Two Sound Stages for Elstree Film Studios
The two new sound stages were when built the highest sound stages in Europe. To control the noise breakthrough the structure had a very large roof loading made up of layers of acoustic materials.
The roof structure also had to be able to carry high imposed loads used from the mixed productions that use the facility. For one event the roof structure had to support a tracking video wall which weighed 70 tonnes and had to be able to be supported at any location.
The main studios were architecturally designed by David French Partnership although there was little scope for architectural features. Anthony Evans did the architecture for the attached ancillary block.
The project was complicated by having the site contaminated with blue asbestos requiring the use of driven piles and minimal cutting into the ground.
As well as the complexity of building the studios the job was made more difficult as they were filming on the backlot beside the new buildings in parallel with the construction so work had to keep stopping to allow filming to proceed. The new studios were opened by Prince Charles.
