All the world's a stage: Construction imminent on shipping container replica of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
– Angus Vail
Construction is about to start on a close replica of William Shakespeare’s famous Globe Theatre, with only two key differences from the original: this version will be located in Detroit and it will be built entirely out of stacked shipping containers.
The Container Globe is the brainchild of entrepreneur Angus Vail, who wants to build cost-effective venues around the world to host performances of the Bard and other live events.
After a long-running search for a location, Vail has decided to build a prototype theatre in the yard of a Detroit school building built in the 1900s. Here it will be part of a wider art project, called Galapagos, which is being developed as an incubator and performance space for the city.
Architecture studios Perkins Eastman and Cost+Plus have completed the design brief for the first Container Globe – described as “a punk reimagining” of Shakespeare’s concept, while the New York office of multidisciplinary firm Arup have provided consultation on the acoustics, lighting, fire safety and accessibility aspects.
The layout will closely mirror that of the original Globe Theatre, which was built in 1599 in the London borough of Southwark. Designed as a theatre in the round, huge crowds could stand as close as possible to the action, with it not uncommon for spectators to leap on stage to join the scripted brawls, sword fights and moments of high drama.
Vail is seeking to mirror this electric atmosphere, “which makes the plays more accessible, and just plain more fun, for people to watch, rather than just sitting back in a dark theatre.”
The galleries, stage and backstage areas of the Detroit iteration will all be created using stacked and fastened shipping containers, scaffolding and other readily-available building materials. The theatre will have a demountable base, meaning it can be either temporary or permanent addition to the city.
“We're going to start fabricating the containers as we go, and start building a prototype on site, so we can experiment with it, get the wrinkles out and make the requisite mistakes, and work towards the ‘complete’ Container Globe,” Vail told CLADglobal. “We hope that as we build the real thing, people and donors and investors and sponsors will really weigh in.”
A crowdfunding campaign will be launched on 16 September on the Patronicity online platform, which promotes projects that benefit Detroit economically, artistically and socially.
The design team has previously set an estimated budget of US$6m (€5m, £4.6m) for a single theatre.
Vail has previously spoken about the potential to build different types of Globe in different cities, depending on local requirements.
“We’ve had people interested in the Globe just as a theatre and music venue, who just think it’s a cool venue and don't care much that it’s based on Shakespeare's original,” he told CLADglobal when the project was first announced. “Some investors want to have it totally enclosed and set up as a permanent venue, so perhaps we will end up with a range of different models: a fully loaded ‘Cadillac’, a mid-level basic ‘Honda Civic’ and a bare-bones easily moveable ‘Corolla’ based on prices ranges and customers' different needs.”
From hotels to breweries, spas and gyms, shipping containers are increasingly being used as a primary construction material due to their strength, availability and relatively low cost.
William Shakespeare Globe Theatre Angus Vail Container Globe architecture design theatre Detroit Galapagos‘Punk reimagining’ of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre uses shipping containers and scaffolding
GoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
Aman sister brand Janu debuts in Tokyo with four-floor urban wellness retreat
€38m geothermal spa and leisure centre to revitalise Croatian city of Bjelovar
Two Santani eco-friendly wellness resorts coming to Oman, partnered with Omran Group
Kerzner shows confidence in its Siro wellness hotel concept, revealing plans to open 100
Ritz-Carlton, Portland unveils skyline spa inspired by unfolding petals of a rose
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners are just one of the names behind The Emory hotel London and Surrenne private members club
Peninsula Hot Springs unveils AUS$11.7m sister site in Australian outback
IWBI creates WELL for residential programme to inspire healthy living environments
Conrad Orlando unveils water-inspired spa oasis amid billion-dollar Evermore Resort complex
Studio A+ realises striking urban hot springs retreat in China's Shanxi Province
Populous reveals plans for major e-sports arena in Saudi Arabia
Wake The Tiger launches new 1,000sq m expansion
Othership CEO envisions its urban bathhouses in every city in North America
Merlin teams up with Hasbro and Lego to create Peppa Pig experiences
SHA Wellness unveils highly-anticipated Mexico outpost
One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
'World's largest' indoor ski centre by 10 Design slated to open in 2025
Murrayshall Country Estate awarded planning permission for multi-million-pound spa and leisure centre
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
King of Bhutan unveils masterplan for Mindfulness City, designed by BIG, Arup and Cistri
Rural locations are the next frontier for expansion for the health club sector
Tonik Associates designs new suburban model for high-end Third Space health and wellness club
Aman sister brand Janu launching in Tokyo in 2024 with design by Denniston's Jean-Michel Gathy
The Peninsula London unveils Peter Marino-designed spa inspired by London’s famous parks
First glimpses revealed of Mandarin Oriental, Mayfair's subterranean spa retreat
"Architecture is alive" says Ma Yansong, as Shenzhen art museum opens exhibition showcasing work of MAD Architects
From parks designed to mitigate the effects of flooding to warming huts for one of the world’s coldest cities, these projects have been designed for increasingly extreme climates