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          PROJECTCurve Theatre, Leicester
CLIENT
Leicester Theatre Trust and Leicester
City Council
ARCHITECTRafael Viñoly ArchitectsAWARDSRIBA Eastern Region‘Curve’ is Rafael Viñoly Architects’ first completed project in the United
Kingdom. The £61 million project is the result of a close collaboration between the
design team, Leicester Theatre Trust and Leicester City Council. The cutting
edge design turns the typical theatre configuration ‘inside out’ by exposing
the production, construction, craft, and technical components of theatre
to the public, integrating all aspects of performance into the life of the
city and making it truly inclusive and accessible. For the very first time
audiences and passers-by will be engaged in the actual process of theatre-making,
behind the scenes.The theatre features a four-story
glazed and louvered curtain wall. Hung from a vast truss spanning the site,
the glass hits the ground without interruption from structure, offering
a continuous and unobstructed 4m high window revealing the two main audience
volumes, a 750-seat main auditorium and a 350-seat studio, and the production
and administrative facilities behind. Conceived as islands within a public foyer, a central stage sits at street
level between the two coloured volumes, and a system of metal shutters enable
the creative team to place the audience in a variety of configurations,
creating possibilities for either conventional or technically more ambitious
theatre production and design. The continuum of stage, foyer and street
at one level allows for clear visual connection between audience, actor
and the public, and offers up possibilities for both traditional and unconventional
uses of the space to meet the community’s diverse cultural needs. No distinction
is made between front and back-of-house; double-height workshops and production
spaces feature glass walls that expose production activities and make them
a visible part of the spectacle. A café is located at street level to attract
visitors throughout the day and during the non-performance hours. An L-shaped brick volume along the north and west elevations contains dressing
rooms, rehearsal spaces, production facilities, the ticket office, a recording
studio, a kitchen, Leicester Theatre Trust’s offices, and support spaces.
Tiers of balconies at upper levels overlook the foyer, giving physical and
visual connections to staff, performers, and the audience from the top to
the bottom of the building’s volume that activate a dramatic, engaging space.This project shows the quality and variety of images that customers
receive as part of our architectural
photography service. Call now to discuss your requirements and
timescales on 079101 68536. |
