Intermediate volumes

The project for the Ridotto (namely the Second Hall) of the Rossini Theater defines a contemporary environment that blends the abstract space of European performance theatre with the historical tradition of Italian opera.

 

Design Philosophy

The design is conceived as a theatre within a theatre, an ephemeral and reversible device that allows the perception of the traditional building paired with the presence of the urban scene. Alongside the grand historical hall, a new, dynamic and reconfigurable space is designed to accommodate performing arts, music, drama, dance, theatre as well as community and political events. The historic shell becomes reconfigured by removing the existing pillars and creating a second scenic space with great flexibility and accessibility that eradicates the distinction between the audience and the performer.

 

Existing Facade

The Sala della Repubblica has been redesigned to bear witness to and reinterpret the evolutionary history of this portion of the building. This begins by highlighting the original 18th-century facade, later incorporated into the theater. In parts where that facade has been demolished, large walls cladded in golden panels serve as a tribute to the baroque theatre’s design, while simultaneously concealing electrical and mechanical systems.

 

Materials & Custom Structures

The project’s most distinct design element, however, is a sliding system of double-layered fabric walls along a track suspended from the ceiling that allows for ever-changing configurations throughout the space. The curtains can move in any direction offering visual as well as acoustic privacy when needed. The enclosed space, when fully open, can accommodate 150 people. The floor is made of pine wood painted in black and supported on a timber frame, forming a unified surface upon which any distinction between the audience and the performance is eliminated.