The award-winning practice has designed an acoustically optimized outdoor performance space, located in Kasprowicza Park, Szczecin. Flanagan Lawrence has won an international competition to design a Summer Theatre in Szczecin, Poland. The tensile structure showcasing two sculptural open arches, will replace the existing roof structure and enhance the theatre’s acoustics.
Image © Flanagan Lawrence
Image © Flanagan Lawrence
From Flanagan Lawrence:
The brief called for design proposals to maximize the flexibility of the 1976-designed theatre for a variety of performances on the stage, and to add a new roof to enclose both the stage and the audience. The underside of the roof, which covers the stage and front of auditorium, will enhance and project the natural acoustic for orchestral events. This is achieved by a roof which is structurally independent of the existing arch, and is formed in a curved truss which serves as the edge beam to a single cable net structure. This net supports a series of inflated fabric roof panels and suspended acoustic reflectors. Two additional trusses span the stage to support the load of the lighting grid.
Image © Flanagan Lawrence
The doubly-curved roof form follows the natural slope of the amphitheatre on the existing hillside to retain the views across the park, and then dramatically lifts over the stage to provide the necessary height for the performance area.
– Jason Flanagan (Flanagan Lawrence)
Image © Flanagan Lawrence
The back of the stage is enclosed acoustically by curved glazed screens, which offer picturesque views out to Rusalka lake and create a scenic backdrop to performances.
Image © Flanagan Lawrence
Image © Flanagan Lawrence
Flanagan Lawrence’s proposal will also upgrade the 2,500 seat structure with additional facilities including a box office, bathrooms, a café and a refurbished backstage area.
The original structure, including the concrete arch, was designed by Zbigniew Abrahamowicz and opened in 1976.
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- Image © Flanagan Lawrence
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- Image © Flanagan Lawrence
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- Image © Flanagan Lawrence
Facts:
Client: The City of Szczecin (Gmina Miasto Szczecin)
Architects: Flanagan Lawrence
Acoustics: Arup
Structural Engineers: Expedition
Cost: 12 million Polish zloty (zł) (Circa £2.4m)
Area of site: 16659 sq m
Expected completion date: 2018
*All images and information courtesy of Flanagan Lawrence.
