- Location
- Christchurch, New Zealand
- Offices
-
-
Client
-
-
Christchurch City Council
-
-
Architect
-
Athfield Architects
- Location
- Christchurch, New Zealand
- Offices
- Client
-
- Christchurch City Council
- Architect
- Athfield Architects
Share
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"headline": "Christchurch Court Theatre Rebuild",
"text": "
The Court Theatre, founded in 1971, is the largest production theatre in New Zealand. Following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, operations moved to temporary facilities when the building was irreparably damaged. Now, after more than a decade of dedication from the Christchurch City Council and community, the theatre made its return to the city in 2025.
The Council appointed our team to provide mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, fire protection, and civil engineering as well as information and communications technology services. To decrease operational costs so that funds can be used on performances, we also assisted the architects with design aspects, such as a highly insulated façade to reduce reliance on heating and cooling.
Overall, the building uses natural ventilation in public areas, reducing demand on the mechanical cooling systems. The main auditorium uses the stack effect provided by chimneys on the roof to allow the space to operate with less mechanical cooling outside of performance times. The energy‑efficient mechanical systems include heat recovery air handlers, as well as air to water heat pumps for both space and water heating. Additionally, the mixed‑mode ventilation adapts to changing usage demands using outside air.
We ran models of fire engineering solutions, including targeted sprinklers and smoke separations, through multiple design‑fire scenarios. These simulations enabled safe egress strategies tailored to the theatre’s varied occupancy patterns throughout the day.
Architectural requirements to optimise the audience seating arrangements resulted in constrained spaces to conceal services, particularly around the auditorium. However, our digital team worked on designs to fit systems into the limited spaces allowed.
The new Court Theatre employs up to 100 people and welcomes artists and audiences from near and far.
" }
- Location
- Christchurch, New Zealand
- Offices
-
-
Client
-
-
Christchurch City Council
-
-
Architect
-
Athfield Architects
- Location
- Christchurch, New Zealand
- Offices
- Client
-
- Christchurch City Council
- Architect
- Athfield Architects
Share
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