Royal Exchange Theatre
Manchester, UK
Matthew Weinreb
32 feet
farthest seating distance to center of the stage
24 feet
diameter acting area
2
number of times we’ve consulted on this theatre
This is a very special theatre structure built entirely within the old Royal Exchange building, a former cotton exchange built in 1921. The building was damaged by a terrorist bomb blast in 1996 and extensive work was required to rebuild and restore it. Theatre Projects and the original team of architectural and engineering firms were invited back to repair the damage, which also included the creation of a 120-seat studio theatre and the installation of the latest theatre technology. In the Great Hall lobby area, a glazed lift and pedestrian bridge were added, as well as a spectacular new lighting scheme. The facility reopened in 1999.
Rik Sterken
owner:
Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre
architect:
Levitt Bernstein Associates
acoustician:
Oxford Sound Company
users:
Royal Exchange Theatre Company
spaces:
- 750-seat drama theatre
construction type:
Adaptive reuse, Renovation
theatre type:
Drama theatres
services:
Theatre equipment design and specification
completion:
1976 (original theatre) | 1999 (renovation)
Rik Sterken
Ian Grundy, Scarborough
