Round and about

To rock music and alternative theatre lovers in 1960s and 70s London, Camden Roundhouse was the place to be. Playing host to the greats of the time - from Jagger's Jumpin Jack Flash through Hendrix's Purple Haze to the filming of The Doors are Open in 1968 - the north London venue was not to be missed.

Now, after years in the wilderness, it has been redeveloped and is set to reopen on 1 June. A £29.7 million refurbishment scheme spearheaded by the Norman Trust has seen the inside of the Grade II listed exterior stripped back and reformed into a performing arts venue and state-of-the-art recording studios.

The distinctive round building has had a life as varied as the performances held there over the years. Built in 1846 by George Stephenson and Robert B Dockray as a steam engine repair room, with larger locomotives introduced only eight years later, its life in this form was short-lived. Gilbeys Gin stepped into the scene, using it as a warehouse until it called last orders on this era in 1964, when it was began life as an entertainment venue.

Closed since 1983, the Norman Trust bought the building in 1996 and so began a new phase - theatre productions started again and plans were put in place for the latest overhaul.

Flexibility of use is key to the new design. Three performance spaces have been created: The Hub, an informal area for up to 100; Studio 42, a 150-seat theatre; and the spectacular main space. The original engine room has been opened out to the limits of the building, creating a vast auditorium. "The building is only 1·5 m less in diameter than the Royal Albert Hall," stresses Chris Singyard, project manager at m&e contractor Interserve Engineering Services. "It's got a kind of Tardis feel; once you're inside it's huge." The stage and seating can be used in three ways to suit events and the creation of a second, circle level brings the capacity to 1800 seated or 3300 standing.

This adaptable setup meant the services also have to stand up to the changes. "We've installed a complex lighting system, but have also made provisions for the theatre companies coming in to plug in their own equipment," Singyard explains.

Catacombs in the undercroft have been given a fresh life as rehearsal rooms, recording studios and editing suites. Outside, a new wing wraps around a quarter of the building. Linked to the main space by bridges at two levels, this glazed atrium acts as the entrance and houses Studio 42 and bars, cafes and the box office.

Interserve won the £3.5 million contract with client the Roundhouse Trust in a competitive tender to replace the m&e, specialist theatre and public health systems. Working with main contractor Tolent Construction it started on site in November 2004. "We were working on site in the basement while the construction was ongoing upstairs," says Singyard.

The features that make the Roundhouse unique were also those that caused the biggest issues for the m&e installation. "All the m&e had to be installed sympathetically with the building," explains Singyard. "The co-ordination of the works into the building was quite difficult to achieve to ensure we haven't interfered with the building integrity."

Most of the m&e infrastructure is at basement level, with distribution on the upper floors generally by ceiling voids. "There is little in the way of risers due to the nature of the building," explains Singyard. Trenches were created in the lower level for distribution: "These utilised the fact that it used to be an engine shed," says Singyard. The main contractor provided routes that used the existing engine tracks for trenches.

To cater for the shape of the building, Instaflex flexible pipework was used for the chilled water distribution. "It also created interesting problems in setting out electrical tray as they all come in straight lengths," stresses Singyard. " The tray was set every 2·5 m and we worked out the angles to curve it around the building." Interserve is in the process of handover, ready for the first show in Studio 42 on 1 June. The main space will reopen on 5 June with theatre spectacular Fuerzabruta. The doors are open again...