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Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Storyhouse in Chester, England by Bennetts AssociatesJune 9th, 2017 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Bennetts Associates The 2½ years construction project to transform Chester’s Art Deco Odeon cinema into an international cultural centre has reached its completion on time and on budget, opening to the public on Thursday 11 May 2017. Storyhouse brings a theatre and cinema back to Chester after a decade long absence with collaboration and partnership at the very heart of its establishment.  Image Courtesy © Peter Cook
 Image Courtesy © Peter Cook
 Image Courtesy © Peter Cook  Image Courtesy © Peter Cook Storyhouse aims to connect people through storytelling and seeks to create great art. It strives to innovate and democratise its work, in order to empower communities. It asks two vital social questions: who are we and how shall we live?  Image Courtesy © Peter Cook  Image Courtesy © Peter Cook Storyhouse incorporates the Grade 2 listed shell of the locally loved former 1936 Odeon cinema and a new brick and translucent glass extension. The library, restaurant/café and boutique cinema are housed in the cinema’s streamlined Art Deco interior and the 800-seat main auditorium, 150-seat flexible studio along with the bar and shared backstage facilities are housed in the stunning new brick and copper clad extension.  Image Courtesy © Peter Cook  Image Courtesy © Peter Cook The former cinema space with its decorative plasterwork has become the main public focus of the building with a restaurant/café and library winding its way across two floors and the boutique cinema housed in a glass-clad ‘lightbox’ suspended on the first-floor mezzanine.  Image Courtesy © Peter Cook  Image Courtesy © Peter Cook At night, Storyhouse transforms into a restaurant and bar as the foyer is animated with a film projection shown on a new screen flown into the old proscenium arch. Theatre audiences pass through and under the cinema screen to access the main auditorium which is housed in a brick-clad structure, encircled by open stairs and walkways which are visible from the street through translucent glass cladding.  Image Courtesy © Peter Cook  Image Courtesy © Peter Cook The main theatre seats 800 in a traditional proscenium format with a pit, circle and gallery. During the summer months and during the Christmas season, a thrust stage will be built above the stalls, converting the theatre into an intimate 500-seat venue. The theatre will become the natural home for Storyhouse’s home-produced summer festival programme of Shakespeare, new writing, chamber music and spoken word performance.  Image Courtesy © Peter Cook The Garret Theatre is sited above the main auditorium. This versatile studio space seats 150 and can double-up as a rehearsal or events space with its own catering facilities and fourth floor bar with panoramic views over the city.  Image Courtesy © Bennetts Associates  Image Courtesy © Bennetts Associates  Image Courtesy © Bennetts Associates  Image Courtesy © Bennetts Associates  Image Courtesy © Bennetts Associates  Image Courtesy © Bennetts Associates  Image Courtesy © Bennetts Associates
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Category: Theater |
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