Royal Opera House

The Royal Opera House’s ‘Open Up’ project was designed to enhance the experience when entering the building for audiences, artists and guest companies and to allow the building to physically embody their core values of creativity, excellence and inclusivity.

The extensive works our engineers were involved in included refurbishment of the Linbury Theatre, Paul Hamlyn Hall and entrance area of the prestigious Grade I listed Royal Opera House, unifying 19th-century grandeur and 21st century class to provide improved audience and technical facilities for a world class mid-scale theatre and artistic laboratory for both The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera companies.

Our engineers were appointed to provide technical input and to coordinate the mechanical and electrical services within the project. Specifically, the team considered the best way to approach the complex task of modelling an existing building and providing valuable foresight of any potential installation issues.

A major challenge that our engineers faced was that they were working within a confined space of the Grade I listed building, where the works had to be completed to the highest of standards given the prestige of the location. To overcome this challenge, our engineers produced detailed 3D Revit models and coordinated with the contractor to ensure the works were installed to the highest standards. These models also allowed our engineers to understand how the different elements would fit together intricately, to ensure the project progressed smoothly.

Image credit: Hufton + Crow
Image credit: Luke Hayes