News
Hard Work Over -Time To Play!
Essex based Phelan Construction has recently completed a refurbishment project that has transformed the University of Essex Lakeside Theatre complex.
The project – value to Phelan Construction of £560,000 – took the company 13 weeks to complete and involved the demolition of the existing entrance, the creation of a new entrance, staircase and lift, the installation of a mezzanine floor and refurbishment of the foyer area. The work includes new box office facilities and access for the disabled.
Alan Cansell, Sales Director at Phelan Construction, said: “We are very used to working in demanding situations – in fact it’s one of the aspects that we pride ourselves on – and this project was no different. We had to work around normal life on the campus and meet time critical objectives. The work required specialist skills, particularly in the construction of a bespoke water jet cut metal canopy that had to be lifted by crane into place over the entrance; another challenge for our team was to install a high tech concrete plank floor system in an extremely confined space.”
The theatre has an unusual dual purpose in that it helps to form a dam that prevents flooding from nearby lakes into the campus. Originally designed by Kenneth Capon in the 1960s, the theatre now provides a contemporary purpose-built space for film showings, comedy, concerts and many other artistic productions.
