NEW CONCERT HALL.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19112, 22 September 1927, Page 4

NEW CONCERT HALL.

MAY BE READY BY DECEMBER. Good progress has been made with the stone work on the front of the new Conceit Ilall in Manchester street, but a great deal of detail work still requires to be done, mainly in the way of l-eiiQvating the old stone and brick work, and the building will probably be available for letting at the beginning of December. An inspection of the work was made by Mr J. W. Beanland, chairman of the City Council's concert hall committee, with Mr 11. F. Willis, the architect. Mr Beanland stated that there would be no foundation stone ceremony in connexion with the new building, the time for that having passed, but he would consult the Mayor with regard to the putting in of a small brass plate to commemorate the opening. Mr Beanland expressed the hope that it would be possible to arrange a really good programme for the now hall for Christmas week. Cost of the Scheme. It is about four years since the scheme was first mooted, the original proposal being that the hall should bo made to cater for all classes of amusement. A building to seat 1275 people, and to cost £30,000 was decided upon by the City Council. Tho lowest tender was £30,800, and in May, 192G, the contracts were signed, allowing 15 months for the completion of tho work. The work was held up for six months, however, by the steel works strike in England, and the big girder for the gallery was unprocurable. Eventually it was obtained from America. The building itself is fireproof, being constructed of reinforced concrete and hollow brick curtain walls. All columns in the auditorium have been eliminated by the use of girders, and a clear view of the proscenium will be obtainable from all parts of the hall. The dimensions of the ground floor arc 70ft wide by 76ft deep. Exits aijd Entrances, A new pediment is being erected on the exterior south end of the building to conform with the design of the municipal officeß adjoining, making one , complete design. There will be two entrances, ono 10ft wide and tlio other 9ft.. with ornamental awnings over each entrance way. The portions of the front of the building formerly occupied by windows in the original structure, have lecn plastered over and fitted with grilles fcr flood lighting effects. The entrance opens on to a crush hall, where there will be provided two ticket boxes, a sweets stall, also cloak rooms and offices. The latter will be reached through two handsome curved swingdoors on each side of the entrance to the stalls. Two flights of curved stairs lead up in easy grades from each entrance to the spacious foyer. Off the foyer there will be an entrance on each side leading to the gallery and off the foyer floor will be two more cloak rooms and offices, and also a staircase leading up to a smoke room above and behind the gallery. In the gallery itcelf there is a wide aisie running along tho centre, which gives access to the seats. This is supplemented by two smiAler aisles running from front, to rear. Tho gallery *,vill have seating accommodation for 508 persons. From this part of the theatre a smoke room on ono sido is reached and a lounge on tho other, both of these being shut off from the gallery by doubjo doors. Both the smoke room and lounge in turn give access to a roof garden, A biograph box is also provided, and will bo sufficient, to hold two machines and all accessories.

Organ Installation. The ground floor will seat 820 people On cadi'side provision has been made for the installation of an organ, the specifications for which are being prepared. It is expected that tenders will be called during the next month. The ■front of the organ is being carried out in open ilbrous plaster work, giving a sound area of 00 per cent, of the whole of the wall. The organ pipes will thus not be visible.

The Stage. The proscenium opening is 32ft wide and 24ft long, and the stage itself is 32ft deep and 70ft wide. .The stage apparatus is controlled by a counterweight system supported by a grid. A false stage has also been provided, worked by a hoist and formed of polished kauri. This allows of a stage area of 20ft by the width of the proscenium opening. The ceiling is formed of flaps which are movable and which are held in place by mechanical means. When in position they take more or less the shape of an enlarged gramophone sound box. This will be used for musical and vocal concerts. There is also a built-up tiered platform which can be removed. This is an original idea and has never been adopted in New Zealand before. Underneath the stage are the dressing rooms, which are fitted with all conveniences and heated by central heating system. Decorative Scheme. In the interior treatment the architects have adopted the modern. style of the Tudor period, in the fibrous plaster work, the briar, or Tudor rose being special features in all the floral work. One of the most striking features is a frieze in plaster depicting the evolution of the arts by means of classical figures. The decorations as a whole are carried' out on similar lines, all gaudy effects being absent. The seats are upholstered in imitation hide, grey being used in the gallery and blue in the stalls. The smoke-room and lounge are carried out in Tudor style, the walls being panelled in kauri up to a height of Bft 6in. They will be equipped with lounge furniture. The foyer is similarly treated, being panelled to a height of sft and having a plaster frieze. The flooring will consist of 3-lCth inch rubber, carried out in colours. The lighting effects will be of the very latest, it being proposed to use flood lighting and colour effects. Ample exits are profided for, while the fire prevention methods are of the latest. There is a lire-proof, curtain, over which is constructed a perforated pipe, which will spray the curtain, in the event of it catching fire. There are also.fire-proof doors between the stage and the auditorium, and these are controlled by a fusible link, which automatically closes them if fire occurs. A rubber dj.do runs round the auditorium to a height of 7ft, the reason being that .rubber is a valuable absorber of sound.

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