{"id":763611,"date":"2024-12-03T18:29:25","date_gmt":"2024-12-03T18:29:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=763611"},"modified":"2024-12-06T16:18:46","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T16:18:46","slug":"case-study-beam-by-bennetts-associates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/specification\/case-study-beam-by-bennetts-associates","title":{"rendered":"Case study: BEAM by Bennetts Associates"},"content":{"rendered":"

BEAM is a new council-funded multi-arts hub in Hertford.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Open all day and into the evening, it offers a dynamic programme that ranges from theatre to music, film and community events anchored by an all-day caf\u00e9 and bar. Its presence enriches the town\u2019s cultural fabric, offering a space for both locals and visitors to come together in a shared social environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

BEAM is an extension and remodelling of an existing theatre and arts centre built in 1978. The old auditorium and fly tower were kept and expanded to a capacity of 550 seats. The new extensions include a state-of-the-art three-screen cinema, and multiple hireable spaces, all designed to serve diverse audiences and events. This varied offering provides both cultural and commercial value, ensuring the venue can generate revenue from multiple streams.<\/span><\/p>\n

The building form was derived from the hexagonal plan of the old auditorium and from references to the grain and scale of the historic town.<\/span><\/p>\n

The five new clustered brick-clad blocks with their sloping roof shapes allow the relatively large building to sit comfortably in its picturesque riverside setting.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Simon Erridge, director, Bennetts Associates<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

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Project data<\/b><\/h3>\n

Start on site <\/b>May 2022
\nCompletion <\/b>May 2024
\nGross internal floor area <\/b>3,228m2<\/sup>
\nConstruction cost <\/b>\u00a326 million
\nTotal cost<\/strong> \u00a330 million
\nArchitect <\/b>Bennetts Associates
\nClient <\/b>East Hertfordshire Council
\nStructural engineer <\/b>Integral Engineering Design
\nM&E consultant <\/b>Max Fordham
\nQuantity surveyor <\/b>Bristow
\nProject manager<\/b>\u00a0 <\/span>Form, East Hertfordshire Council
\nApproved building inspector<\/b> East Hertfordshire Council
\nTheatre consultant <\/b>Sound Space Vision (stages 1-3), Charcoalblue (stage 4 onwards)
\nAcoustic consultant <\/b>Sound Space Vision (stages 1-3), Charcoalblue (stage 4 onwards) <\/b>
\nInterior design <\/b>Citizens Design Bureau
\nLighting design<\/b> Pritchard Themis
\nInclusive design<\/b> David Bonnett Associates
\nFire consultant<\/b> The Fire Surgery
\nLandscape architecture <\/b>Fabrik
\nCost consultant <\/b>Bristow Consulting
\nEmployer\u2019s agent<\/b> Bristow Consulting
\nMain contractor<\/b> GPF Lewis
\nCAD software used <\/b>Autodesk
\nEmbodied \/ whole-life carbon<\/b> 560 kgCO2\/m2<\/sup><\/p>\n

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Architect\u2019s choices<\/b><\/h3>\n

The starting point regarding material selection began with the immediate context of Hertford itself. A predominantly masonry fa\u00e7ade was chosen for this reason, which also reinforced the solidity of the distinct new volumes. The volumes themselves have few openings (a reflection of the functions they house) so where the fa\u00e7ade has been opened to create one, it was important to use products of a sharpness and quality to emphasise this simplicity. Where possible, products were sourced locally, such as the brickwork from HG Matthews in Buckinghamshire, thus cutting down on any travel times to site.<\/p>\n

Simon Erridge, director, Bennetts Associates<\/i><\/p>\n

\n

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Specification<\/b><\/h3>\n

BEAM focused on reducing embodied carbon by retaining as much of the previous building as possible and using a combination of reuse and regenerative materials such as mass timber. We made a detailed assessment of embodied carbon during the design stage and this has gone on to inform carbon benchmarking in the cultural sector.<\/span><\/p>\n

Construction materials were carefully selected with the environment in mind as well as the building\u2019s aesthetic appeal and performance. This included the specification of cross-laminated timber for the superstructure and the upper levels, helping to contribute to a predicted upfront carbon figure of 560kg\/CO2<\/sub>\/m2<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

The main auditorium transformation was a complex exercise involving the insertion of a new steel-framed balcony with 150-seats inside the existing space, and the construction of shallow-raked stalls with under-seat ventilation. Legacy informed the design strategy, with the original zinc-clad malthouse-shaped fly tower still standing at the heart of the new building. The bespoke glazed bricks adorning BEAM\u2019s fa\u00e7ades tie in with neighbouring buildings in the town.<\/span><\/p>\n

Inside, we collaborated with interior designer Citizens Design Bureau to create a theatre that still has a nod to the mid-century style of the original space, with retro ventilation grilles and structure supporting new technical galleries subtly concealed by a new layer of faceted, dark stained panelling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Simon Erridge, director, Bennetts Associates<\/i><\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span>\"\"<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Selected products<\/b><\/h3>\n

Curtain wall fa\u00e7ade
\n<\/b>Creative Aluminium
\nAluprof MB-SR50 N, RAL 3009
\nCurtain walling to ground floor openings and double-height glazed fa\u00e7ade to west elevation
\ncreativealuminium.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

Sliding doors
\n<\/b>Dormakaba
\nSt Flex Rc2
\nGround floor main entrance and caf\u00e9 entrance on west fac\u00e7ade
\ndormakaba.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Lime mortar<\/b>
\nCornish Lime
\nSt Astier NHL3.5\u00a0 <\/span>RAL7030
\nBrickwork fa\u00e7ade
\ncornishlime.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

Brickwork<\/b>
\nHG Matthews
\nCustom blend, mix of glazed and specials
\nBrickwork fa\u00e7ade
\nhgmatthews.com<\/a><\/p>\n

External doors<\/b>
\nClark Doors
\nSteel hinged acoustic doorsets
\nVarious
\nclarkdoor.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Metal cladding<\/b>
\nPS Fixing
\n3mm aluminium panelised cladding
\nNorth fa\u00e7ade main entrance portal
\npsfixing.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

Digital screens<\/b>
\nTrison UK
\nCustom digital screens
\nNorth fa\u00e7ade within curtain walling and entrance cladding
\ntrisonworld.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BEAM is a new council-funded multi-arts hub in Hertford.\u00a0Open all day and into the evening, it offers a dynamic programme that ranges from theatre to music, film and community events anchored by an all-day caf\u00e9 and bar. Its presence enriches the town\u2019s cultural fabric, offering a space for both locals and visitors to come together …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":763779,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[721],"tags":[3831,1558,1961,1342,5701,1791],"yoast_head":"\nCase study: BEAM by Bennetts Associates<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This multi-arts hub in Hertford extends and remodels an existing theatre and arts centre, with new extensions providing a three-screen cinema and multiple hireable spaces.\u00a0Photography by Hufton + Crow\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/specification\/case-study-beam-by-bennetts-associates\" \/>\n<meta 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