Timber wraps around "magical and out-of-the-ordinary" children's theatre in Denmark
Local studios Svendborg Architects and Wohlert Arkitekter have completed Ishøj Theatre in Denmark, designing a timber-clad facade with curved openings that evokes stage curtains.
Located in the Tranegilde district of Ishøj, the 1,300-square-metre children's theatre overlooks its rural surroundings through a series of arched windows in its facade, designed as nods to the world of theatre.
"We sought to highlight the building's function as a theatre and give it an expression that arises from the site's beautiful landscape views and its content, which are both magical and out of the ordinary," Svendborg Architects founder Johnny Svendborg told Dezeen.
"The rhythmic wooden arches in the facades, in both large and small scale, are facing down as well as up, a subtle reference to comedy and tragedy masks," he continued. "They can also be interpreted as cut from the beam of a theatre spotlight, or as proscenium curtains."
Ishøj Theatre's rectilinear layout sees the main auditorium positioned in its centre, wrapped by an L-shaped arrangement of back-of-house spaces to the northeast and large, open foyers to the west.
The timber facade's curtain-like opening leads into an area of sheltered outdoor seating, before passing through a glazed arch into the main foyer.
Red stage curtains draped over exposed concrete walls demarcate the entrances into the auditorium from the foyer and a skylit corridor to the east, complemented by red linoleum floors and a high-level mirror.
"Red curtains, a vertical view of the sky, carefully framed low views towards the fields, and a gradual sequence of spaces all contribute to the transition from everyday life into the world of theatre," said Svendborg.
"Rather than relying on signage, the building guides its visitors through atmosphere, orientation, and spatial experience, creating an intuitive wayfinding system for children and other theatre guests," he added.
The auditorium itself was designed as a "raw and robust" black box, with movable seating tiers and black curtains, allowing for a range of different performance types and audience configurations.
The back-of-house spaces have also been left with raw finishes and exposed services.
To the northwest, a smaller studio space overlooks the landscape through a large arched window.
Externally, the building has been clad in thin vertical timber planks, intended as a reference to the traditional Danish barns that dot the surrounding landscape.
Other theatre projects recently featured on Dezeen include Haworth Tompkins' renovation and extension of the Grade-II listed Theatr Clwyd in Wales, and Studio Gang created a performance space for Hudson Valley Shakespeare with a mass-timber shell.
The photography is by Hampus Berndtson.
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