THEATER ACCESSIBILITY
Retrofitting for Modern Theater Design
In the world of theater construction and renovation, integrating essential elements such as handrails, guardrails and safety lighting presents a unique set of challenges.
CHALLENGES
Guardrails
Almost non-existent prior to the advent of terraced seating, guardrails with handrails at the standard 36” and shorter custom heights that don’t obstruct views are now a major infrastructure element throughout the entire space. Traditional solutions use costly materials, components from multiple manufacturers that lack structural and visual integration, long lead times, and excessive labor hours requiring specialized trades.
Safety Lighting
Theaters must achieve a delicate balance between providing code-compliant illumination and avoiding glare that disturbs the audience or interferes with the screen. Legacy systems fall short of modern standards and require replacement during remodeling. Many contemporary systems, though compliant, are cumbersome and produce glare, necessitating their recess into walls near floor level and the use of dedicated electrical conduits.
Cineplex Canada turned to Promenaid for its comprehensive cinema solution. The modular system quickly assembles on the jobsite and easily adapts to any differences between architectural plans and as-built dimensions.
SOLUTIONS
Guardrails & Infill Panels:
Cineplex opted for the Promenaid system as it met all their requirements for versatility, strength, aesthetics, and, very importantly, ease of maintenance – especially with the addition of in-theater food services and the ever-present hot buttered popcorn.
As with every Promenaid product, all elements integrated visually and structurally. Guardrails were configured as 36” floor-mounted on stairways and 26” fascia-mounted if mounted in front of a row of seating. Aluminum, powder-coated infill panels quickly fasten to the guardrail and feature “stock” punched patterns or laser-cut customized designs across a full range of transparencies.
Cineplex chose the Promenaid standard “lozenge” perforation at a 42% transparency which was fabricated and delivered on schedule.
Handrails with Modular LEDs Designed for Movie Theaters
Engineered specially for theater environments the Promenaid Channelux Focus™ LED delivers floor-directed safety lighting with no horizontal glare that would distract the audience or affect the screen. Unlike traditional wall sconces installed at floor level, Channelux LEDs seamlessly integrate into the handrail. This innovative design provides safety during emergencies while eliminating the need for additional lighting fixtures and electrical conduits, don’t require licensed electricians for installation and connects directly to the theater projection system for dimming control.
Outcomes and benefits
Within a single auditorium, the Promenaid Handrail Cinema package delivered several advantages:
– Aesthetic appeal with elegant styling
– Rapid lead times for quick production and delivery
– Budget-friendly materials that keep expenses under control
– Fast and efficient installation processes that save time and labor
Adopting the Promenaid system across hundreds of theaters ensures consistency in design, creating a uniform aesthetic nationwide. This standardization significantly reduces planning and sourcing time, as there is no need to reinvent the process for each new theater. Moreover, as contractors become increasingly familiar with the system, installations become progressively faster and more efficient, further streamlining the overall process.
If you have questions about theater accessibility, contact us and we’ll be happy to help!
