Theatre Builders

Theatre Builders James Steele Theatre design is one of the most complex and challenging tasks faced by contemporary architects. It combines the need to create a technically perfect space with the necessity of allowing fantasy and dreams to unfold. As James Steele shows the most memorable and engaging theatres are those that forge the mechanical and artistic into a coherent whole. Particularly informative on the collaborative nature of theatre design is the profile on Ove Arup, one of the world s most successful engineering partnerships with extensive experience in this field. This is illustrated by two case studies on the Cerritos Performing Arts Center, California, and the International Convention Centre, Birmingham. Theatre Builders presents forty–nine of the best and most innovative contemporary theatres. These schemes illustrate the five sub–themes the varying design approaches and objectives that James Steele identifies in his introduction. For example, Frank O Gehry s Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, shows the architect as the source of the building s artistic impetus, controlling all aspects of design; Michael Hopkins Glyndebourne Opera House , England, illustrates the tremendous results that can be achieved through the collaboration between architects and engineers; Arata Isozaki s Nara Convention Hall, Japan, exemplifies the theatre as a catalyst promoting urban regeneration; Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer s Bam Majestic, New York, shows how derelict theatres can be restored; whilst Fumihiko Maki s Kirishima International Concert Hall, Japan, illustrates the desire to return to traditional theatre design. Other prominent architects featured include: Tadao Ando, Mario Botta, Zaha Hadid, Holt Hinshaw Jones, Kazuhiro Ishii, Kisho Kurokawa, Moore Ruble Yudell, Eric Owen Moss, Barton Myers, Jean Nouvel, IM Pei, Cesar Pelli, Antoine Predock, Aldo Rossi, Percy Thomas, and James Stirling + Michael Wilford. Other titles in the series include: Museum Builders Library Builders Church Builders Monument Builders Airport Builders Future titles include: Office Builders University Builders Bank Builders Hospital Builders