Channelbeta - Projects - New Theatre

The new multliple theatre stands at the entrance to Montalto di Castro, it is contemplated as the focal point and the new element of the entrance to the village. The project was conceived by MDU ARCHITETTI and its finishing is in progress still today.

It is marked out by designers' clear will to give substance to the union between past and present, leaving out what was happened in the middle and acknowledging the real wills of spaces and proposed artisitc activity.

This is the reason why the new theatre recalls the ancien etrurian soul of this place through a monolith made of coloured cement fluently excavated inside. The solid language of the ancients comes together to the simultaneous nature of transparency by the manufacture of the complex scenical machine dressed during the night in an enlightening material, in order to accomplish the task of a recognizable element in a wide territorial scale.

As basis of the project, the natural process of union completes through the conception of internal fascinating spaces which prepare and lead to a direct contact with the scene and form wisely the element which joints the interior with the exterior; this simple and delicate operation gives to mdu archetetti the opportunity to expose today a concrete example.
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Cabiria Iannucci - Channelbeta

The project for the new Theater at Montalto di Castro, was born with a dual aim: as a conceptual model for site “measuring” and, simultaneously, as an expression of the magical world of drama.
Montalto di Castro originated in the Etrurian period, the remains of wich are mainly made up of great masses of tuff; at the same time in collective italian immagination Montalto di Castro evokes the world of machinery that belongs to Italy’s greatest power station.
The project proposes a temporal shot circuit where the evolution of the territory is concentrated and expressed through a sole architectural moment: antiquity “versus” the esthetics of machinery.
The new theater is a cement monolith characterized by chromatic and textural variations on wich the volume of the scenic tower seems to rest ethereally. This volume is to be built in translucent polycarbonate that is dematerialized in the daylight, blending in with the sky, while at night, as it lights up from within, it turns into a great “lantern”.
A new long colored asphalt square leads to the entrance to the new teatre, wich features an imposing overhanging roof. Spectators are immersed in a continuous space where the foyer and stalls flow reely into one another. The wooden walls create a space that is conceptually linked with excavations in the cement monolith. The structure’s morphological heaviness is countered by the vibration of the material, wich seems to envelope the entire space in a great curtain, introducing the audience to a magical anticipation: the raising of the curtain.
In addition to the 400 seats of the theater, there are 500 seats set in an outdoor arena that can also enjoy the scenes on stage.

MDU Architetti
V. Barberis, A. Corradini, M. Marchesini

P.zza MERCATALE, 168
CAP 59100
Prato (IT)

1st and 2nd floor No.11, Section 14,15
Jian Ning Road
Shanghai (China), 200060

CREDITS

PLANNING : MDU Architetti- V. Barberis, A. Corradini, M. Marchesini

COLLABORATORS : Nicola Becagli,Cristiano Cosi, Michele Fiesoli

CIVIL ENEGEER: Alberto Antonelli, Iacopo Ceramelli (ACS ingegneri)

MECHANICAL ENGENEER: Federico Boragine

ACUSTIC ENGENEER: Gianluca Zoppi

QUANTITY SURVEYOR: Antonio Silvestri

THEATRE SCENE: Roberto Cosi

PROJECT DATAS

CLIENT: Comune di Montalto di Castro

COMPETITION: 1st prize / 2004

START OF PLANNING : 2004

CONSTRUCTION: 2005 - 2008

BUILDING COST: 2.400.000 euro

SITE AREA: 10.888 mq

BUILT-UP AREA: 963 mq

CUBAGE: 8.600 mc

FLOOR AREA: 1220 mq

DESCRIPTION

foyer
theatre for 400 seats
open air arena for 500 seats
public square
public park
public parking for 59 cars

LINKS:

MDU