HAWASSA UNIVERSITY

IOT

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

FEASIBLITY, LITERATURE REVIEW AND CASE STUDY ON

CONVENTION CENTER

ABRHAM ABEBE…….………………………………..................0529/12
ABUBEKER AMAN…….………………………………................0151/12
BINIYAM GEZHAGN………………………………..................0482/12
BIRUK JEMBOLA…….………………………………..................0529/12
BONTU BEKANA…….………………………………..................0554/12
DAGMAWI ZELALEM………………………………………………..0591/12
ELIAS NEMERA………..………………………………..................0311/11
 Table of Contents

Introduction………………………………………………….1
Feasibility study……………………………………………..2
Site selection criteria…………………………………………3
Literature review……………………………………………..3
Program list………………………………………………….5
Case studies ……………………………………..…………..16
Reference …………………………………………………...25
INTRODUCTION:

Convention is the name given to a general or formal meeting of a legislative body,

social or economic group in order to provide information on a particular economic
situation and in order to deliberate and consequently, establish consent on policies
among the participants, usually of limited duration with set objectives but no
determined frequency.
Convention – A large meeting of member of profession, a political party, etc.
Center - A place or an area where a lot of people live, a place where a lot of business
and cultural activity takes place.

A convention is not simply a space for looking at or listening to a performance. A

successful convention for live performance supports the emotional exchange between
the performer and the audience, and between members of audience.
Thus conventions are usually general sessions, mostly information giving, often
formed around a particular theme or subject matter of topic interest and increasingly
accompanied by exhibits. In addition to need for large halls & auditoriums required
for the plenary sessions, most conventions break down into smaller groups to
deliberate on particular matter of issue.

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Feasibility study

Needs assessment
An objective, clear-sighted assessment shows the needs of the arts groups in the city
community. There is a need for a better and enhanced venue which can serve the
community better than the existing venue. The potential to the new venue and the land
can be utilized with higher amount of space efficiency compared to its current
condition. There will be a number of future programs and events which will need a
modern venue.
Market analysis
There is an audience for a new venue. There is a good reason to build a new theatre or
refurbish an old one because there is a significant audience to support the completed
project. The market for a new venue can be assessed in a number of ways – through
desk research, quantitative analysis, focus groups, benchmarking against existing
venues, original market research, etc. All of these methods are valid routes to build a
picture of likely future attendance.
Program planning
Based on the needs assessment and market analysis, a program plan should be
prepared for the venue. This would be a typical year’s plan listing the events, the
source of the events, number of performances, etc. The program plan is a key
document as it conveys to all involved in the project the types of programs and levels
of activity anticipated in the new or refurbished theatre. The program plan needs to be
prepared for a single year and, in outline at least, for an initial three- to five-year
period to show the projected growth in activity in the new building.
Site analysis
The location of a new performing arts building is clearly critical to its success. In
many cases, where an existing building is being remodeled or enlarged, the location is
already determined, but in the case of a new building it will be necessary to ensure
that a suitable site has been secured before commencing the design process.
Technical issues related to a preferred site need to be identified, criteria established,
and the potential site critically evaluated to ensure it fulfils the stated needs.

Location of the site

THE SITE IS LOCATED AROUND MENAHARIYA

SUB-CITY,BESIDE SOUTH STAR HOTEL. S

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Site selection criteria
 Accessed from all direction: The site is bounded by local
and arterial streets in its all sides. So it can be accessed
from all directions.
 Topographical characters: as the site is located in
Hawassa city, the topography is mostly flat.
 City center: by nature convention centers tend to
describe the image of the city. So they should be located
where it can be accessed by all. Hence, city center .
 Neighbor hood activity: the neighbor hood activates are
compatible with the convention centers. There are
governmental centers around the site which is good for
security. There are also recreational center.

Literature review
DEFINATION

Convention Center is a large civic building or group of buildings designed for

conventions, industrial shows, and the like, having large unobstructed exhibit areas
and often including conference rooms, hotel accommodations, restaurants, and other
facilities.

A convention center is generally defined as any property used in connection with a

convention or meeting center, or similar facility, including auditoriums, exhibition
halls, facilities for food preparation and serving, parking facilities, and administrative
offices. A number of states have passed legislation enabling public funding to be used
for convention centers in an effort to attract tourism and businesses to the local
economy.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The original convention centers or halls were in castles and palaces. Originally a hall
in a castle would be designed to allow a large group of lords, knights and government
officials to attend important meetings with the king. A more ancient tradition would

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have the king or lord decide disputes among his people. These administrative actions
would be done in the great hall and would exhibit the wisdom of the king as judge to
the general populace.

Convention centers and Exhibition spaces evolved from the open-air amphitheaters of
the Greek Agoras and Roman Forums, which were initially intended for large
commercial fair.
The first convention centers can be traced back to mid-19th century Britain.
Commonly known as exhibition halls, the centers were designed to bring together
people to discuss and explore their mutual interest of a subject.
Victorian buildings often covered several acres and were multi-functional
incorporating lecture halls, libraries, galleries, theatres and exhibition areas.

The Crystal Palace, Hyde Park

Among the first historical convention centers
constructed was The Crystal Palace in
London’s Hyde Park. Providing 92,000 m2
of exhibition space, the building was erected
in 1851 to house The Great Exhibition a
grand show case of modern industrial
technology and design. Organized by Prince
Albert and inventor Henry Cole, the Great
Exhibition was an international platform for
world powers to demonstrate their
technological and cultural achievements.

Although countries all around the world could contribute, British exhibits - from
working machinery to scientific and surgical instruments - took center stage,
promoting Britain’s position as a great industrial power. In 1854 the Crystal Palace
was dismantled and re-built in Sydenham, an area of south London which by
association became known as Crystal Palace. Ravaged by fire in 1936, the building
was eventually pulled down.

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Great Palace of the Elysian Fields (Grand Palais)

is a historic site, exhibition hall and museum

complex located at the Champs-Élysées in the 8th
arrondissement of Paris, France. Construction of
the Grand Palais began in 1897 following the
demolition of the Palais de l'Industrie (Palace of
Industry) to prepare for the Universal Exposition
of 1900. That exposition also produced the
adjacent Petit Palais and Pont Alexandre III.

The building was designed to be a large-scale

venue for official artistic events. A pediment on
the building refers to this function with an inscription that reads, "a monument
dedicated by the Republic to the glory of French art." Designed according to Beaux-
Arts tastes, the building features ornate stone facades, glass vaults and period
innovations that included iron and light steel framing and reinforced concrete.

Program development

Program list dimension area quantity Total area

Entrance 80 m2 1-3 240 m2

Open space
Landscape Design
based
Waterscape Design
based
Outdoor seating Design
based
Walking space Design
based
parking
Staff parking 3m * 5m 15 m2 30-40 450 – 600
m2
Conference parking 3m * 5m 15 m2 30 750 m2
Guest parking 3m * 5m 15 m2 4500 m2
Security parking 3m * 5m 15 m2 4 60 m2
Banking van 3m * 8m 24m2 2 48 m2
Service van 3.5m * 12m 42 m2 4 82 m2
Total area 6040 m2
Service and utility
Electrical room 500 m2 4 500 m2
Reservoir room 200 m2 5 2000 m2
Server rom 100 m2 2 100 m2
Mechanical &maintenance 200 m2 3 200 m2
Waste water treatment 200 m2 1 200 m2
Total area 1200 m2

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Retail & shopping mall
Super market 250 m2 1 250 m2
Beauty salon 150 m2 2 300 m2
Barber shop 100 m2 2 200 m2
retail 50 m2 5 250 m2
Total area 1000 m2
Restaurant and cafe 200 m2 1 200 m2
kitchen 60 m2 1 60 m2
Rest room 20 m2 2 40 m2
Art Gallery
Administration 12 m2 2 24 m2
Reception 9-12 m2 2 18-24 m2
Storage room 16-20 m2 4 64-80 m2
Lounges for gathering 16-20 m2 2 32-40 m2
Exhibition space 120-160 m2 2 240-320 m2
workshop 40-48 m2 2 80-96 m2

Theater
Auditorium 2200 m2 2000 seats 7400 m2
Seating 50cm*72cm 3.6 m2 2000 seats 7200 m2
Stage 10m*20m 200 m2 200 m2
Subsidiary room 15m*20m 300 m2
Workshop and staff room 5m*10m 50 m2 6 300 m2
acoustic
Total area
Meeting Hall
Medium sized hall 1.9 m2/person 250 475 m2
Seminar hall 10m*10m 1.9 m2/person 100 190 m2
VIP meetings rooms 6m*6m 36 m2 3 108 m2

Exhibition hall
Foyer/ public concourse/ 0.6-1 m2 per person 500 person 600 m2
Reception desk 8m*8m 1 64 m2
Registration/ ticketing/ area 5m*6m 30 m2
organizer’s office 8m*8m 64 m2 5 320 m2
Store room / organizer’s 10m*8m 80 m2
officer/
Kitchen / organizer’s office/ 4m*5m 20 m2 2 40 m2
Break room / organizer’s office/ 4m*5m 20 m2 2 40 m2
Genitor room 4m*3m 12 m2 2 24 m2
Total area 1198 m2
Office
Medium sized 8m*8m 64 m2 10 640 m2
small sized 5m*5m 25 m2 10 250 m2

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MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT:

 Exhibition Spaces: In its broadest sense, an exhibition is a display, show or

demonstration of something of beauty, value or particular interest to a targeted
audience. Exhibition halls should have the space, freedom and flexibility to create
an exhibition environment. In any exhibition halls, proper considerations should
be given to the movement of people and also to the moving pattern. On the other
hand, outdoor exhibition spaces are usually located to immediate vicinity of the
exhibition halls. Outdoor exhibition areas can be developed as a flat ground or as
an amphitheater.

 Conference Spaces or Auditorium Halls: Conference halls or Auditoriums are

mainly allocated in the exhibition spaces to hold conferences and/or seminar
during the exhibition period. Proper attention must be provided in designing entry
and exit routes.

 Multipurpose Halls: Multipurpose Halls can be used for conferences,

exhibitions, meetings, symposiums and several other events. Multipurpose Halls
can also be used as Banquet and/or Event Halls and sometimes also as Galleries.

 Recreational Spaces: Public and private areas that are predictably used for
hunting, fishing, bird watching, bike riding, hiking, or camping or other
recreational use also would be considered recreational areas.

 Gallery :a raised area, often having a stepped or sloping floor, in a theater,

church, or other public building to accommodate spectators, exhibits, etc or a
room, series of rooms, or building devoted to the exhibition and often the sale of
works of art.

 Restaurants.
 Administrative Spaces.
 Parking Spaces.
 Landscaped Areas.

MAJOR DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

1) Access and Entrance:
 Separate access is required for visitors, staff, goods and service vehicles and
emergency requirements. It is usually desirable to provide alternative entry for
public which is independent from that used by conference visitors. This not only
facilitates management and security, but also enables two or congress events or
exhibitions to be run independently in parallel.

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 Easily identifiable entrance and exit, and clear external signage, which may need
to be illuminated.
 Sufficient unloading/loading space to accommodate multiple events.
 Level ground floor with loading docks of sufficient size for all services including
client vehicles.
 Large coach drops off and collection points adjacent to main entrance, with
sufficient turning space and height, accessible under cover.
 Doors of sufficient width and height or demount-able/retractable walls to permit
truck access (trucks delivering exhibit and staging equipment pose particular
problems).
 Floor loading's to permit truck access.
 Easily identifiable and weather protected entrance and reception area for
attendees.
 Clearly identified disabled access.
 In larger venues, security systems and monitoring at loading docks.
 Separate entry for venue staff

2) Access for the disabled:

 Specific provisions include allocation of parking spaces, identification of routes,
provision of ramps, toilets and facilities designed for wheelchair and other
disabled users in each main area.
3) Parking:
 Coach parking bays off street.
 Sufficient undercover parking for attendees.
 All parking, including venue staff parking, should be secure.
 Direct access to venue lobby.
 Clear directions for exiting car park.
 Parking requirements for cars and other vehicles will depend on some extent on
the proximity and conditions for use of alternative facilities, such as municipal
car parks, as well as on the availability of public transport.

Typical provisions to allow flexibility in use are:

Use Per Car Parking Space
Banquet Places 10 Sq. m.
Congress Hall Places 10 Sq. m.

4) Service Vehicles:
 Plenty of space for parking while unloading/loading goods and equipment with a
dedicated car park for vehicles delivering goods or equipment.
 Parking for trucks with sufficient height and turning space where staging, audio
visual or other equipment needs to be packed in or out within short period of time.
 Long-term parking for trucks used for transporting production equipment and
exhibitors’ displays.

5) Horizontal and Vertical Arrangements:

 The single floor organization provides easy access among the rooms and between
the conference areas and other functional elements. This plan imposes few
structural or mechanical constraints, permits total freedom in the planning of the
rooms, allows for access from the refreshment break areas to outdoor terraces and
patios.

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 Vertical stacking of auditorium and/or main halls is more economical in the use
of land, and enables space below tiered floors to be more efficiently used. Unit
costs of construction are higher and vertical transportation of people and goods
may present difficulties.

6) Circulation:
 Linear arrangement of spaces with beginning, middle and end.
 A loop where the essentially linear storyline leads naturally back to the beginning.

 An arrangement of core and satellites where each theme or detailed treatment of

a subject leads back to a central introductory or orientational areas.
 A more complex scheme combining linear, loop and core-satellite arrangement
of spaces.
 Comb which refers to a circulation pattern in which there is a main circulation
path and optional alcoves which a visitor may enter or bypass.

Fig. relationship convention center

DESIGN CONSIDERATION AND GUIDELINES:

Exhibition hall

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The Exhibition Spaces are intended as a combination of indoor and open-air
exhibition space in order to create a strong relation between covered and green open
spaces through thematic content. The goal is to create an integrated expositive
landscape and a Visitor Experience that immediately establishes a positive
relationship between humankind and nature, creating a bridge between the content of
the Event and the nature of exhibition spaces.
The exhibition hall provides optimal conditions for
 trade fairs
 exhibits
 conventions
 events and galas
An exhibition hall can be
 Open-air exhibition space
 Covered exhibition space

OPEN-AIR EXHIBITION SPACE

The landscape design shall be developed in keeping with the Theme and with the
Participant’s approach to it. Like architecture, the landscape shall also help to tell
intriguing stories about the pleasures of the table, delightful scents or strange and
curious stories related to food cultivation and processing. The landscape has to
document the most advanced research in the field of food production and the
transformation of agricultural products. Countries will showcase their capabilities in
food production, the biodiversity of their products, and their agricultural and food
supply chains.

Open spaces
A minimum of 30% of each lot must be dedicated to open areas and greenery.
Excluding lot setbacks the Open-air Exhibition Space represents around 50% of each
lot, where it is possible to build:

 Structures used for plants ensuring soil permeability (e.g. trellises, pergolas,
garden structures, planters).
 Landscaping structure (e.g. structures used to retain soil or other materials, pools,
exhibition structures, art works).

COVERED EXHIBITION SPACE

Covered Exhibition Spaces are buildings or enclosed structures containing exhibition
areas or other spaces, including all overhanging upper floors or balconies. Participants
may decide to build more than one level within the Covered part of the Exhibition
Space, based on their individual needs.

Height of Buildings

• The height of the Covered part of Exhibition Space (or Building Height) must be
less than 12 meters.
• The height limit for any additional architectural elements (such as skylights, roof
elements, vertical connections to the roof, sunscreens, signals, etc.) is 17 meters.

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Building Setbacks
• The setback from the main boulevard must be no less than 10 meters, in order to
create a small square.
• The distance between buildings and the side street shall be no less than 2 meters;
there shall be no building concession directly to squares, greens, streets or public
spaces, without the 2 meters’ setback.

•The setback from the neighboring lot shall be no less than 3 meters. • The distance
between buildings shall comply with fire control requirements.

Indoor exhibition and Flow management

The indoor exhibition space design has to offer to visitors a full immersion in the
Theme on the human scale with content presented at every moment of the visit. The
visitor should be guided on a discovery of the exhibition content using the most
innovative technology. The challenge lies in getting beyond the outdated paradigm of
queues and visitor flows to create an efficient, dynamic and fluid experience.

Entrance/Exit - Queue Management In order to enhance visitor ease and reduce

queuing, the Organizer will set up a virtual queuing system to improve Level of
Service (LOS) by reducing waiting time and optimizing the waiting areas of other
uses.

Building entrances and exits shall be designed taking into account the surrounding
conditions and landscaping requirements.
 Exhibition spaces may have multiple entrances/exits on different sides of the lot.
They must provide differentiated access for visitors, including disabled, special
reserved visitors, reserved groups, workers and finally supplies/waste.
Goods entrance and waste removal are planned during the event closing hours and
could be done by using all pedestrian access except the Decumanus area.

General guidelines for planning all sorts of exhibitions can be summed up as:
 Visitors should be correctly oriented inside the exhibition area.
 Viewers should be able to move through the exhibit without being forced to walk
past objects they have already seen.
 Adequate space should be provided for visitors to move at different speeds.The
circulation space should also allow the visitor to take a quick look at the exhibits
so that they can decide which ones to examine in detail.
 A viewer tends to turn clockwise upon entering the exhibit area. Circulation
pattern should be designed with this in mind.

AUDITORIUM

The auditorium is the heart of building, where the primary activity of experiencing
and presenting performances take place. Audience seating is arranged to view the
stage and the stage is a platform from which the performer can be communicate to the
audience. The relationship between the two is very crucial for the success of
convention centers. Mostly auditorium is designed to fulfill no of purposes. The

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objective of designer will be to use 100% usage of space. Auditorium should be
designed in such a way that every member should be able to see and hear the
performance of stage.

General Design Criteria of Auditorium

1. Form/shape
Shape corrects the defects of sound in auditorium hall i.e. echo’s, excessive
reverberation, sound foci’s, dead spots etc.
In auditorium hall, the wall & ceiling is not perpendicular to each other as in other
normal rooms. Mostly less curve Concave shape is also considered. The size of hall is
governed by audience requirements, Visual & aural limitations.

Audienc
e Requirements
 Every member of the audience should be able to see and hear
clearly

Visual Limitations
• For drama= 20m
• For Opera= 30m
• For dance= 20m
• For conference = 20m

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 Fig. Proportion of the traditional auditorium

Seating Planning

Seating planning in Auditorium help to spread music and it makes visibility clear.
Acoustically, concentric arch seating is preferable to focus the audience view towards
stage.
The first row > 3.6m from the stage. The alternate seating plan can enhance the
visibility. Mostly different size of seating (Size difference of 2”) is provided to
maintain the alternating seating which is not noticed by patron.

Seating Capacity
 minimum Dimension of seating with arms =500mm Without arms =450mm
 Seat height = 430-450 mm
 Angle of inclination= 7-9 degree with horizontal
 Back Height = 800-850mm
 Angle of inclination = 15-20 degree
 Seat Depth= 600-720 mm, reduced to 425-500mm when the seat is tipped
 Other Factors affecting seating is,
 Acoustics: Upholstery to satisfy the acoustic requirements, usually the level of
absorbency when unoccupied
 Ventilation & heating: Air supply or extract under a seat.

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Sightlines

Horizontal Sightlines
 It is obtained from spectator’s psychological perception & viewing angle.
 Good view without head movement= 30 degree
 Good view with head movement = 60 degree
 Maximum perception angle = 110 degree
 With full head & shoulder movement= 360 degree
 So, fan shape less than 100 degree is preferable due to Sightlines & Acoustic
reason in Auditorium.

Vertical Sightlines
The longitudinal section is a parabolic stepped floor as a theoretical rake produced by
the sightline calculation. This gives every member of the audience similar viewing
conditions. This may be reduced to a single angle or series of angles when applied as
described the rake will also be steep.
This is satisfactory for a single tier of seating with no balconies and is especially
appropriate for open-stage formats.

General Design Criteria:

 Column Spacing: One of the significant dimensions in designing a mall is the
width of the frontages of stores. The common widths are 20, 25, 30 ft. with the
last the most flexible.
 Store Depths: The stores with depth of 120,140 ft. are commonly used while
sometimes the store widths are increased to accommodate larger depths. In the
case of basements, the depths are reduced by 20 to 25 percent.

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 Clear Heights: The clear heights vary from 10 to 14 ft. or more with 12ft as an
average height. The height should be adequate for air-conditioning ducts,
recessed lights, and structural system.
 Ducts & Shafts: While dealing with the ducts and shafts, mechanical engineers
are set up to schedule the location and sizes of the principal ducts and shafts to
avoid serious future space problems.
 Roof Equipment Concealment: Mechanical supports from the engineers are set up
for the provision of properly designed and located roof screens and enclosures.
 Exterior Walls: Depending upon the store’s requirements, service doors, public
entrance doors, trash rooms, show windows and other modular designs are
suitably accommodated for functionality without disturbing the visual effect.
 Traffic: The car capacity of road ways must be sufficient to accommodate the
traffic generated by the shopping center. Proper signal controls, reservoir lanes,
divider strips and other traffic control features must be provided.
 Parking: Adequate parking spaces should be provided as required.
 Visibility: Visual communication should be maintained through the use of open
wells and shop fronts.

PARKING
General Design Considerations:
 The parking spaces acts as a place for the ceremonies of Arrival & Departure.
 The basic requirements for parking spaces should be taken from the vehicle
dimensions whilst driving in a linear path, cornering and entering into and driving
out of the parking area.
 Parking can be done in various ways: inclined with various angles or
perpendicular.
 Parking can also be done in basement or on surface outside the complex.
 Surface parking requires less space than the basement parking due to absence of
columns.
 In case of basement parking, there should be enough provision to be economical
in this view but for highly commercialized areas where the land value is very
high, this can be feasible.
 In case of basement parking, a relatively narrow column grid pattern can be used,
with careful planning and design, reduce building cost and height without any
loss of function.

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Ramps for Basement Parking:
For each car ramp, the run must be more than
5m long, with ramps that can be up to 12%
gradient.

Case studies
1. Arcrea Himeji Culture and Convention Center / Nikken Sekkei

 Architects: Nikken Sekkei

 Area : 28224 m²
 Year : 2021

Connecting via park and architecture - In order to create a lush and vibrant center
of interaction, the host municipality has divided the area around Himeji Station into
three main areas: an entrance zone centered on the plaza before the north exit, a core
zone located to the east of the entrance zone, and an event zone. Located in the event
zone, Arcrea Himeji is a hub for culture, art, and industry in the Harima area,
developed in cooperation with the other zones and integrated with the site’s west-side
park in order to enhance its attractiveness.
The covered walkway along the park runs from the station to the Center, providing
protection from the rain. Flowers and trees associated with Himeji line the walkway,

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and benches and waterscapes allow visitors to enjoy seasonal scenery on their way to
the Center’s second-floor lobby. The lobby, which runs east to west, offers direct
access to the small, medium, and grand halls, as well as passage to the adjacent
prefectural hospital. Skylights cast nuanced shadows over the lobby’s large brick wall.
The lobby overlooks the exhibition hall and studios through windows that allow
glimpses of the local activities underway below.

A synergy of culture, art, and industry - The building comprises an exhibition

space, conference rooms, and three halls with a common lobby. On the first floor, a
flat plane connects the exhibition hall, studios, dressing rooms, audience corridor, hall
stage, and loading bay. This allows for a degree of flexibility; halls may be used for
lectures, dressing rooms may function as waiting rooms for international conferences,
and exhibition spaces can be repurposed for trade fairs, etc. The dressing room area,
which would normally be reachable from the rear, was designed to be accessible from
the lobby at the front, based on the idea that performers are also fellow citizens and
should be granted dignified access to the space. This shortens the line of movement
for performers and avoids intersections with loading bay traffic.

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Movable partitions allow the 4,000-square-meter exhibition hall, with its 10-meter-
high ceiling, to be divided into three separate areas. Clear glass doors allow the hall to
be used jointly with the expansive outdoor exhibition space on the park’s west side.
The fourth-floor conference room overlooks the south side rooftop greenery and the
north side courtyard, allowing for a ubiquitous feel for the greenery. The south side
conference-room floor is aligned at human eye level with Shinkansen (bullet train)
passengers visible across the roof, creating a sense of connection with the passing
trains.

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The medium hall is a multipurpose theater venue with a fan-shaped seating
arrangement for easy, immersive viewing of the stage performances. The interior
brick walls are three-dimensionally curved to better mix the reflected sounds, creating
a uniform acoustic environment across the seating area. The small hall, frequently
used by the public for small concerts and events, also features anti-vibration and
soundproofing structures. Each of its four walls leans outward by five degrees for
better acoustic mixing. We hope that local citizens will come to embrace this building
and its warm, all-brick interior for many years to come and that its distinctive small,
medium, and grand halls will help it to fulfill its role as a hub for cultural events from
all over the world.

2.International Convention Center, Baneswor

Location: New Baneswor, Kathmandu

Design & Aid: People republic of China Style: Neo Traditional
Plot Area: 7.75 hectares
Built up area: 12573 (16%)
Capacity: 1004 Seats main Conference hall, 250 seats medium sized assembly hall,
Four smaller meeting rooms suitable for 100 and 50 delegates, 480 sq. m.
Multifunction hall. Exhibition hall with 308 sq. m. floor area.
Selection Criteria
 Similar function
 Spatial relationship & Design approach Study Auditorium and conference halls
design
Surrounding context
The complex is located in commercial area. It is close to the international airport on
the east and is nearer to the Everest hotel on the west. Its location is prime importance
being in center of city. Access and parking ICC premises can be accessed through
three gates. The main gate is in the south and is controlled automatically. The two
gates in the west side, one for the use of logistic personnel and transportation vehicle
in and out and the other is mainly for the use of business complex of the ICC i.e.
provision of separate pedestrian and vehicular entry from the western road as well.
The parking area is designated on both the left and right side of the convention
building. The area is big enough to accommodate 400 cars.

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Functional analysis
The entrance hall in ICC is very grand and fascinating to the visitors. It is 30m wide,
18m long and 10m high. It contains various halls as following Sagarmatha Hall - 1004
main conference hall Nuptse Hall - 250 seats medium sized assembly hall Four
smaller meeting rooms respectively suitable for 100 and 50 delegates Lohtse - 480 sq.
m multifunction hall Kailash - grand exhibition hall named with 308 sq. m floor area.
The axis is well defined. The main entrance to building lies on the same axis as that of
southern entrance.
The main building mainly comprises of three parts:
 Entrance hall and auditorium in the middle
 Medium sized hall, meeting rooms and VIP chamber on the east
 Multipurpose hall on the west.

Exhibition hall
 On the second floor is the exhibition hall with an area of 308 sq.m. where different
kind of exhibition can be held.
 The hall is facilitated with sufficient day lighting with the large windows n all the
three sides and the height of the hall is about 14’
 The exhibition hall is large enough and is not obstructed by the columns during
exhibition or other trade shows
 Also the gallery space which is 4m wide and the entrance foyer on the ground floor
is used during exhibition
 The office area on the first floor lies in the eastern wing. The central foyer of the
office area is open to the sky with pergolas on the top which gives enough light and
this space also act as interaction space.

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Architectural expression Style
 Blend of traditional style and modern style. Traditional style roofing laid in perfect
symmetry with black colored glass. Form and proportion
 The form of the building is symmetric along the axis of entry
 Rectangular form, huge massing, courtyard planning and use of symmetry
 Use of vertical stripes on the façade, for creating the effect of verticality, since
building height is less compared to the length.
 Design of gates and the other smaller building resembles to the architecture of the
main building. Elements of visual communication
 Symmetrical elevation
 A huge fountain of 24m diameter on the front act as a focal point at the entrance
 Use of 81 flagpoles each of 15m in front of fountain also act as element of visual
communication Design Inferences Zoning Functional Requirements & Spatial
Planning Convention Planning.

3. Rastriya Nach Ghar:

 National Theatre cum commercial complex
 Architect- IECS
 Land Area= 5-2-0-0
 Capacity= 750Inner Part= Theatre
 Basement-parking, electrical,
mechanical room
 GF- Shopping and green space
 1F- Hall & Foyer
 2F- Balcony hall & office
 3F- Office
 Top floor- technical space (above
 ceiling)
Selection Criteria
To study auditorium requirements
Planning
 Auditorium away from noisy road
 Foyer as buffer Space
 Construction technology: frame structure, cavity wall & multilayer roof with
metal truss
 Arch style: Neo traditional, Exposed Brick, slope roof tile
 Material Brick, Tile, RCC, CGI sheet, Parquet, Vinyl tile, Velvet curtain,
bamboo ply, teak ply, planks, acoustic ceiling, POP
 Construction period 2059-2062
 Space Organization in Theatre
 3 Parts
 Entrance, ticket counter, foyer, etc.
 Auditorium
 Stage: Front stage, back stage, wings, green room, rehearsal room

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Other Spaces
 Technical spaces
 Projection room
 WC
 Stair, ramp, lift
 Open courtyard (Dabali)
 Gallery
Circulation in theatre
 Pedestrian entrance, Vehicle entrance, VIP
entrance
 Ticket Counter in entrance
 Exit directly to open air & fire Escape metal
stair from Hall
 Foyer with WC, smoking area, waiting seats,
etc.
Acoustic Design for Auditorium Hall
Shape & Size
Main Hall with 600 seats
Balcony with 150 seats Approx.
Maximum length is 24m with Orchestra pit
The shape is such that view and audibility is
better
Cyclorama- flex Screen on the back of stage
Projection room back of balcony
The length of the hall = 24m approx.
The breadth of the hall = 19m
The height of the hall =10.82m
The shape of hall is fan shape

Stage
The stage has parquet flooring. The splays of the proscenium reflect sound to the
audience. The scenery and backdrops also contribute to conditions for good hearing.
The curtains used in the stage are of velvet which is a good sound absorber.
Area of the proscenium = 6m x 9m at the
Height of 0.9m Height of the proscenium = 6m
Seating Arrangement
Concave Shape
Seating Concentric Circle, first row of seat from stage 5.8m
Stage is raised 1.8m from floor level
The rise of level between seats is 15cm
Inclination of seat is 11 degree
Materials used in the seats are velvet and timber which act as good sound absorber
thus even if the hall is not fully seated by audience the acoustics of the hall is still
maintained. The floors are provided with PVC.

22
The seating has been raked (a total of 14 steps from the lowest seating level to the
highest seating level) to provide good sight line as well as a good sound line

Flooring- Carpet
Wall
The side of the hall is parallel in front and rear. The wall of hall is made of cavity with
use of wooden panels & acoustical material. The hall has
460 mm brick wall with 60mm cavity. The construction of the wall consists of
multilayer construction of inner shear wall, cavity in between and external brick wall.
Ceiling
Specially designed sound absorbing materials like suspended acoustical tiles in
particular are used in the ceiling. The tiles act both as sound absorbers and sound
reducing barriers. These tiles are ‘random perforated cellulose fiber tiles’ and are
prefabricated, factory finished materials.
False ceiling near the proscenium is reflective to reflect stage sound to rear the part of
hall. Rear portion of ceiling is treated with sound absorbing materials to control
audience noise and reverberation. All the Technical space is housed above the ceiling.
Furniture
Furniture is of wooden and seats are upholstered in leather which acts as a good sound
absorbent
Doors
Instead of simple flush doors, special types of doors are provided for sound insulation.
Since sound insulation and transmission loss of doors increase with weights, heavy
doors have been used which have a thickness of about 100mm.
The total no of doors = 6
Sound Reinforcement
The loud speakers are placed on the both sides of the proscenium and also on the side
walls at a suitable height to facilitate the balcony audience as well. Control
mechanisms have been used in from the sound control room at the rear of the hall to
maintain the quality of amplified sound.
Roof
The main structural component supporting the roof is the steel trusses and the
corrugated sheeting has been used for the covering. To prevent the noise produced on
the corrugated sheet due to rain “jhingati tiles “has been used on the roofing and also
plywood planks below the sheets. Again, acoustical tile has been used on the visible
portion of the ceiling which also gives better aesthetic looks to the ceiling, thus
concealing all the mechanical and service cables and ducts
Technical and mechanical rooms
The electrical and mechanical room is located in the basement of the building. The
service cables and ducts on the upper part of the auditorium i.e. the catwalk is
insulated by the mineral fiber board.
Back Stage
 Green Room- ladies & Gents
 Make up rooms with wash room
 And changing room with wardrobe
 Rehearsal room

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4. VANCOUVER CONVENTION CENTERS WEST
Vancouver Convention Centre East (Original Building)
 Originally built as Canada Pavilion for 1986 Expo, with 133,000 sq feet of
meeting/exhibition/ballroom space
 Currently hosts more than 300 events annually with almost 600,000 delegate
days each year; generating $213 million in annual economic activity (Fiscal
2008)

Selection Criteria
 To study Green Features in Convention
Center
 Vancouver Convention Centre West
(Expansion)
 Groundbreaking: November 8, 2004;
 Completion: March 15, 2009
 Opening: April 3, 2009
 Total area of expansion: 1.2 million square
feet (111,500 m²)
 60 per cent of expansion is over land; 40
per cent is over water
 Total area of meeting space (west and east
combined): approximately 500,000 ft² (
 46,450 m²); more than triple the existing
space
 Canada's largest waterfront convention
centre ballroom at 55,000 ft with dramatic
 five story ceilings and spectacular mountain
vistas
 Total cost of expansion: $883.2 millionb

24
 Reference

 Jamison, A. (2010). Climate change knowledge and social movement theory. Wiley
Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 1,
 Architecture 2030. (2011). The 2030 challenge. Retrieved from http://architecture2030.org.
 Building environmentalism: The founding of environmental movement organizations in the
United States, 1990–2000. The Sociological Quarterly, Carmichael, J. T., Jenkins, J. C., & Brulle,
R. J. (2012).
 Weissinger, Suzanne Stewart. (1992). A guide to successful meeting planning. New York :
Wiley&Sons.
 Renaghan, Leo M. and Kay, Michael Z. (1987). What meeting planners want: The conjoint-
analysis approach. The cornel! hotel and restaurant administration quarterly, pp.67-76, May
1987
 Tourism Authority ofThailand. (1991) Annual statistics ofinternational conventions in
Thailand 1990.
 Quinn, Judy. (1987). A buyer's market...for now. Meetings&Conventions. pp. 61-69,
December, 1987.
 Waldrop, Heidi. (1986). Conference centers are made for meetings. Successful meetings, pp.
93-165, November, 1986

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