Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Dance | Malcolm Fraser Architects

Glasgow / United Kingdom / 2010

6
6 Love 4,210 Visits Published
Transformation of former industrial units into dance studios and teaching spaces. The Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Dance has been based in Glasgow’s City Centre since 1981. But when the Academy decided to introduce a new course in partnership with Scottish Ballet, focussing specifically on Contemporary Ballet, they found they needed more teaching space to be able to accommodate the additional classes and students. They began their search for a new property, somewhere large enough to house dance studios and workshops that kept within their £6 million budget and their functional needs. The space had to be bright and open, incorporating good ventilation whilst also being economic to run. Properties of the required size were hard to come by in Glasgow, but after a long search, they found the perfect solution – an opportunity to turn a dark and dismal warehouse into a bright, modern dance academy. In 2009, they decided to purchase a disused BBC storage facility – Speirs Lock Studios, which consisted of four industrial units on Garscube Road in central Glasgow. This permitted them to relocate all their workshop and design studio facilities into one location. The focus of architect Malcolm Fraser’s brief was to provide a space which made effective use of natural daylight and that also provided suitable ventilation. Recent research drew attention to the benefits of natural daylight in learning environments, which was highlighted by former Learning and Skills Council chairman, Chris Banks, who said: "Anyone who teaches will tell you that their students will be more responsive, attentive and enthusiastic in a bright, airy and stimulating classroom." The building’s interior suffered from a severe lack of natural daylight, which was, therefore, a primary concern for RSAMD. Introducing fresh air into the building was also a key focus of the brief. Dance studios can become stale and stuffy due to high levels of physical activity, where temperatures can often fluctuate dramatically depending on the building’s level of activity. The challenge the architects faced was how to evacuate stale air but also avoid problems of dancers becoming too cold, which can often lead to injuries and uncomfortable learning environments. The solution was to install VELUX Roof Windows in an on-site kerb system. The integrated roof window system incorporates remote control operation (VELUX INTEGRA®), rain sensor and blinds, which gives the building’s occupants the flexibility to control light, ventilation and temperature as and when they need, in a matter of seconds. The architects arranged the VELUX Roof Windows in a way that maximises natural ventilation, bringing with it environmental benefits and eliminating the need for mechanical solutions, which are often expensive and ‘less clean’ to run. The positioning of the roof windows was also crucial in making effective use of natural daylight. One of the most common problems in dance studios is glare from sunshine reflecting off mirrored walls. The challenge was to find the perfect balance in ensuring dancers are well-lit when looking into the mirrors whilst performing, but at the same time eliminating any possibility of glare from the sun. Creating light within the darkened building through the use of this product proved extremely effective. By locating roof windows in specific positions, light is diffused by bouncing off the plasterboard surface directly above the mirrors. This, therefore, illuminates studios and workshops sufficiently and naturally but doesn’t affect the dancers’ or performers’ visions. The results speak for themselves. Not only has the building’s interior been transformed visually, but students and teachers have also benefited. Principal of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Professor John Wallace, CBE, cannot speak highly enough of the renovated building, which has played an integral part in attracting new students to the institution. He said: "This conservatoire is one of Scotland's core institutions and these facilities are for the most crucial component of this institution - our students.
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    Transformation of former industrial units into dance studios and teaching spaces. The Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Dance has been based in Glasgow’s City Centre since 1981. But when the Academy decided to introduce a new course in partnership with Scottish Ballet, focussing specifically on Contemporary Ballet, they found they needed more teaching space to be able to accommodate the additional classes and students. They began their search for a new property, somewhere large enough to...

    Project details
    • Year 2010
    • Work finished in 2010
    • Client Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
    • Status Completed works
    • Type Dance academies
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