Some buildings rest at night. Others, such as resort hotels, theatres and entertainment venues, run late every day of the year. For those, the engineering is planned around one idea: nothing can be switched off for long.
Engineering
Engineering for venues that never close
Hotels, theatres and resort venues that run late every day place unusual demands on building services. How we plan for them.
Services that run all day and all night
Air handling, cooling and lighting work long hours, so plant must be sized for it and arranged so that one unit can be serviced while others carry the load. Plant rooms are placed where engineers can reach them without passing through public spaces.
Sound between neighbours
A theatre, a restaurant and hotel rooms may sit a few metres apart. Floating floors, separated structures and careful routing of ducts keep the sound of one from reaching the others.
People in large rooms
Big halls fill quickly. Fire strategy, escape routes, smoke control and wayfinding are worked out early, because they shape the plan rather than fitting into it later.
A building under the building
Deliveries, staff, security and maintenance need their own routes. We often plan them as a second, hidden building on the service levels, so the public spaces above stay calm.