The Soweto Theatre in Gauteng, South Africa by Afritects

Article source: Afritects

The brief for the Soweto theatre was to create a public performing arts centre that the community of Soweto, South Africa would feel invited to use, enjoy and take ownership of. The concept of the building has evolved the existing typical theatre typology; the monolithic, impenetrable, secretive-mass with one- almost reluctant- public-gesture (the front door) has now become an open, legible and inviting space. All of the inner workings of the theatre are expressed outwards, beguiling and enticing its community in.

SE Elevation

• Architects: Afritects
• Project: The Soweto Theatre
• Location: Gauteng, South Africa

Wing Wall and Skirting

As the Soweto Theatre brief called for a collection of three performance spaces (seating 430, 180 and 90 patrons respectively), these three spaces were each highlighted and made identifiable on the building’s exterior. The inner workings of the theatre complex express themselves outwards to the community as highly visible beacons in the landscape, enticing the audience in.

Separating and giving clear identity to each of these performance boxes offered a design challenge. As buildings comprise of serviced and service spaces (theatres by nature are highly serviced spaces) an architectural device had to be included to separate these elements. The wing walls that flank the building contain the theatre service spaces (ablutions, offices, stairwells, kitchens, store rooms, air-movement systems etc) and frame the three performance venues (the served spaces) whilst defining the internal, street-like, foyer spaces around the performance boxes. The shapes of these boxes were given further identity with curved edges and corners. Skylights and glass floors detach the boxes from the concrete floors of the building.

North Elevation

Each box was then given its own identity with a different colour using various shades and finish of red, blue and yellow ceramic tiles. The interior remaining the black box that makes theatre possible and the exterior colours representing the vibrancy, personality and excitement associated with theatre in Soweto. 200 000 ceramic tiles adorn the walls of the performance boxes, each tile laid individually by tradesmen from the local community.

Interior

The choice to position the building in a public park along a busy pedestrian route, used my many members of the community for their daily commute, further integrates the community and the building physically. The outdoor foyer, below the tensile structure, is a public gesture that is always open as a community meeting point.

Wing Wall and Theatre Box Night

South West View with Outdoor Lobby

Main Lobby

Internal Lobby

Elevation And Plan

Site plan

Tags: Gauteng, South Africa

Category: Theater

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 1st, 2012 at 1:08 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.