Elizabethan Theatre, Condette, France

At its core is the fully covered auditorium, featuring a rectangular stage extending into the room and 388 seats on three levels. Surrounding the round heart of the theater are access and lounge areas: the foyer illuminated from above, the main staircase with access to the exterior balconies, and the coatroom area with an emergency staircase.

All segments were made from pre-bent spruce solid wood panels – a method that, according to Andrew Todd, is unique so far. Over the entire cylinder, a radially arranged skeleton of 12-meter-high bamboo poles imported from Bali is laid.

The crown of the roof acts as a chimney and supports the natural air circulation in the auditorium. Together with its low energy requirements, the "Elizabethan Theater" is one of the remarkable examples of naturally ventilated cultural buildings in France.

Impressions