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PROJECT REPORT: CULTURAL, CIVIC & FAITH BUILDINGS © Luca Piffaretti © Jim Stephenson HEYDAY OF CINEMA
In creating the new interiors, the architects were inspired by the 1920s and 1930s, the “heyday of British cinema” where places would be designed to “transport people to another world”
This is ‘smarter than smart’ insulated glass – passing an electric current through it ‘combs’ particles within the liquid crystal so that to the human eye, the glass appears virtually clear from the interior. On a sunny day, the glass appears nearly black from the outside, while 80% of harmful light such as UV rays are removed. It was the ideal solution for the new rooflight glazing, because temperature needed to be carefully controlled in the toplit members’ spaces, but at the same time darkened interiors would defeat the object of the painstaking historic plasterwork restoration. From the project’s outset, the architects were convinced smart glass would provide the answer, says Benedetti. “We wanted it clear so you could see the trees in St James’s Church courtyard. The trees are about five stories higher than the building, and we wanted people to be able to experience the lovely green canopy above them.” He continues: “The glass was literally being developed as we were designing the project.” Benedetti and project architect Carla Sorrentino visited the company’s HQ in Darmstadt to find out whether it was too good to be true: “It was a very bright day; the glass looked clear, they opened a window and you could hardly tell the difference.” Helpfully, the building contractors Knight Harwood were already aware of Eyrise. The architects acted as ‘broker’ in the partnership agreement between BAFTA and Merck to foster trust in what was a groundbreaking first UK installation. The glass sits in a self-supporting, low profile structural frame beneath the historic structure, and appears completely untinted. Overall, thanks to the combined glazing and upgraded services, what was a 154 kg/ m2
42 kg/m2
carbon footprint has been reduced to – saving almost 200 tonnes per
year, the building went from an EPC rating of G to B.
Interior finishes © Luca Piffaretti
The interiors are subtle but richly coloured and elegant – consisting of a “pared-down, warm palette of classic, sustainably-sourced materials,” says Benedetti. The architects’ chosen palette includes travertine, terrazzo and European oak floors; in a variety of textures, plus brass inserts and other detailing, and walls painted in golds and greens. The level of refinement generally increases as users move up the floors, and the architects also designed the boardroom table and chairs. A subtle example of the drama and sense of increased excitement
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brought in the interior design is the gold speckle in the terrazzo flooring, which increases as you ascend the oak and travertine-lined stair/lift core. There are bars on every floor, but as the second floor bar was a space where kids’ events would be held, the team “effectively wanted a wall which could open.” This led to the idea of creating a screen, “but we thought we should do something unusual – and particularly sustainable,” says Benedetti. The result is a 4.5 metre x 2.5 metre undulating black screen, sitting next to a striking steel balustrade with the BAFTA ‘face’ cut into it. Prompted by a friend, he discovered a new material,
Wearpure.tech, developed by Barcelona firm Noumena to “particalise carbon and nitrous oxides out of the air.” The 3D printed form resembles a curtain, with a maximised surface area that corresponds to ‘a young tree’ in terms of its carbon reducing performance. Classic travertine is used in large wall slabs as well as in fluted tiles around the lifts. The oak slatted panelling on levels two and three have black backing doing the acoustic job, but on the member’s top level, the oak chevron sections are more refined, with an acoustic backing of brass mesh, which also seamlessly incorporates the air handling,
Grand finale
This was a project which actually benefitted from Covid; deliveries to site were far easier, and BAFTA didn’t lose custom to hotels during construction due to lack of demand. Renato Benedetti says the long-term outcome however food the client is a feeling that the building’s unique historic character has been “lovingly enhanced, and imaginatively transformed.” The dramatically improved interiors proudly welcome both members and visitors, including to what architect Renato Benedetti confidently says is “by definition the best cinema in the country,” showcasing the latest Dolby audio-visual technology. The real showstoppers are the restored and repositioned rooflights, whose ornate original plasterwork enhances what are joyful, daylit spaces on the new members’ floor. As for Benedetti’s next big role? They have been appointed for the refurbishment of RIBA’s Portland Street headquarters – that might see the challenges of this scheme somewhat upstaged. g
ADF SEPTEMBER 2022
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