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Theatrum
Gedanense is prominently situated on the Southeast edge of the old city of
Gdansk, exposed to its rich urban texture and overlooking a linear park
leading towards the Motlawa River. Inspired by a medieval moat surrounding
Gdansk, the park features reflecting water pools, providing dramatic
setting for the new theater. The site is restricted in permissible height,
requiring a building of strong identity to mark the importance of the new
public space.
The archaeological discovery of an
Elizabethan theater is the most important fact that transformed and gave
meaning to the place. Although it was located mostly outside the
boundaries of the site, its formal simplicity inspired the geometry and
module of the new Theatrum Gedanense. The original theater is evoked in a
promenade flanked with horn-beam trees, while the new theater building
repeats its pure form in a location shifted towards the river. The two are
connected with an open atrium, which becomes a stage for a live theater,
celebrating cultural life of Gdansk today.
All support functions required for the
modern theater are surrounding the performance space, thus detaching it
from the city’s edge. To re-connect the two, translucent glass is used to
create home for stage support, dressing rooms, conference center, gallery,
cafe, restaurant and administration. Their mass is broken into smaller
forms or pavilions allowing the views towards the old town. The
penetrations are generated in the centers of the three courtyards.
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