Kāpiti Performing Arts Centre

Te Raukura ki Kāpiti Performing Arts Centre was built in partnership between Kāpiti College and the Kāpiti community. The centre features two main theatre spaces: the 331 seat Coastlands Theatre, and the 190m2 Sir John Trimmer Theatre. In addition to the theatres there is a dance studio, a music rehearsal room, 9 acoustically baffled practice rooms, recording studio, and a licensed foyer area capable of entertaining up to 350 guests.

Silvester Clark provided the full structural design, documentation and construction monitoring for the main structure. We also assisted in delivering a co-ordinated design of seismic restraints for building services, for many trades including plumbing, HVAC and electrical.

The building is constructed with precast concrete tilt-up walls, on a reinforced concrete raft foundation founded on the Raumati dune sands. Steel structure forms the large glazed atrium and foyer, as well as the tiered seating in the Coastlands Theatre, the mezzanine floors, and the many backstage galleries and platforms associated with the theatres.

Steel also supports the roofs, with trusses over the large theatre spaces supporting aerial walkways, lighting gantries, and a warm roof system providing exceptional sound and thermal insulation. The Coastlands Theatre features tiered seating and a full fly grid above the stage. The rope and pulley system for the fly grid demanded special detailing and exceptionally high performance from the high-level roof structure over the stage.