ARCHITECTURAL

PLANNING A.B.T.S. - II
Fo.Y. B.ARCH. 2021 - 2022

ZARINA P. TAHIR S. SHRADDHA S. MOHSIN B. MOHAMMAD G.

INDEX
Points to cover

1. Parts of house
2. Parts of Stage
3. Services of Stage
4. Ancillary Activities

Case studies
1. Harbin opera house
2. Boston Symphony Hall
PARTS OF
HOUSE
An ORCHESTRA PIT is the area in a theater (usually located
in a lowered area in front of the stage) in which musicians
perform.

Orchestral pits are utilized in forms of theatre that require

music (such as opera and ballet) or in cases when incidental
music is required. The conductor is typically positioned at the
front of the orchestra pit facing the stage.

In the pit, the walls are specially designed to provide the

best possible acoustics, ensuring that the sound of the
orchestra flows through the entire venue without
The control booth, control room, lighting box, technical
overwhelming the performance on stage.
booth, tech booth, used by theatrical technicians is the
area designated for the operation of technical equipment,
lighting controls and sound board. In a theater, it is
generally an enclosed space with a large sliding window
with a good view of the stage centered in the back of the
house. It may be on the ground floor or at the balcony
level.
It is designed to allow lighting and sound operators to be
able to see the performance, without being in the
auditorium itself. In some theatres, the control booth is
divided into a suite of rooms, allowing each of the
technical elements of a production its own customized
space.
SECTION OF ORCHESTRA PIT
SECTION OF CONTROL BOOTH
All theaters provide a space for an audience. The audience is usually separated
from the performers by the proscenium arch.
The seating areas can include some or all of the following:
● Stalls or arena the lower flat area, usually below or at the same level
as the stage. This is usually the rear seating block beneath the
gallery (see below) whereas in Britain it can mean either the area in
front near the orchestra pit, or the whole of the stalls. The term can
also refer to the side stalls in some usages.
● Balconies or galleries: one or more raised seating platforms towards
the rear of the auditorium. In larger theaters, multiple levels are
stacked vertically above or behind the stalls. The first level is usually
called the dress circle or grand circle. A second tier inserted beneath
the main balcony may be the mezzanine. The highest platform, or
upper circle, is sometimes known as "the gods", especially in large
opera houses, where the seats can be very high and a long distance
from the stage.
● Boxes (state box or stage box): typically placed immediately to the
front, side and above the level of the stage. They are often separate
rooms with an open viewing area which typically seat up to five
people. These seats are typically considered the most prestigious of
the house. A "state box" or "royal box" is sometimes provided for
dignitaries.
● House seats: these are "the best seats in the house", giving the best
view of the stage. Though each theater's layout is different, these are
usually in the center of the stalls. These seats are traditionally
reserved for the cast and crew to invite family members, agents, and
others. If they are not used, they usually go on sale on the day of the
performance.
Threshold capacity of theater without balcony (How do you divide the capacity of people on ground and balcony)
How to calculate the distance between the first row and the Stage
1 3

2 8
Spaces for Drama

● Drama is defined as a branch of theatre that essentially helps illustrate an

event or situation through acting.
● Originally derived from the Greek word ‘dran,’ which means “to do” or “to
act,” drama can be interpreted in different ways based on the reader or
viewer.
● Drama can also refer to an episode of life that involves some sort of
profound emotion or conflict.
● There are various people that contribute to bringing theatre to life, from
directors to actors, technicians, stagehands and costume designers.

Types of Theatres for Drama

Thrust Theatre Endstage Theatre Black box Theatre Proscenium Theatre

Spaces for Acoustic Music (Unamplified)

● Concert and recital halls are theatres for the performance of music. The
requirements of acoustic (nonamplified) music determine the volume, shape,
and even the architectural detailing of the hall.
● At the same time, the hall must support the visual presentation of the
performance and provide an intimate patron experience.
● A universal characteristic of these buildings is that performers and audience
share the same space—there is no architectural separation between stage and
auditorium.
● Today, concert halls aren’t used exclusively for acoustic music. A new hall must
have enough flexibility to allow other uses, like popular (amplified) and ethnic
music, dance, lectures, meetings, and film presentations.

Types of Theatres

Recital Hall Shoebox concert hall Vineyard concert hall, surround hall
Spaces for Opera and Dance

● The opera house developed as a specific theatre form in the late Renaissance and persists to this day.
● Historically, opera and ballet performances coexist in these spaces, but beginning in the twentieth century,
dedicated dance spaces began to appear.

Types of Theatres

Opera House Dance Theatre

Spaces for Multiple uses

● Almost every theatre will be put to many uses, but here we discuss two particular types of multiuse
theatres—the multipurpose theatre and the multiform theatre

Types of Theatres

Multipurpose theatre Multiform Auditorium

Spaces for Entertainment

Venues for popular entertainment can take many forms. Here we discuss two important types—the
multi-use commercial theatre and the showroom

Types of Theatres

Multi-use commercial theatre— a “Broadway theatre” Showroom

form (Oscars)
Spaces for Media Interaction
● These spaces are highly flexible, usually with no fixed seating, and almost always with a high
degree of acoustic adjustability.
● Other features may include extensive media recording and playback capability, immersive
environments, and electronic communication.
● These combine with remote spaces for distance learning, distributed ensembles, remote
performance, and other opportunities.

Spaces for Meeting and Worship

Conference Center House of Worship

Spaces for Teaching

Almost any of the theatre forms described here might be part of an academic building—expecting maybe the casino showroom.
Additional considerations arise in the design of performance spaces for students, some of which we discuss below.

● Single-purpose spaces Performing arts venues on a campus are more likely to be single purpose, since it is more likely that
the academic program tied to the space occupies it at least for the full school year. (A college theatre department, for
example, will likely keep their small drama space continuously in rehearsal or performance.)
● Instructional spaces Performing arts venues on campus must be designed as instructional spaces. Auditoriums should be
compact and intimate, scaled to, and supportive of, the student performer. Control rooms and other support spaces must
have appropriate equipment and sufficient room to serve as class labs.
● Stage technology The theatre and stage are also class labs. The theatre equipment must be suitable for the productions,
but also appropriate for teaching. Consideration should be given to who operates and maintains the equipment. Economical,
simple, and safe equipment is usually best.
Length of rows
● A maximum of 16 seats per aisle
● 25 seats per aisle is permissible if one side exit door of 1m width is provided per 3-4 rows

Number of seats in a row

● With traditional seating the maximum number is 22 if there are gangways at both ends of the row, and 11 for the angway at one
end

Row-to-Row spacing
● Traditional seating the minimum clearway for people to pass along the row is 300mm and this dimension increases with the
number of seats in a row
● Continental seats the clearway is not less than 400mm and not more than 500mm

Gangways
● The minimum is 1100mm
● They can be ramped up to 10%, but only 8.5% if likely to be used by people with wheelchairs
● If the seating rake is steeper, gangways must have steps extending the full width and these must have consistent treads and
risers in each run
HARBIN OPERA HOUSE
 HARBIN OPERA HOUSE
PLAN

GROUND FLOOR FIRST FLOOR

AUDITORIUM 1

ORCHESTRA PIT
STAGE

STALL SEATING

CIRCULATION
AISLES

BALCONY
SEATING
9M

14.2 M
10.8 M
 20.2 M

28 M
14.2 M
AUDITORIUM 2

ENTRY/EXIT
POINTS
STAGE

STALL SEATING
BOSTON SYMPHONY HALL
 STAGE

ORCHESTRA
ENTRY/EXIT PIT
POINTS

STALL SEATING

CIRCULATION
AISLES

BALCONY
SEATING
 ENTRY/EXIT
POINTS ENTRY/EXIT
POINTS

BALCONY
SEATING

STAGE
STALL SEATING
PARTS OF
STAGE
 1. Apron - The flat wide part of the stage
projecting into the audience and used
as the main area
BACKDROP/CYCLORAMA 2. Proscenium - The part of a theatre
stage in front of the curtain.
3. Curtain - Theater drapes and stage
curtains are large pieces of cloth that
are designed to mask backstage areas
of a theater from spectators.
CURTAIN 4. Stage - is a designated space for the
PROSCENIUM
performance of productions
5. Cyclorama/Backdrop - background
device employed to cover the back and
sometimes the sides of the stage and
used with special lighting to create the
illusion of sky, open space, or great
distance at the rear of the stage setting
6. Crossover - A crossover is a hallway,
room, or catwalk designed to allow
actors in a theater to move from wings
on one side of a stage to wings on the
other side without being seen by the
audience.
7. Wings and Offstage area - Areas that
are part of a stage deck but offstage
(out of sight of the audience)
SECTION OF STAGE
 PROP STORES

ARTISTS TOILET

BACKSTAGE
DRESSING
ROOMS

CROSSOVER
OFFSTAGE
AREA UNLOADING
(WINGS)
AREA

BACKDROP/CYCLORAMA

STAGE

CURTAIN PLAN
APRON OF
STAGE
BACKSTAGE

LEFT WING MAIN

RIGHT WING
STAGE

APRON
STAIRS STAIRS
AUDITORIUM 2

CROSSOVER

BACKDROP/CYCLORAMA
OFFSTAGE AREA
(WINGS)

BACKSTAGE
STAGE
DRESSING
ROOMS

ARTISTS
TOILET

PROP
STORES

PLAN OF STAGE

ADJACENT
ADJACENT CORRIDOR
CORRIDOR STAGE
 BACKSTAGE DRESSING ROOMS
BOSTON SYMPHONY HALL

UNLOADING
AREA
TOILETS
ARTIST

PROSCENIUM
CYCLORAMA
BACKDROP/

STAGE

APRON
CROSSOVER

CURTAIN

OFFSTAGE AREA (WINGS)

SERVICES OF
STAGE
 1. Choose your focal point. Most auditoriums are set up
LIGHTING so that the audience looks at a stage, pulpit, or
podium of some sort. Lighting can be used to direct
attention to this area.
2. Consider placement. While you want lights that are
made with the focus of directing attention, you want
to make sure they aren’t overpowering to the people
working underneath them.
3. Have three zones of lighting. A good rule of thumb is
to have three zones of lighting for an auditorium. The
first one would be the board lights that project
towards a screen on the stage if needed. The second
layer would be presenter lights which shed
illumination on the person presenting or speaking. The
third layer is the audience lighting.
4. Don’t skimp on brightness. For the audience lighting
aspect, you want to make sure the lighting is bright
enough to allow for note taking if needed.
5. Focus on artificial light more than natural light. While
most locations would benefit greatly from
incorporating both types of lighting into their plan,
auditoriums usually require a certain level of low
lighting to make projected screens more visible.
 CURTAINS
Theatre
curtains can
be sewn flat
or with pleats
for more
fullness.
Pleating is
commonly
used to
increase
opacity, light
and sound
absorption, or
to add more
depth to the
drape.

Stage masking draperies are used at the side limits of the performing space to conceal offstage areas and equipment from
the audience’s view. These so-called “borders” and “legs” of the theatre are made from light masking fabrics that partially or
completely block atmospheric light in order to create a black box on stage. They also meet the most specific onstage
demands for minimum light reflection.

Apart from absorbing light, some theatre masking curtains can also be used as acoustic drapes.
A FLY SYSTEM, or THEATRICAL RIGGING SYSTEM, is a system of
rope lines, blocks (pulleys), counterweights and related devices
within a theater that enables a stage crew to fly (hoist) quickly,
quietly and safely components such as curtains, lights, scenery,
stage effects and, sometimes, people.

Systems are typically designed to fly components between

clear view of the audience and out of view, into the large
opening, known as the fly loft, above the stage.

A CATWALK is an elevated service platform from which many of the

technical functions of a theater, such as lighting and sound, may be
manipulated.

Catwalks are used to suspend lighting instruments and microphones

directed at the stage.For example, lights may need to be accessed for
maintenance

Typically, catwalks are located in positions hidden from audience view or

directly above an audience, and are considered "behind-the-scenes". For
example, many proscenium theaters have a series of two or more catwalks
running parallel to the proscenium arch above a false ceiling.In modern
theatres, many architects design catwalks into the "look" of the theatre.
A catwalk may also be placed upstage of the proscenium as part of the fly
system. These may be fixed, or they may be able to be raised and lowered.
THEATRICAL SCENERY is that which is used as a setting for a
theatrical production. Scenery may be just about anything, from a
single chair to an elaborately re-created street, no matter how
large or how small, whether the item was custom-made or is the
genuine item, appropriated for theatrical use.

The construction of theatrical scenery will be frequently one of

the most time-consuming tasks when preparing for a show. As a
result, many theatres have a place for storing scenery (such as a
loft) so that it can be used for multiple shows. Since future shows
typically are not known far in advance, theatres will often
construct stock scenery that can be easily adapted to fit a variety
of shows.

Special Effect Apparatus

There are various effects to show smoke, rain, wind,violence
and blood, Gods and ghosts and spirits etc.

The equipment used is usually divided into these four

subheadings
1. Mechanical
2. Pyrotechnical
3. Electrical
4. Hydro - Mechanical
ANCILLARY
ACTIVITIES
Ancillary Activities
An ancillary area of a building is an area that supports the function/s of the primary areas, that is, it is not part of the primary purpose of
the building, but is required in order that the primary purpose can function.
Whilst the size and shape of these spaces may vary widely depending upon the requirements of the auditorium.

ENTRANCE PORCH AND TICKET BOOTH SNACK BAR VIP ROOM

ENTRANCE LOBBY
Typical plan
showing ancillary
areas of Auditorium
NEUFERT’S AND NBC DATA:

The auditorium are reached

via common entrances and
sometimes stacked.

External access and emergency routes:

These are needed in accordance with local
requirements and will depend on the
location:
- Prestigious location in an urban
- 48 sq ft for the first square.
projection machine. - Location in a park or on a main street
- 24 sq ft for each additional - As part of large building.
projector.
 HARBIN OPERA HOUSE
PLAN

VIP ROOM

ENTRANCE WAY TO 1st

FLOOR
TICKET BOOTH
LOBBY
ENTRANCE TO
MAIN THEATRE

ENTRANCE TO
2ND THEATRE

ENTRANCE
STAIRCASE TO
PARKING

PORCH

GROUND FLOOR FIRST FLOOR

 TOILET

BOSTON
SYMPHONY
HALL

VIP ROOM

TOILET

TICKET BOOTH
ENTRANCE
LOBBY

ENTRANCE
PORCH
THANK YOU .
Case studies Points to cover
1. Harbin opera house
2. Boston Symphony Hall 1. Parts of house
2. Parts of Stage
3. Services of Stage
4. Ancillary Activities

https://thelasttrombone.com/2019/0 https://www.archdaily.com/153520/harpa-co
3/11/symphony-hall-bostons-proud- ncert-hall-and-conference-centre-henning-lar
temple-of-music-since-1900/ sen-architects
NEUFERT’S DATA:
NEUFERT DATA
Representative of
Auditorium space
types