Leisure
Steel stars
at Irish
cinema
The cinema project
will kick-start a larger
scheme
The city of Kilkenny will soon have a new 10-screen cinema
complex, as construction work is currently progressing apace on
the site of a former cattle market.
14 NSC
July/Aug 18
A new landmark 1,400-seat cinema
complex in the city of Kilkenny,
represents the first phase of
a much larger mixed-use
development on a nine-acre city centre site
formerly occupied by a cattle market.
The 4,180m2 cinema will kick-start the
scheme, which is anticipated to grow over
the coming years offering Kilkenny a new
leisure and shopping destination.
Locally-based contractor Kevin Moore
started work early this year on a site
that had previously been cleared of any
structures. The company removed an
old concrete slab and then installed new
pad foundations prior to Steel & Roofing
Systems (SRS) starting the steel erection
programme.
SRS has also been contracted to install
1,800m2 of Kingspan wall cladding and
4,300m2 of Kingspan roof deck for the
project.
Explaining the choice of steel for the
project, Martin Peters of Martin Peters
Associates (MPA) says this was always
going to be a steel-framed solution due
to the building’s shape and size. “We have
ten screens, all of which are column-free
spaces as well as a large open-plan entrance
area. Steel is the best option for this type
building.”
Project architect Brian Dunlop agrees
and adds: “Speed of construction was also
a major factor in choosing steel, plus, the
design is based around a series of isolated
boxes set within one large box, which ideally
suits steel construction.”
There are 12 boxes in total, 10 for the
cinema screens and one each containing the
foyer and concessions area. Each of these
boxes is isolated from the adjoining boxes
and from the outside world by acoustic
partition and perimeter walls, which will be
fitted to the steelwork frame.
The cinema screen boxes vary in size with
the largest measuring 19.5m × 25m, which
accommodates 318 seats.
The majority have a clear span of around
14m and contain in the region of 200
seats. The smallest box is a 58-seat screen
measuring 7m × 13m.
To create the clear spans for the screens
SRS has used Westok cellular beams, chosen
for their ease of service integration.
“This is a heavily serviced building
and cellular members allow us to keep
all services within the depth of the beam,
thereby helping to reduce the height of the
building,” says Mr Peters.
Kloeckner Westok has a long history of
working in the city of Kilkenny, stretching
back many years, as Westok’s Design Team
Leader John Callanan explains, “Following
on from a variety of schemes completed in
the past in and around Kilkenny, including
such diverse projects as car showrooms,
grandstands at Nowlan Park GAA Stadium
FACT FILE
Kilkenny cinema
Main Client:
IMC Cinemas
Architect:
Brian Dunlop Architects
Main contractor:
Kevin Moore
Structural engineer:
Martin Peters Associates
Steelwork contractor:
Steel & Roofing Systems
Steel tonnage: 225t
/Leisure_buildings#Theatres_and_auditoria
/Construction#Steel_erection
/Braced_frames
/Leisure_buildings#Ease_and_speed_of_construction
/Design
/Construction
/Acoustic_performance_of_walls
/Acoustic_performance_of_walls
/Service_integration