Award

DECEMBER 2018 | 43 the venue, no matter the configura- tion. The smaller 'voice lift' system is designed to support the orchestra when amplified and work in con- cert with the orchestra shell. A larger 'music' concert system is available to support fully amplified music and award shows." The systems are fully integrated and are operated from a common con- trol and signal transport platform. To maintain high fidelity and low noise, all signals are digitally transported throughout the venue via a fibre optic backbone network using Optocore's latest generation digital platform. William Loasby, structural engi- neer with Fast + Epp Structural Engineers, explains, "It was very com- plex for us, and not what we would normally deal with as construction engineers. In general, the main struc- ture is very robust, and the overall loading was not an issue for us. The trickiest part was dealing with the intricate structures that were there for the operation of the theatre, like the catwalks over the audience." At approximately 60 feet in the air, a large and intricate system of catwalks for production operators, comprised of a lightweight horseshoe-shaped steel joist structure are hung from the main roof with tension rods and tied back to sides of the building with thin cables. "The most challenging part was to integrate the position of the main shell, that is approximately seven-metres wide by 18-metres long. It's a bit like an enormous plane wing. However, when the team went to place the main shell in the 3D design model, they discovered that there wasn't enough room to angle in the structure with the existing cat- walk system in place," says Loasby. "It was a matter of one or two feet. This very intricate catwalk design had to be cut back, so we had to install new cables two feet further in and run those cables all the way up to the support- ing platform 20 feet above, through the plaster ceiling and then cut away the previous rods," adds Loasby. Patrick Perras, project manager with PCL Special Projects, adds, "The overall construction of the forestage ceiling reflector and its required infrastructure was among the most challenging installations of the proj- ect. Given the size and features of the ceiling reflector, it required electri- cal, theatrical lighting, large speaker clusters, new rigging equipment, and supporting steel. "A large steel platform of more than 750 square feet in area was also constructed for proper maintenance and use of these services. As one can imagine, access was very challenging. Given all the required rigging and elec- trical/speaker/theatrical cables, over 50 openings though the new steel plat- form and existing triangular plaster ceiling were required, which needed to be very precisely located." To add to this excitement, the entire project schedule (including design and construction) had to be sequenced and scheduled around two production shutdowns with zero wiggle room. "This process was primarily done through Pull Planning, which included participation and activities from all major stakeholders. The time spent on this planning and pull planning sched- uling definitely paid off and resulted in a successful summer shutdown," says Perras. Indeed, in spite of the unexpected twists, the resulting world-class con- cert hall is a game-changer, whether it's hosting a performance of dance, theatre, or centuries-old music being heard now, as if for the first time. Adds Glosemeyer Petrone, "The con- cert hall is a large musical instrument intended to support the musicians, and Southam Hall's new orchestra enclosure is a very hard-working instrument." A National Arts Centre Production Renewal LOCATION 1 Elgin Street, Ottawa, Ontario OWNER/DEVELOPER Government of Canada ARCHITECT Diamond Schmitt Architects GENERAL CONTRACTOR PCL Special Projects STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Fast & Epp Structural Engineers MECHANICAL/ ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Crossey Engineering Ltd. AV CONSULTANT Engineering Harmonics Inc. THEATRE DESIGN CONSULTANT Fisher Dachs Associates ACOUSTICS CONSULTANT Threshold Acoustics LLC SOUND TOWERS Wenger Corporation / J.R. Clancy TOTAL SIZE 60,000 square feet (addition) 20,000 square feet (renovation) TOTAL COST $7 million (orchestra shell) $250 million (total architectural rejuvenation and production renewal) Fisher Dachs.indd 1 2018-11-13 8:17 AM

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