Designed by the bureau in collaboration with artist and graphic designer Joost Swarte, the structure literally wedges itself into a cramped front of buildings on a narrow and winding street. The theater "looks out" at it, being slightly higher than the roofs of neighboring houses, as if through a narrow gap - because of this, the feeling of its true scale is lost. In fact, this is a rather large complex, containing two theater halls and two cinemas, a spacious foyer, a cafe, a bar, rehearsal and other technical rooms. The various functions are spread over different volumes, including two old renovated buildings, each with a different shape, material and color. As conceived by the authors, together they form a motley agglomeration or compact "city of culture" among the dense urban fabric of the historic center of Haarlem.
The most expressive in this ensemble are the rectangular volume of the main theater hall, lined with copper green scales resembling the skin of a reptile, and the lilac body of the cinema, which is literally pushed out into the street, where it is propped up by a lone column. A small public area appears under the formed canopy, where spectators usually gather before the performance.
The main theater hall is located behind a spacious foyer: its transparent, light two-story space contrasts with the blank boxes of cinema halls adjoining on both sides. The foyer has a glass ceiling and a completely transparent wall, through which views of the old city open up.
The halls provide a variety of configurations for seating and stage sizes, which allows staging a variety of types of performances. The technical area, which includes rehearsal rooms and actors' lavatories, staff offices and the cafeteria, is as squeezed as possible: small spaces are neatly nested around the halls.
N. K.
