NEW CONCERT HALL.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18363, 22 April 1925, Page 9

NEW CONCERT HALL.

% THEATRE "DE LUXE."

ACQUISITION TO THE CITY,

It i* a considerable time since the lan was F* ssc d authorising the erection of the new Concert Hall, but now H the preliminary work has been done jj tenders will .shortly be called for the letting of the contract. The loan 3S for £35,000, and it is probable that the actual cost at completion jnight bo more than that sum. The plans of the new building, which j, a y e been prepared by Messrs Dcwo Willis, architects, aro complete and giro a splendid idea of the magd,nificonce of the new structure. It -' will be erected on the sit© of the old Alexandra and Victoria Halls, and will stretch back to within 30 feet of the boundary of this property. The front appreciable extent as the old front ffall. which at present stretches along Manchester street on the southern tide of the City Council Chambers win bg retained in the new building, as fill a 30 foot section which at present exists on tho southern side of the site. Thus the south-west corner will no t require renewing and this should save a good deal of expense 'besides retaining the design which is at present ju keeping with tho City Council b'nilding, adjoining on the northern lide of the proposed new structuie. Also in order to harmonise with the general design, the tower will b c cut The main entrance to the chamber ivill be in the northern side of the front elevation, almost next to the Citv Council building, while tho entrance to tho offices will bo situated jit the opposite end. The main entrance will" be 26 feet wide, curved granite steps leading up to it, these being flanked on cither side by ornamental stone pedestals, surmounted br'ornamental light bulbs. In these pedestals the foundation stones will be laid. An ornament ll cantilever, verandah will bo suspended above the main entrance. This is unique in 'Christchurch, and should tend considerably i to improve the appearance of the'front aspect of the building. Three bronze : metal torches will be-situated above the awning, and these should tend to throw into relief tlie main features of tho entrance, besides contributing to the general lighting effect.

The Interior. The seating accommodation of the Chamber will bo 1500. Of this seats will he provided in the ground floor or stalls portion for 900, and in the upstahs or gallery part- for COO. Going through the main entrance one will enter a vestibule 2\ feet wide, and treated u ith fibrous plaster. A hand6omo ticket box replete with brass grill and all the apparatus necessary will be situated on either side; At the far end from the entrance -will he two six feet stairways leading to the gallery and upoer portions of the structure. Directh behind these again, will.be the entiance to the crush hall behind the stalls. This space is 27 feet wide, and leading off it will bo ladies' and Eontlemen's cloakrooms* the former : on the left-hand side, and the last named on the right. Each will be replete v ith wash-hanci basins and lav«SsAitoncs and will measure 20 feet, by iU Yfc*t. ■ . « ' i Auditorium and Acoustics. The auditorium on the lower floor mil b? 7i! feet by 87 feet, while.the eallerv will run back to the 104 foot mark,' or 17 feet further than the rear of tho stalls. It will be fan-shaped and has been specially designed in order that there shall be nothing to the sound proceeding from the stage. The roof is on a curving slant, slopIDE down towards the stage, and, in fact, the whole is designed on somewhat tho same principle as the soundbox of a gramophone—one which will urovide for an absolute maximum ot Sound being conveyed from the proscenium to the rear 0 the Chamber The lower floor is panelled for a depth nf cicht feet, and the -nail at the iJTthl stalls, and also the gallery walls are similarly treated The panelline on the side walls -will act as a rc&nt, while that at the back will provide an absorbent to sound and prc--1 vent an echo, at the same trme makinz it possible for the people sitting at the rear of the Chamber to hear as clearly as those seated in the front row. The Stage Area. An ingenious device in the form of a veil at the rear of the stalls has been provided to minimise risk of echo, in most theatres or . concert talk .the space beneath the gallery has acted as a trap to sound -with disastrous effects to those who wish to listen beneath the floor of the gallery. This well under the gallery' -will act as a vent to let the sound escape and minimise the risk of £.wM also fcerve for ventilation purposes and from its top extremity people about to go into the gallery w; 1 bo able to look down into the stalls. ■ TJ» slope of the ceiling wUI be a . rake of eight feet fronv front to rear, and tho cltpses, with radu at the proatfcnium end, 4 feet 6 inches and 19 feet, and 9 feet 6 inches and 19 feet at the other end. The ceiling-will he Seated with fibrous plaster desiped tlbiicu a manner as to bean : absorof sound. There will be two tfrittes executed in modern style in • M relief. One will run round m the • toal manner beneath the ceiling, and • & other round the front of the gaJ- ! fey. The top will be four and tho ' Jotw three feet in width. ~ %6 proscenium wiU be 32 feet wide 1 j|Kid 24 feet ttgh, while the stage it«lf wUI be 72 feet wide by 46 feet deep. A scene dock on the north siae of tl the stage will measure lo feet oy 29" feet, and a baggage and Properg Mom on the sarno side will be ot tne sajne dimensions. On the ground floor «nfte stage level there will be nyo fofaiory and wash-hand basin accommodation. Access to all these rooms I *iU be gained through fireproof doors | Aaitlve whole building will be so conb "Wasted that should a fire break out I »«y particular portion, it can oe I •** off Tom the rest of the theatre I 2? fireproof contrivances. On the nrst '( foor there will be nine dressing-rooms, |" «nd in fact, the whole of the space ocl hv these conveniences will °e I WntauW man annexe. There will be L *t»sement under the stage, covering - w£»n» area as that part ot tne I ' wilding, entrance being gained to tnis ' ' {? * four foot area running down at " °f tihe building. , ... *, J*e stage itself will be equipped with < ,'TJ tte appliances of an up-to-date < JWatre. In this respect it is interest- , M\* note that a special fibrous plaster « been expressly designed by Wilis to bring out th 6 full posof the theatre during concerts ft-; SJJji*? l acoustic point of view. Tins canopv is moveable and con%^SS*;Vl shape* It can be moved Jf||l|SjjP a few feet of the front of during the- concerts, leaving aHßEfi&teP the platform ten feet deeplllillllyfl-' prevent the volume of voice ll§||j|||&Ber being lost before it crosses

foot of next column.) |

the proscenium. It will also have a tendency to reflect sound into the haii. At the back of the stalls there will be aii entrance from the crush hall on both right and left hand sides. Aisles will lead down between the seats from each of these entrances, and a convenient space will divide the front and rear portions of the seating accommodation. The seats themselves will all ho well upholstered, even in the cheaper portions of the house, it being recognised that good upholstery lends towards better acoustics. The Gallery. " Access to the gallery is gained by means of two staircases six feet wide, leading up from the vestibule. These converge into a wide staircase which in turn leads enc to the foyer. Ihe stairs will be of marble. The foyer itself will measure 48 feet by 27 feet b inches, and will contain a, ladies cloakroom, on the left hand side, find a gentlemen's cloakroom on the right -hand side. The first-mentioned will measure 38 feet by 20 feet, and the latter 22 feet by 20 feet. There will also bo situated hero an office for the management, 15 feet 6 inches by 12 feet in dimension. ' Two further flights of stairs will ead 1 to the gallery, access to which will be bv two 7 feet doors. At the rear ot the gallery itself, there will be two exits to a nromenade and roof garden, the Sen/which will be situated above thfe offices and vestibule portion, measuring 70 feet by Go feet There Si also be a biograph operator* box 'at the back of the galler>. .01: tht exits there will be a unique double starcase-it i» believed the. only ■ one of S: kind in New Zealand-leading down from the promenade to tie foyer 2nd them* to the rigit-of-way. In this fnstance, a single well is used for two £S thus allowing a double Sount of traffic in a very restneted a T& idea is one which is seldom ™it»Tin anv part of the world, Sough'it is Sieved that may hj« one or two in the Imited Sr ites. A ,Sill entrance off the oyer will give to the' City Council Chamber itself In the sialfs there are four uoors through which exit may bo obtained. SchS these is 7 feet, wide, there be-•-J, o further main exit on the south '?£ of the cru"h J-all. The peoph ,n 41 stalls war not be able to 1/ave Xl bui ding through the vestibule, aHhoJgh this may bo used for such a purJosVby those coming from .the S Ventilation and General

The ventilation arrangements will be /IL "zone" tvpe wherein the air ° f -.l £ cleared of ittyurities and a con- ? U %tr of piir© air will bo admit- ?*?? £ build ng. The heating «-ysied t0 ; of low Pressure steam, and tetn + W iiH be Sailed throughout for IDte m will be used vacuum f^ er ;i d metllods . The ins tead of theoljer lighting. £I ** £ * front row a ? d thf "erf situated 4S feet °/ \E , it?ce It will be curved in * «*"* of 78 feC cU 6 te ,J, bousedJ-JJS.S of thenew con he the build"Sjhen architectS) fi^ P Zve been Saged on the preparaho have been en- f building, are tion of the. plans or to be thehefforts. They which ha, attended the i have spa«« .J 6 gH parts of the mW the new ff orld, and * do