GCCAD drafted 2D structural plans, sections & details for this unique conversion of an existing public building into a multi-screen cinema. Two ground floor screens in the existing main hall and one first floor screen above the existing lobby were proposed, as well as a smaller screen at lower ground floor level beneath the main hall. This involved major structural works at all floor levels, as well as numerous alterations across the entire building; a short description of some of these works is listed below. Please click an image below to enlarge. Whilst viewing, click on the left or right of an image to navigate backwards or forwards respectively. Please note that the images have been compressed and presented as .JPG files for web viewing only. As standard, GCCAD would issue 2D work to an accurate scale on a drawing sheet in .PDF or .DWG / .DXF format.
For the main screen, sloping seating platforms were constructed from 200 x 50 C24 joists at 400 centres, supported on multiple continuous (unjointed) 254 x 146 x 31 UB’s spanning in the opposite direction, over the majority of the main hall’s length. These long beams were supported in three locations:- at one end on padstones built into the existing wall, at the opposite end on SHS posts (within new timber partitions) which increased in height the further up the seating slope the UB beams were positioned. The SHS posts were supported by new UB floor beams below. The long UB’s were also supported centrally by SHS or UC posts (depending on location) which were built off padstones cast into the top of the existing spine wall below.
In the adjacent (lower capacity) screen, cranked 178 x 102 UB’s at maximum 600 centres were used instead of sloping timber joists. The lower ends of the cranked UB’s were supported (depending on location) on new UB floor beams or a new 140mm 7N dense concrete wall (built up from lower ground floor level), while the higher ends of the UB’s were built solidly into the existing external wall of the building.
A full-height partition wall (from ground floor level up to the underside of the roof) was constructed to divide the two main hall screens. This wall comprised two skins of 140 x 38 C24 studs at 600 centres, with 75 x 50 C16 noggins at 1500 vertical centres. The wall was to be laterally restrained at new ceiling and existing roof levels. The wall was built off new twin 203 x 133 x 30 UB beams at ground floor level, which in turn were supported on existing steel floor beams and ground floor walls, depending on location.
The two new screens in the existing main hall required new ceilings incorporating UB support beams (positioned next to the existing truss bottom chords) & new RSA restraints. Staff access to the rear of the new main screen was required from existing first floor level (over the ground floor male WC). In order to achieve this, the existing roof had to be modified to create an unobstructed doorway. This involved removing the existing roof knee brackets and raising the existing truss tie rods locally. Multiple new UC lintels were required for the opening, which were anchored to the existing external wall with a screwed rod and external pattress plate. For the new screen at first floor level (over the ground floor lobby), the floor needed to be strengthened beneath the new seating areas with new 200 x 50 C24 joists (alongside the existing joists), fixed directly below the floor boarding.