Architecture and design news:
arts & culture
Work starts on Leeds Arena scheme
by Pete Hayman | 09 Sep 2010
Leeds City Council (LCC) has announced that BAM Construction has commenced preparatory work at the site of the city's new multi-million pound entertainment arena. Populous is behind the design of the new Leeds Arena, which will be capable of accommodating 13,500 spectators and will ensure that the furthest seat is no more than 68m (223ft) from the centre of the stage. Work to prepare the city's Claypit Lane site will
Green light for £22.3m Doncaster venue
by Pete Hayman | 02 Sep 2010
Doncaster Council has approved plans for the creation of a new £22.3m performance venue in the heart of the town - part of a wider £300m civic and cultural quarter development. Arts Team - part of Renton Howard Wood Levin - has designed the new arts complex, which will boast a 600-seat main auditorium and a flexible, second space to cater for 200 seated or 400 standing. Dance and drama
Siemens to build £30m London attraction
by Luke Tuchscherer | 26 Aug 2010
Siemens, the international engineering and technology firm, is to build a £30m visitor attraction in London. The Siemens Pavilion will include exhibition space, a 300-seat auditorium and facilities for educational tour groups. There are plans for interactive exhibits, seating areas, a café and a shop, as well as outdoor seating areas and exhibition space. The centre, which will be located at the western end of the Royal Docks, is expected
UK's first 'recycled theatre' to open in Southwark
by Tom Walker | 11 Aug 2010
The Jellyfish Theatre in Southwark will become the UK's first fully-functioning theatre made entirely from recycled and reclaimed materials when it opens later this year. The opening of the venue is part of the The Oikos Project, a mix of public art, architecture and performance. It is the brainchild of Arts Council-funded organisations The Red Room and The Architecture Foundation, in association with The Junction, Cambridge. The Red Room will
Funding boost for 24 historic Welsh buildings
by Pete Hayman | 06 Aug 2010
Monmouth's Savoy Theatre and the Animal Wall - part of the Cardiff Castle complex - are among 24 historic buildings to receive a share of nearly £1m from the Welsh Assembly Government. The Savoy Theatre - one of the oldest venues of its kind in Wales - is set to benefit from repair restoration work to its front elevation after securing more than £39,000 as part of the funding package.
New £22.5m venue set for Doncaster
by Pete Hayman | 28 Jul 2010
Doncaster Council has revealed the design of a new £22.5m performance venue that is set to become the "cultural anchor" of a new £300m civic and cultural quarter for the town. Plans include a 600-seat main auditorium across two levels to ensure that audiences can get close to the action, while a second flexible space is set to be able to accommodate 200 seated or 400 standing spectators. Dance and
Green light for Hornsey Town Hall scheme
by Pete Hayman | 15 Jul 2010
Haringey Council has approved plans for the transformation of Hornsey Town Hall into a multi-million pound arts centre for Crouch End, London. The redevelopment of the Grade II*-listed building - originally designed by architect Reginald Uren and opened during the 1930s - received the green light from the council's planning committee on 12 July. John McAslan and Partners is behind designs for the new-look Hornsey Town Hall, which will incorporate
Green light for Tate Britain transformation
by Pete Hayman | 09 Jul 2010
Tate's plans for a major multi-million pound redevelopment of its original London gallery - Tate Britain - have been given the green light by the local authority. Westminster City Council (WCC) has approved the scheme, which is set to cost around £45m and is designed to improve the attraction's galleries and conserve the 19th century Sidney Smith-designed building. Core visitor areas will be remodelled and renovated in order to open
Major £3m overhaul for Theatre Royal Bath
by Pete Hayman | 06 Jul 2010
Theatre Royal Bath's Main House has closed for two months in order for work on a major £3m refurbishment programme to be undertaken at the historic venue. Exeter-based contractor Midas is working in partnership with Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios on the scheme, which aims to revamp front-of-house and backstage areas in order to preserve the Main House. Existing facilities will be improved; the foyer will be remodelled; decor will be
Guildford entertainment venue topped out
by Pete Hayman | 05 Jul 2010
A ceremony has marked the topping out of a new entertainment venue being developed in Guildford, Surrey, which is set to replace the town's former Civic Hall building. The Austin-Smith:Lord-designed venue is being built by Hertfordshire-based contractor Willmott Dixon Construction, with the project currently "on time and on budget". When complete, the venue will include a 1,000-seat or 1,700-standing auditorium; multi-purpose studio space; two conference rooms and five seminar rooms;
Canterbury's Marlowe Theatre topped out
by Pete Hayman | 24 Jun 2010
A ceremony has been held to mark the topping out of Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, Kent, which is currently undergoing a major multi-million pound redevelopment. Canterbury City Council (CCC) has confirmed that a special community day will also take place on 26 June to enable local residents to see how the £25.6m scheme is progressing. The redeveloped Marlowe Theatre will include a 1,200-seat auditorium with enhanced acoustics and sightlines, a
Bosnian bomb shelter to become art gallery
by Martin Nash | 22 Jun 2010
A former nuclear bomb shelter near the town of Konjic, Bosnia, is to be host to the Biennale of Contemporary Art, D-O ARK Underground. The underground bunker, built between 1953-1979 for the then leader of Yugoslavia, Josip Tito, was intended to house around 350 people who could live there for up to six months without returning to the surface. With its entrance hidden by several houses, the well preserved shelter
£5m Hornsea arts venue plans in doubt
by Luke Tuchscherer | 21 Jun 2010
Plans for a £5m arts venue in Hornsea are now in doubt due to a lack of funding. East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC), which approved the plans in May, has agreed to put up £3m of the fundin but is still awaiting a funding decision from Yorkshire Forward on the remaining £2m. Stephen Parnaby, leader of the council, said: “The council will of course continue to do all it
National Theatre to undergo £70m facelift
by Pete Hayman | 18 Jun 2010
London's National Theatre (NT) has submitted plans for a major £70m overhaul of the South Bank venue in a bid to transform its facilities and "open up" to more people. The theatre has been working alongside architects Haworth Tompkins over the last two years to draw up development proposals as part of its NT Future scheme, which could get underway in late 2011. Lambeth Council will now decide the fate
£35m Bangor arts venue design unveiled
by Pete Hayman | 02 Jun 2010
Bangor University (BU) has unveiled the design for a new £35m arts and innovation venue, which is to be developed in the North Wales city. The Pontio Project - a name derived from the Welsh word for "to bridge" - will boast a theatre with a capacity of between 450-550 seats; a cinema space and a studio theatre. An outdoor amphitheatre, bars, dining and park areas also form part of
Fundraising continues for Cheltenham Art Gallery scheme
by Luke Tuchscherer | 25 May 2010
Cheltenham Art Gallery's development project has been awarded a first-round pass for a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant of £750,000. While the pass does not guarantee that the scheme will receive the money, it does mean the project has been judged as having potential. Jane Lillystone, museum & arts manager, said: "We are extremely delighted to have secured the HLF’s endorsement of a project that is so important for the
£4m Todmorden Town Hall plans approved
by Luke Tuchscherer | 25 May 2010
£4m plans for Todmorden Town Hall in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, have been approved by the borough council's project board. The proposals, drawn up by London-based architects Camillin Denny, include extensive refurbishment of the exterior and interior of the building and turning the basement into a café and heritage exhibition space. They also include shops and meeting rooms, new toilets, a new bar and lifts below an extension to the ballroom
£5m Hornsea arts venue plans approved
by Pete Hayman | 19 May 2010
Plans for the development of a new £5m cultural venue to replace the Floral Hall in Hornsea have received the green light from local councillors. An existing leisure centre will be extended to provide a new multi-purpose community facility under the plans, which were approved by East Riding of Yorkshire Council's (ERYC) planning committee. A 313sq m (3,369sq ft) auditorium capable of accommodating 300 people, a 65sq m (700sq ft)
£61m Pompidou-Metz opens
by Luke Tuchscherer | 13 May 2010
Centre Pompidou-Metz, the offshoot of Paris’s famous Pompidou Centre, has opened in France. The 70.8m euro (£60.8m,US$89m) new centre, located in the north eastern city of Metz, is the first provincial branch of the famous art gallery. Owned by Communauté d’Agglomération de Metz Métropole, the building was designed by Japan-based Shigeru Ban Architects (SBA) in partnership with French architect Jean de Gastines. The centre will boast paintings, sculptures, installations, graphic
Council approves Hackney Empire plans
by Pete Hayman | 11 May 2010
Hackney Council have approved plans for a major multi-million pound mixed-use scheme adjacent to the Hackney Empire that aims to safeguard the historic venue. London-based developer Thornsett Group is leading the Wilton Way project, which will include the demolition of existing office facilities and the construction of a new building. Plans include 425sq m (4,575sq ft) of flexible space to be used for community activities associated with the Hackney Empire
University acquires former nightclub
by Pete Hayman | 27 Apr 2010
Bath Spa University (BSU) has unveiled plans to transform a former nightclub into a new city centre base for its music and performing arts students. The university has acquired the lease to the Burdall's Yard property on London Road and aims to create a rehearsal and performance facility on the site. BSU vice chancellor Professor Frank Morgan said: "We hope that Burdall's Yard will become a fantastic place for teaching
Electric Hotel to embark on UK tour
by Pete Hayman | 21 Apr 2010
Electric Hotel - a new 'pop-up' temporary dance work designed to involve the audience in a voyeur role - is set to embark on a UK tour from 7 May. London's Sadler's Wells theatre and outdoor festival consortium Without Walls co-commissioned the performance, which will be taking place in a number of public open spaces. Debuting at Millennium Place in Norwich between 7-9 May, the Electric Hotel concept will see
Hornsey Town Hall set for major revamp
by Pete Hayman | 12 Apr 2010
Hornsey Town Hall is set to be transformed into a major new multi-million pound arts centre in Crouch End, London, under proposals submitted by Haringey Council. Plans for the renovation of the Grade II*-listed building, which was initially designed by Reginald Uren and opened during the 1930s, have been drawn up by architects John McAslan and Partners. Capita Symonds has been appointed to project manage the Hornsey Town Hall redevelopment,
RCLT nets 30-year Liverpool theatre lease
by Pete Hayman | 09 Apr 2010
Efforts to renovate Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre have taken a step forward after Royal Court Liverpool Trust (RCLT) was awarded a 30-year lease to operate the venue. The trust will now be able to move forward plans to raise funds for a £10.6m renovation of the Grade II-listed building, following Liverpool City Council confirmed its decision on 26 March. Designs drawn up by London-based architect Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM)
Contractor appointed for Miami Science Museum
by Luke Tuchscherer | 25 Mar 2010
Contractors have been appointed for the US$275m (£172m, 188m euro) Miami Science Museum in Florida, US. Boston-based Suffolk Construction and San Francisco-based Webcor Builders have been awarded the contracts to develop the museum, which was designed by British firm Grimshaw Architects. The 250,000sq ft museum will boast a 35,000sq ft aquarium, a planetarium and 55,000sq ft of indoor and outdoor exhibition space. It will be part of a new Miami
Budget 2010: small leisure businesses to benefit, alcohol tax up
by Tom Walker | 24 Mar 2010
Small and medium-sized leisure businesses should find it easier to secure bank loans and funding, according to plans outlined by chancellor Alistair Darling in today's budget announcement. The budget - the last by chancellor Alistair Darling before the expected general election in May - will see Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds make £94bn available in business loans. Darling added that "at least half" of this will be made available
Dublin's Grand Canal Theatre unveiled
by Pete Hayman | 23 Mar 2010
A performance of Swan Lake by the Russian State Ballet has marked the official opening of the new Grand Canal Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. Designed by Switzerland-based architect Daniel Libeskind and Dublin-based McCauley Daye O'Connell, the 2,111-seat venue forms the centre of the Grand Canal Square development. Chartered Land has delivered the theatre, which boasts seven bars, the Circle Club and a rooftop terrace bar and is operated by Live
Council unveils latest Leeds Arena images
by Pete Hayman | 17 Mar 2010
Leeds City Council (LCC) has unveiled new images showing the internal layout of a proposed £80m entertainment venue, which will be built in the West Yorkshire city. The council revealed detailed design work is now at an "advanced stage" on the interior configuration of the Leeds Arena, which aims to provide an unobstructed sightline for each of a 13,500-capacity audience. Under the 'super theatre' proposals for the venue, the furthest
New £35m arts facility set for Bangor
by Pete Hayman | 15 Mar 2010
Plans for a new £35m arts and innovation centre in Bangor, North Wales, have taken a step forward after Bangor University announced the start of design work. The Pontio Project - a name derived from the Welsh word for "to bridge" - will include the creation of a dynamic innovation hub, learning facilities and a new home for the university's students' union. Indoor and outdoor performance spaces, including a 450-seat
New home for Warwick theatre company
by Pete Hayman | 02 Mar 2010
Warwick District Council (WDC) has approved plans for the refurbishment of a Grade II-listed former church in Leamington Spa to provide a new home for the Loft Theatre Company. The former United Reform Church building on Spencer Street will be extended and revamped as part of the project to create a new performance centre, which will establish a new focal point for the arts and creative industries in the town.
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