Paul Covell Consultants

Paul Covell Consultants is a small practice providing comprehensive theatre consultancy and architectural lighting design services. Now based in Scotland, we work throughout the UK and have been involved in projects from the Channel Islands to the Outer Hebrides.

Our schemes are cost-effective yet always practical, and can be tailored to meet your future aspirations as well as your current needs.

Paul Covell is a Member of the Institute of Theatre Consultants and a Member of the Society of Light & Lighting.

Typical Services
The following are just some of the services we are able to provide.

Theatre Consultancy

• review existing buildings prior to refurbishment or conversion work, either independently or as part of a fuller feasibility study.
• on projects involving existing buildings, carry out basic plan and sectional surveys and produce CAD drawings where these are not already available.
• advise on concept development, sightlines, ergonomics, technical planning, and specialist regulations.
• assess and comment on outline drawings for new-build projects.
• contribute to detailed auditorium design including seating/sightlines and lighting.
• contribute to design of stage and backstage layouts, including performance, get-in and storage areas, and associated accommodation such as dressing rooms.
• provide design parameters for technical systems to help others make the necessary structural, electrical and mechanical allowances.
• agree budgets and design, specify and correlate systems for stage lighting, sound, communications, audio-visual, projection, and stage engineering and issue for tender.
• assess and advise on returned bids and attend start up meeting with design team and contractors.
• check and comment on specialist contractors’ drawings during mobilisation and construction phases.
• make regular visits to site during installation phase, checking standards of workmanship, and witness contractors’ testing and commissioning of installations.
• arrange demonstration and training in operation of all specified technical systems, and hand over installation.

Architectural Lighting Design

• define and agree a brief for the lighting scheme.
• on projects involving existing buildings, carry out basic plan and sectional surveys and produce basic CAD drawings where these are not already available.
• assess options and visualise a solution.
• present initial lighting report, describing proposals and including simple layout drawing/s and pictures of ‘typical’ luminaires.
• refine outline scheme and arrange demonstration of sample luminaires if required.
• produce specification with layout and block schematic drawings, and issue for tender.
• assess and advise on returned bids, and attend start up meeting with contractor.
• agree with the contractor (and architect, if involved) final wiring routes and mounting locations for equipment.
• make regular visits to site during installation phase, checking standards of workmanship and witness testing and commissioning of installation, focus spotlights, and programme lighting control system.
• arrange demonstration and training of any lighting control system, and hand over installation.

Theatre Consultancy
Whether they are intended for concert, conference, educational or conventional theatre use, the planning and design of auditoria, concert platforms and stages is very much a specialist discipline, as is the specification and layout of the associated technical equipment.

As an established theatre consultancy practice we have for many years been providing specialist advice on planning and equipping performance venues from school halls to full size arts centres.

Lighting Design
It may sound obvious, but light not only reveals what we see, but determines how we see it, so artificial lighting plays an immensely important role in our lives. Interior and exterior lighting design is not merely an engineering exercise to ensure that certain prescribed levels of illumination are achieved.

Good lighting design involves using light and light fittings in a sympathetic way to enhance a building and create a suitable ambience, whilst providing an appropriate environment for the building’s intended use.