multi purpose auditoriums

doing a student centre for my thesis so have been looking at these for a while. irish examples of multi function auditoria would be the likes of the helix in dcu, the dcu, ucd and wit student centres. some of these have retractable seating so the faciltiy can be used as a flat floor room (for graduations, basketball games etc. ) the problem with the idea of multi funciton is the whole acoustic issue, say for example for staging a play or small live music gig. the majority of new aula maxima in ireland are being designed in this manner, so the su can get use out of the faciltiy while conferrings are not being held. go visit them or they are reviewed in the iriah architect mag.

There is a very comprehensive book written by Fred Lawson on the design of conference, convention and exhibition facilities ( can’t remember the exact name).

The Axis theatre in Ballymun has a raked seating system, with half of its rows being retractable.

If you are based in Dublin both the libraries of the architecture schools at Richview in UCD and at DIT, Bolton St have a small selection of books that might be of use.

Check out Giancarlo De Carlo’s University of Urbino (mid-1970s or so). Within the shell of historic buildings he inserted modern university facilities, including a lecture hall than can be subdivided ingeniously.