Carnival Hub Wokingham – Theatre and AV Consultancy for Multi-Use Performance Venue
Carnival Hub is a flagship sports and leisure facility developed by Wokingham Borough Council as part of a major investment in community infrastructure. While primarily designed as a professional-standard sports venue, the facility was also required to function as a flexible performance and events space capable of hosting concerts, theatre productions, presentations, conferences and community events.
Drama by Design was appointed as AV and Theatre Consultant, working alongside Henley Theatre Services, the project architect and the main contractor to develop the specialist theatre, audio-visual and performance systems throughout the venue. Our role involved the design and coordination of all technical systems, ensuring they could support a wide range of event types whilst integrating seamlessly within a modern sports environment.
The principal sports hall was designed to transform quickly from a sports venue into a fully equipped performance space. Extending bleacher seating allows the hall to accommodate audiences of up to 400 people, while a flexible modular stage system provides a professional platform for performances and presentations. Additional backstage facilities were incorporated to support performers and visiting productions, enhancing the venue’s operational flexibility.
A key challenge of the project was ensuring that all performance systems could be removed from use when the hall returned to its sporting function. Drama by Design therefore developed technical solutions that were either retractable or demountable, allowing the venue to maintain its primary sporting role without compromising the quality of its performance facilities.
The stage lighting infrastructure was designed to provide professional production capabilities while remaining simple to operate and maintain. Electrically operated lighting hoists allow equipment to be lowered safely for maintenance and reconfiguration, and then raised out of the way of sports activities when not in use. Modern LED luminaires and an intuitive lighting control system provide the flexibility required for theatre performances, live music events and corporate presentations.
Drama by Design also designed the venue’s sound and audio-visual systems, creating a solution capable of delivering excellent speech intelligibility and high-quality sound reinforcement across a broad range of events. The system supports everything from community performances and touring productions to conferences and presentations, while high-brightness projection and large-format display facilities further enhance the versatility of the space.
Through careful integration of theatre technology, stage lighting, sound and audio-visual systems, Carnival Hub has become far more than a sports facility. The venue now serves as a flexible cultural and community asset, capable of supporting an extensive programme of entertainment, educational and corporate events. The project demonstrates how specialist theatre consultancy can unlock the full potential of multi-use venues, creating spaces that maximise both operational flexibility and long-term value for their communities.
