Theater aan het Vrijthof currently has only two theater spaces: the Papyrus Hall and the Upper Hall. However, compared to the scale of the city’s cultural life and ambitions, this is disproportionate.
The addition of the new 350-seat multifunctional Middle Hall addresses the need for smaller-scale productions that feel overwhelmed in the expansive 915-seat Papyrus Hall yet cramped in the 110-seat Upper Hall.
We are introducing a new structure that harmoniously complements the streetscape and delicately inscribes itself into the intricate fabric of the "oldest city in the Netherlands." Despite its substantial volume, the singular form of the Middle Hall gracefully implements itself into the architectural rhythm of its surroundings.
The project's challenge lies in enhancing the existing theater's loading/unloading zone while accommodating a food shop within the building block. In addition, a connection and integration was sought with the national monument
The 19th-century building, stripped of all later additions, is treated as a spatial solitary in volume and in plan. This approach ensures a seamless integration with its neighbours and unlocks new possibilities for the entire theater complex.
