A competition entry for the adaptive reuse of a Romanesque church in Prague for a group of scenographers; this project imagines a new
experience for audiences witnessing theatrical acrobatic performances.
The existing space has a textural richness and, like much of Prague, a fascinating history. Both of which add to the use of the church as a theatrical space. The expansive height and the narrowness of the nave make theatrical acrobatic performances possible were other theatrical formats would fail.
Aerial acrobatics are an ancient and continually compelling form of performance. The narrative format allows the performers to step away from singular tricks and into a story telling roles through dance, gymnastics and dialogue.
The divide between the audience and the performer that exists in many conventional theatres denies the opportunity for the audience to become performers in their own right.
That is to be active participants in the narrative. The proposed scheme interweaves the audience and the performers to create previously unrealised relationships between the two groups.
The tectonic form of the intervention is a suspended ramp formed using lightweight, super-rigid materials such as Nomex honeycomb, usually used in the manufacture of high performance yachts. The ramp follows the narrative of the performance and allows the audience to connect with the performance, as well as the space. This project is a speculative examination of the boundaries inherent within traditional theatre formats and the adaptive reuse of existing buildings for this use. It aims to create a new experience of what it is to be an audience member.
