined with sound-absorbing ones such as rock wool, glass wool and melamine foam.
See here the project in dwg…>>
Theater
Buildings intended for theatrical performances similar to cinemas and auditoriums presuppose particular attention to acoustic and visual comfort. Although it is an artifact already present in ancient times, the theater in the past was never recognized as a true building typology in itself with precise peculiarities. Only later was it conceived as a building whose design must consider acoustics, functionality, technical aspect and elements related to local society and culture.
Each space must be designed to be functional for the specific action that takes place there. In this regard, the stage area must have equal or greater dimensions than the space intended for spectators, since it will house the stage and the hidden areas where machinery, sets, actors and operators of the sector will be housed. The typology differs from the others for the presence of a gallery and two stands in which spectators can sit and watch the show.
Interior view of the ancient Teatro San Carlo in Naples, built by order of the Bourbon family in 1737. The subject of numerous renovations, today it retains its horseshoe plan and boasts impeccable acoustics, the result of an intervention that saw the insertion of the velarium that thus created a sort of acoustic chamber. Photo: www.finestresullitalia.it
If current theaters are to be used for various functions, it is necessary to foresee the flow of users and the logistical needs related to the type of activity that can be carried out there. It is in fact clear that a show on stage has different development characteristics compared to a conference or a concert.
Common aspects
After having analyzed the peculiarities of three of the main buildings intended for public entertainment, it is correct to specify how each typology requires the design care of some important elementsThese are regulated aspects aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of users.
Let's see what they are.
SECURITY
In order to ensure the safety and security of a large catchment area, all premises intended for public entertainment must comply with specific regulations. In terms of fire prevention, buildings must be designed in compliance with some essential rules in order to obtain the consent of the bodies responsible for their control. In fact, in order to carry out a regular activity, two documents will be necessary: the Permit of Habitability and Fire Prevention Certificate. These permits will be issued after verification by the Fire Brigade Command regarding the static, electrical and health safety of the building. All systems must be up to standard and hygiene and health standards must be respected in the service and meal preparation areas. The premises must provide clear escape routes and emergency exits located according to the size of the building and the intensity of the expected flows. Furthermore, from a structural point of view, the rooms must provide adequate compartmentalization: this means that the spaces will be divided by elements capable of stopping the spread of flames in the event of a fire. Examples of this are dividing walls and REI doors capable of resisting fire and remaining stable without transmitting flames and heat. Finally, all materials used for the construction of entertainment venues must have a reasonable level of fire resistance. The choice can be based on a classification that sees each type of material placed on a scale from 0 to 5, where 5 corresponds to the most flammable.
ACCESSIBILITY'
Since these are spaces intended for the community, it is essential that they are accessible to everyone, including people with physical and sensory disabilities. To this end, the entrance must be recognizable and easy, with openings that also allow the passage of a wheelchair and therefore with a light of at least 0.80 m. The external and internal flooring must allow a simple and safe transit and the materials they are made of must not be slippery or dangerous. At the entrance, in case of differences in level, a ramp with a maximum slope of 8% will be necessary and if the buildings are developed on multiple floors, the presence of at least one elevator is essential. All routes must ensure the use of at least two people at the same time or a wheelchair and therefore must have a minimum width of 1,20 m.
In the event of a fire, all internal spaces must be designed with a view to reaching emergency exits and safe, open-air places as quickly as possible. For this reason, the indications relating to itineraries they will have to be well visible even in the dark, during the performances. While outside there must be ample space for the maneuvering of any fire-fighting vehicles, inside the seats must be spaced appropriately and there must be seats suitable for the disabled in the number of 2 for every 400 standard.
HYGIENIC-SANITARY ASPECT
As regards the hygienic-sanitary conditions of buildings intended for public entertainment, some rules must be followed in order to guarantee an optimal quality standard. The internal spaces must be large enough in relation to the number of users that they will host and the height of the ceilings must not be less than 2,70 m. Furthermore, a adequate air exchange and unlike buildings with different intended uses, in this case artificial lighting will be widely used to fulfill practical and aesthetic functions. Finally, all service areas, bathrooms and kitchens of bars and refreshment points will have to comply with strict rules; it is necessary to provide at least two bathrooms for up to 200 users and a bathroom for the disabled with appropriate dimensions and dedicated equipment. All bathrooms, if they are not equipped with windows, will necessarily require adequate forced ventilation systems.
In conclusion, public entertainment venues require acareful planning and technical specifications to offer comfort and functionality to the user. At a time like this, when the pandemic has caused numerous difficulties from a social point of view, it is important to recover recreational and leisure activities that have been suspended for a long time, in full compliance with the rules and personal and collective safety.
