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Suspended Disbelief

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Stara Zagora

2023 x competition entry

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Theatrical arts and puppetry in particular require the “suspension of disbelief”. The audience knows the characters are actors and the puppets are not alive, but they allow themselves to be taken away from their rational knowledge and brought into another world. With this new arts center we aim to produce a collection of spaces which are rich and fertile environments for audiences and theatre makers to indulge in the new and otherworldly.

Together with Thomas Randall-Page, this is our competition proposal for the Experimental Puppetry Arts Centre at State Puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora, an incubator for live theatre: unconventional, interactive and bold, a meeting point and space for the development of theatre across the breadth of the art of puppetry

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A gracious curving stair from the foyer leads one up to “The Gallery”, a bright and airy double height room which can operate as a space for rehearsals, workshops, lectures, exhibitions and other public events. Dramatic full height glazing is given depth, becoming ‘vitrines’ displaying artefacts, puppets, costumes, props and pieces of set. This changing exhibition is visible from both streets and extends above and in front of the entrance foyer.

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The core of the project is a large and extremely flexible theatre hall, the space is framed by five bays of solid timber frame with six large warren trusses spanning across the space from north to south. Two levels of balcony on first and second floor are hung from the trusses above leaving the ground level to be completely column free. A retractable rake of seating can be deployed from the west end of the space connecting the ground and first floor levels. The Hangar has the potential to open the whole east wall to the courtyard revealing either a ‘found’ stage, or an extra third of the auditorium complete with adjoining balconies and stairs. 

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Beyond the main entrance space the building opens out to a open-air courtyard busy with elevated walkways and circulation routes. This space is conceived of as an informal ‘found space’ loosely enclosed with a bricolage of salvaged stairs, balconies and fire escapes. This playful space allows the foyer and cafe bar to spill out into a safe contained area ideal for children and young people.

There is nothing quite like the circus coming to town to create a buzz! So... in festival times or at other points of peek demand such as during the laboratory, the uppermost roof, that of The Hangar can be accessed and we propose that rigging points are designed into the floor here to allow the rigging of a tent or Big Top in this space. This will act as an additional signal to the city and enlist curiosity to find out more!

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