The Helena Majdaniec Summer Theatre (Teatra Letni) is set in one of the most beautiful outdoor cultural facilities in Poland. It is the summertime centre for culture in Szczecin and an architectural symbol of the city. Its rich cultural heritage, spectacular visual character, and harmonious coexistence with nature all contribute to the theatre’s identity. The theatre is situated on the green axis of Szczecin. The surrounding Park Kasprowicza has served for over a century as the most popular recreational area for city residents. The building smoothly blends into the steep slope of the Niemierzyńska Valley, surrounded by a dignified stand of trees and the charming Lake Rusałka. The idea of setting a modern cultural facility in a green, open-air site arose in the 1970s via a social initiative of Szczecin citizens. The design with its characteristic arch was created by Szczecin architect Zbigniew Abrahamowicz. The symbol of the amphitheatre, the arch , alluded to the Gateway Arch in Saint Louis, designed by the Eero Saarinen. Flanagan Lawrence won the international competition for the design of the refurbishment of the new Summer Theatre in 2015. The concept focused on creating a formal dialogue between the most striking features of the 2700 seat amphitheatre: the arch, the roof, and the unique context of the site in the heart of Park Kasprowicza. The form of the roof is closely tied to the poetics of the landscape of the site. Walking towards the amphitheatre from the city, gradually the white arch emerges from the green tree cover, contrasting with the surroundings. This impact is so strong that the whole design is almost organically subordinated to this emotion. The entrance sequence includes a multifunctional open-air foyer with a terrace running along the crown of the amphitheater, opening views of the park's greenery and the Rusałka lake, and directly on the stage. The new roof is the most striking element of the new amphitheatre, a thin fabric grid-shell, which hugs the form of the natural hillside amphitheatre, passing through and under the arch and dramatically rising over the stage. Our aim was to create a “window” for the audience to view the scenery of Lake Rusałka beyond. The dynamic geometry of the roof arose out of a multidimensional analysis of a range of design guidelines and assumptions. It is adapted to the auditorium, the arch, and the terrain. The lightness and spaciousness of the roof was obtained through a refined steel grid shell construction. The outside of the roof is covered by a technical fabric stretched over the arches to form a visually striking, diamond-shaped coating, while a specialized acoustic fabric forms the inside of the roof which optimizes the space for amplified music. The use of such an arrangement of acoustic materials is highly innovative and was aimed at creating an outdoor amphitheatre with the finest acoustics and stage technology in Europe. The naturally ventilated amphitheatre, offering high sound quality, suits the post pandemic model for the functioning of outdoor cultural facilities.
Teatra Letni
Flanagan Lawrence
WAF Completed Buildings: Culture
Teatra Letni
Architect
Flanagan Lawrence
Lead Architect Name
Przemyslaw Kolodziej
Architect Country
United Kingdom
Client
Szczecin City Council
Project Completion Date
07/01/2022
Status
Entrant, Shortlist
Project City
Szczecin
Project Country
Poland
Category
WAF Completed Buildings: Culture
Category Sponsor
WAF Prize
WAF Prize Sponsor
WAF Year
2023
Location
Not Available
Image Credits
photos by Bartek Barczyk if not credited to Piotr Krajewski. Aerial view courtesy of Szczecin City Council
