Introduction
Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, West London, has been redeveloped to provide new theatre and television production facilities. As part of this project, Elgood Industrial Flooring was appointed to install a 170 m² Universal Television Studio Floor in Riverside Television Studio 3. The brief called for a super smooth, durable matt black studio floor suitable for both theatre and multi-camera television use, delivered on schedule within the main contractor’s programme.
Background
Riverside Studios is a historic television and theatrical venue on the banks of the Thames in Hammersmith. Its new complex includes multiple studios designed to host a wide variety of productions. To support this, the client required a high performance studio floor system that would:
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Work equally well for theatre and television
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Provide a stable, smooth operating surface for sets, cameras and performers
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Deliver a consistent matt black finish that performs under stage and studio lighting
Elgood Industrial Flooring has over 40 years’ experience in studio floors and was selected by Riverside TV to install its in-house manufactured Universal Television Studio Floor System. Studio 3 is the second of the Riverside studios to receive an Elgood floor, underlining the client’s confidence in the system’s performance and longevity.
The Challenge
The project had several key requirements that shaped the design and installation of the floor:
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Converting a concrete slab into a precision level, smooth studio surface suitable for theatre and multi-camera TV work
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Preparing the slab properly using clean, controlled methods that met strict site health and safety standards
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Providing a matt black finish that minimises reflections while remaining robust enough for frequent set changes and heavy use
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Working under the main contractor Mount Anvil’s health and safety regime, including meeting Critical Health Certificate requirements for in-house plant operators
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Completing the installation to a fixed programme using a compact, full-time in-house team
The resulting floor needed to perform technically for cameras and lighting, stand up to theatrical use and present well to visiting productions and audiences.
The Solution
Elgood Industrial Flooring supplied and installed its Universal Television Studio Floor System, designed specifically for studio environments.
Key elements of the solution included:
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Vacuum contained shot-blasting preparation
The concrete floor in Studio 3 was prepared using vacuum contained shot-blasting to clean and key the surface. This method removed surface contaminants and laitance while providing an ideal mechanical key for the studio floor build-up, all with effective dust control suitable for an occupied building. -
Universal Television Studio Floor with matt black finish
Elgood installed its Universal Television Studio Floor System across the 170 m² studio. The system is designed, manufactured and installed in-house, providing a smooth, hard-wearing operating surface tailored to multi-camera studio use and theatre performance. For Riverside Studio 3, the finish was specified in matt black to suit both theatrical and television lighting conditions. -
Dual-purpose performance
The floor was engineered to work as a dual-purpose surface, supporting:-
Theatre productions, with robust performance under foot traffic, scenery and staging
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Television productions, with a smooth profile that supports camera movement, dollies and other equipment
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On-time installation by in-house team
All work was carried out by Elgood’s small team of full-time employees, trained specifically in studio floor installation. The team met Mount Anvil’s stringent health and safety requirements, including Critical Health Certificates for plant operation, and delivered the project on schedule within the agreed programme.
Outcome
The completed Universal Television Studio Floor in Riverside Television Studio 3 has provided Riverside with a versatile, high performance space at their Hammersmith site:
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A smooth, matt black studio floor suitable for both theatre and television production
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A robust operating surface capable of withstanding frequent set changes, equipment moves and day-to-day wear
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A substrate prepared using controlled, professional methods, supporting long-term floor performance
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A floor installed safely and on time under a main contractor’s health and safety regime
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A consistent specification with other Riverside studios, helping to create a coherent studio complex and simplifying future maintenance
By converting the original concrete slab into a purpose-designed Universal Television Studio Floor, Elgood Industrial Flooring has helped Riverside TV maximise the flexibility and production quality of Studio 3 at its renewed Hammersmith base.
