London Rd. Theatre
Focus
Local Community
Location
Sheffield, United Kingom
Year
November 2022
Designer(s)
Chun-Chun Chang
Portfolio Showcase
University Project
This project seeks to revitalize traditional theatre spaces, making them more accessible and appealing to visitors even when no performances are scheduled.
In response to the rise of digital artistic productions and declining interest in theatre among younger generations, the design incorporates a reading area within the auditorium to encourage exploration and familiarity with the space.
The design seamlessly integrates a library and theatre with a multi-functional auditorium, where fluctuating bookshelves enhance acoustics for both reading and performances. A narrow entrance compresses the visitor’s experience, heightening anticipation before opening into the expansive main auditorium, creating a dramatic and immersive transition.
Conceptual Journey
Main Entrance + Communal Space
Access to Auditorium 1
Access to Auditorium 2
Auditorium
1F
1. Rest Area
2. Bookable Practice Room
3. Locker
4. Void
5. Office
6. Meeting Rooms
GF
1. Main Entrance
2. Reception
3. Locker
4. Employee Locker Room
5. Café
6. Toilet
7. Emergency Exit
8. Auditorium
9. Stage
10. Back Stage
11. Props Storage
12. Changing Room
13. Courtyard
Three circular skylights are strategically placed in the theatre, rest area, café, and auditorium. In the auditorium, the skylight's primary function is to provide natural light when the space is used as a reading area, with sunlight acting as a spotlight that illuminates the reader. This effect evokes the rising of a stage curtain, symbolically preparing the space for performances.
The theatre's design employs dimensional hierarchy to direct sunlight into the courtyard while accentuating the auditorium. Its minimalist geometry and subtle rammed earth facade harmonize effortlessly with the surrounding residential neighborhood.
+Drawings
