Royal Court Theatre
NORD were placed second to AHMM in the invited competition to redevelop the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool. Trustee of the newly formed Royal Court Liverpool Trust and Chief Executive of Urban Splash, Jonathan Falkingham said,'We would like to mention the runner up in this close-run competition. The scheme submitted by Nord from Glasgow was superb and a very close second to Allford Hall Monaghan Morris.'NORD’s proposals no longer envisage The Royal Court as a stand-alone building but as an integral part of the composition of adjacent buildings and associated public spaces, monuments and gateways in this developing part of Liverpool.
The idea of the canopy attached to the front elevation of the theatre has a long and rich history in Europe and the United States. While its origins may have been functional providing shelter from weather to theatregoers dressed in fine clothes, it has since acquired significance more symbolic than utilitarian. For the canopy succinctly expresses the idea of gathering and of collective experience, it is clearly not about the individual experience but the shared. Spatially it draws people toward the building edge and entrance providing the first of many thresholds the theatregoer encounters en-route from the city to the magical world of the auditorium. In this way the spatial engagement with the space beneath the canopy is synonymous with sensations of anticipation, expectation and awe.
While the canopy fulfils a number of needs that are symbolic and aspirational the entrance and foyer to the theatre have the responsibility to function like the proverbial well-oiled machine. Within the street the entrance must communicate in a clear and direct manner, within the foyer the spaces must open up effortlessly and guide patrons quickly and efficiently to their destination. Our proposal is to frame the glazed entrance doors with adjacent solid panels of slatted brass to clearly mark the entrance. After or between shows a motorised rolling shutter can screen off the entrance doors giving the frontage a mute appearance until the next performance is due to begin. The ritual of opening and closing the theatre bears clear relationship with the idea of the theatre curtain opening and closing a performance.
A large signage piece is proposed as an element detached from the building itself, like an oversized piece of street furniture or a stand alone sculpture. This is proposed in some way as homage to the grand theatre signs of the 20’s and 30’s.