The Centre for the Arts

By Lilian Tran

It will adjoin onto the existing Art Lecture Theatre, which is also to be refurbished, and replace the old Arts Barn that has now been demolished.

The centre is part of a three-year £100 million campus improvement project, of which the Chancellors Building has already been completed, and a further student accommodation complex and refurbishment of 1 West is in progress. The new building is set to include dance studios, a theatre, performance spaces, orchestra-sized rehearsal studios and a cafe. There will be a contemporary art gallery for hosting exhibitions and talks, and a dedicated education suite for the executive MBA programme.

As a complex it should turn out to be a great addition of facilities for the interdisciplinary arts classes and teaching, and will encourage students of a predominantly science-focussed University to get involved in the arts. The aim is to create a hub for creativity and innovation, and to attract new visitors to the campus.

Interestingly, the original Arts Barn and Arts Lecture Theatre were built in 1990 by Alison and Peter Smithson in a very flexible manner, with the view to phase-in an additional 14 component buildings as and when funding became available. Unfortunately the funding did not materialise, and their plans for a ‘conglomerate structure’ never happened.

The new building design will help to define a new courtyard space as initially intended by the Smithson’s, and flexibility of space is still key to the scheme, with the existing theatre also being used for general teaching when not required by ICIA.

At the moment construction is well under way with the foundations in place and work beginning on its concrete wall frame. Once complete, the building will be four storeys at its peak, with a steep mono-pitched roof and the facades are to be clad in aluminium. To keep up to date with the progress, more information can be found on the ICIA New Build blog: http://www.bath.ac.uk/ icia/newbuild/