OXER THEATRE
KLA - Kiparlandschaftsarchitekten, Duisburg (D) ;
MEW - Manfroni Engineering Workshop, Santarcangelo di Romagna (I);
MÜLLER BBM GmbH, Planegg (D); GCA Ingenieure AG, Unterhaching (D); AMSTEIN + WALTHERT AG, Zürich (CH); Birri Architekten AG, Stein (CH)
The aim of the competition consisted in the renovation of a disused barn, in the middle of the dense town of Aarau, into an experimental theatre organized in two extremely flexible theaters. The competition includes the chance to operate on a smaller barn set in the backyard, which was allowed to be demolished and replaced by a new building. Since the very beginning the project approach consisted in trying to connect the opposite sides of the building through an internal passage, which crosses the barn with a tunnel system and split into two parts the wide hall. This tunnel-building has the role not only of connection between the opposites sides of the building, but also of foyer in common of the two theaters.
This concept then allowed to integrate the urban topic to the technical one, resulting from the necessity of an experimental building. The tunnel, in the form of a telescope that widens as it proceeds toward the interior of the building, is itself a scenic machine, since it is possible to be opened as a curtain in its portion which divides the two theaters. In this way it is possible to re-establish the visual and physical unity of the original barn space. This will also expresses respect for the original artefact, whose typological and architectural features have been preserved and enhanced.
