Teatros del Canal Theatre Complex

Description

Many aspects came together in this project. Firstly, the intrinsic nature of its programme involved the creation of a space of illusions, a world of fantasy; that is, the imaginary as the substance of the project. Secondly, the exceptional nature of the function of a building that draws from this imaginary world, standing in a somewhat blurred and neglected urban area that demanded a bold and formally rich approach, with an intrinsic vitality that would enhance and enliven the intersection between Bravo Murillo and Cea Bermúdez streets. Thirdly, theatrical activity requires both integration and segregation. The public must find it attractive and, at the same time, there must be a separation, a distancing to defend the core from the virtual, which is alien, by nature, to the surrounding urban reality. In order to meet this last requirement, double and divergent, the building is integrated into the street and at the same time extends it on the ground floors, segregating the rest of the programme in height, placing the theatres and dance halls above the ground floor foyer area. The ground floor houses large foyers, a shop and a cafeteria, which are made transparent and visible from the outside, incorporating their activity into the city and inviting participation. The nearby green areas also influenced the project. At street level, the building tries to blend into these green areas by using grass surfaces that extend into the plot until they reach the recessed perimeter, free of the glass enclosure that surrounds the lobbies and the cafeteria.The ground floor is a threshold between the building and the street where a lively play of volumes is created, which is perceived as a zigzagging display of shapes in the air, creating contrasting experiences between the concave and the convex, similar to those of flags moved by the wind. The building is experienced in different ways: emptying or expanding and showing or hiding its interior from the outside. The envelope of those floating volumes is like paper, catching the light and reflecting it with subtle sheens. All of this responds to a deliberate tectonic idea, which can be understood as a ‘mask’ that is perfect for theatre and dance and which translates into the leading role of pure appearance and the lively play of forms. The skin enveloping this space is a glass surface, partly opaque and partly translucent and transparent. The opaque glass surfaces are black, red and silver, with a matt, velvety look that creates nuances in their surface colour and shine. Colour is treated as a basic construction substance, something that appears to have been cut with scissors or carved directly out of raw materials. The treatment of colour is reminiscent of Matisse’s cut-outs, in which painting takes on a sculptural character.The stagehouses of both theatres are on the inside like the stone of a fruit, intimate cells fitted inside those inflated textile volumes. They also serve as the main support, arranging the physical structure of the building around them. The entrances to the front and experimental theatre are located on a higher level (+9.00), which is accessed by escalators. The cafeteria opens onto the street and the outdoor terrace of the courtyard on the southwest corner, blending in with the quiet, domestic character of the inner residential area of the block. The entrance to the service and loading and unloading areas is via Bravo Murillo street. The stages and the stagehouses communicate with each other along the party walls, to the south, as well as along the entire length of the plot. A slit of light along the party walls illuminates the communication spaces, connecting the stages and dressing rooms with each other. The natural light from above avoids dark spaces in these places away from the public.(Description provided by the architects)