project focus


The brief sought to make the building more welcoming and accessible


comfort levels. The heat recovered has enough capacity to carry out this function until the incoming external fresh air dips below 1°C, thus negating the need for heat from the boiler plant for a substantial part of the heating season. The building’s heating system operates


at a lower temperature, reducing heat losses and enabling the future use of ground-source energy via deep bore-holes when funding allows. Plantroom space and pipework terminations have already been incorporated in the building and external landscaping for this purpose. New walls, windows and roof areas have


generally been designed with higher than normal levels of insulation to compensate for the poorly-performing fabric of the remaining elements of the old building. Significant parts of the existing building were retained as part of the project including the old teak stage floor laid in foyer spaces, old doors and architectural features placed in new sections of the building and parts of the steel trusses from the old roof recycled as bench supports in Weston Square. A laminated timber slab was also used


instead of concrete for the main floor and roof of the building. Lighter in weight, it allows support to be taken in some areas from retained elements of the existing building, avoiding additional foundations. The RSC celebrates its 50th birthday this April. The transformation of its home on time and in budget gives the RSC the best present it could ever hope to receive.


New spaces include a restaurant, cafe and exhibition space bflmagazine.co.uk 31


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