Ustinov Studio, 2008

Following successful completion of the Egg Theatre for children and young people, the Theatre Royal, Bath, commissioned Haworth Tompkins to renovate their ‘second space’, the Ustinov Studio. First, an improved public entrance and street presence were created. Inside, the foyer area was extensively remodelled so as to separate backstage and front of house areas. The existing performance space was transformed to create a flexible and technically sophisticated studio theatre adaptable for both spoken and musical performance. Improvement of the facilities for performers and technical staff was also a priority. Construction of wings and get-round provided full stage access. Circulation was rationalised to offer direct access to dressing rooms. Meanwhile, lighting bars were fitted to provide flexible stage lighting, and a fully-equipped control room was constructed at high level. Close collaboration with the client was vital to stretch an extremely tight budget to the limit. By making a virtue of this restriction, the aim has been to develop an architectural language which was warm and welcoming, but reflected the experimental nature of the studio’s work.

“I couldn’t be happier with the transformation from the old Ustinov to the new Ustinov, which is like having a brand new theatre. I’ve got the Ustinov we always wanted from the project ... an exciting, vibrant, welcoming space, a fully functioning ‘grown-up’ theatre and a real complement and partner to the wonderful ‘Egg’ children’s theatre.”

Andrew Smaje

The Young Vic is a famous producing theatre in south London, originally designed in 1970 as an informal, temporary space for the National Theatre company. Thirty years later, the building had become physically dilapidated but the innovative thrust stage auditorium had proved a potent performance space and the old butchers shop foyer (a lone survivor of wartime bombing) an important vessel of communal memory. Haworth Tompkins re-imagined a new building around these two fragments, upgrading the auditorium and adding an enlarged foyer bar, two new studio theatres and much improved support spaces. Artist Clem Crosby painted the new auditorium façade, layered with aluminium mesh and uplit to create a theatrical gauze effect. The building is designed along passive low energy principles, combining high insulation levels, natural ventilation, shading and orientation to reduce the building’s carbon footprint. The ‘public’ and ‘private’ territories of the theatre as a whole are deliberately merged to heighten the sense of a shared democratic architecture – a place, to quote the artistic director David Lan, “...where strangers can meet in peace”. Since its opening the new Young Vic has become a central part of London’s cultural life and one of Europe’s most discussed theatres.

“The building, which comes in on time and on budget, is a stupendous new theatre factory, with three distinct and distinctive auditoria….stunning, versatile new venues.” The Stage