Holmes Mill case study

Before

After

Background

The new Everyman cinema is located within the Holmes Mill leisure complex, which houses a boutique food hall and hotel as well as a host of other businesses. The luxury cinema sits in the former Boilerhouse area of the original mill building and is the final phase of the redevelopment.

Proposition

Miller Goodall was brought in by Stanton Andrews Architects on behalf of the developer to ensure that Everyman’s high standard of acoustic requirements would be achieved. In particular, we were asked to provide advice on the planned specification and design of two key areas:

• General sound insulation to other parts of the building to ensure the cinema is not disturbed by noise from adjacent tenants and vice versa
• Sound insulation within the cinema so that noise from each screen is contained and does not disturb the other films being shown around it

Investigation

Initial work involved reviewing the Everyman specification and assisting with developing suitable construction details to achieve Everyman’s various acoustic criteria. The redevelopment provided particular acoustic challenges due to the close proximity of adjacent office and gym tenants and the limited dimensions available for the partitions within the constraints of the conversion.

The cinema contains three independent screens, all built from the original concrete floor. The extent of potential flanking sound transmissions within the development required the provision of extensive sound insulation calculations and detailing work.

We also liaised with the local authority regarding achieving noise conditions associated with the planning application and the possible effects of noise created by the complex on nearby housing.

As the redevelopment continued, acoustic testing was undertaken to ensure the new walls and floors achieved the sound insulation criteria and that the internal ambient noise limits had also been achieved.

Action and outcome

We recommended certain structural enhancements and supported the design team in achieving the required acoustic criteria. The development also achieved its sound insulation criteria and now provides an excellent venue.

For more information

Call: 01204 596166
Email: info@millergoodall.co.uk

Click here to download as a PDF

Bringing Miller Goodall into your project as environmental consultants means you can be certain that you are meeting the required standards of environmental best practice. Talk to us: info@millergoodall.co.uk