Denmark’s first newly built theatre in over a century outside of the Danish capital Copenhagen is a 4,200 m² theatre and culture building designed as a dynamic and multifunctional complex that includes a Music hall, Black Box, Rehearsal hall and a 430 seat flexible hall which includes an”in-the-round” theatre. In addition, the building houses offices and spacious lobby area with café and backstage area with workshop and dressing rooms. With its central location in the heart of Hjørring, the theatre will become a dynamo for the entire region’s cultural life.
The building, design by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, appears as a composition of cubic blocks. The warm rusty red corten steel facades correspond with its surroundings during the day, whilst the LED backed frosted glass facades illuminate in various colors during the evening; thus, creating an aesthetic link between the town, the front plaza and the theatre building.
 
"It is our ambition that the building will manifest itself as a new living organism in the cityscape. It is a building which stands by its cultural significance and which dares to be different without taking focus away from the town's existing qualities." says Founding partner John Foldbjerg Lassen. 

Inside, an open plan solution ensures visual and physical connections across the building. The boundaries between publicly accessible areas and the more traditional theatre functions are blurred.
 
"We've designed emphasis on the interaction between artists and spectators. Inside, all the major halls can be opened to the foyer, the use of glass and windows in different rooms creates visual connections and the performers can get a glimpse of the public from their lounge on the top level."

 

Description of project by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects

The new 4,200 m² Vendsyssel Theatre is a unique, cultural axis for the citizens and visitors to Hjørring in Northern Jutland. The ambition for the new centre has been to create a building which blends into the surrounding environment while standing out as a new, vibrant organism in the city. The architectural and functional concept has five main themes: integration in the city, openness, functionality, flexibility and materiality. The result is a significant building which relates to its function in a pragmatic way.

The dynamic and multifunctional complex includes four halls; Music hall (190 seats), Black Box (150), rehearsal hall and a large flexible hall with up to 430 seats that can be set to "in-the-round" theatre.

The architecture is characterized by the red corten steel facades and the composition of the “boxes”, which both complement and challenge the existing building clusters. 

The building appears as a composition of cubic blocks, the warm rusty red corten steel facades correspond with its surroundings during the day, whilst the LED backed frosted glass facades illuminate in various colors during the evening; thus, creating an aesthetic link between the town, the front plaza and the theatre building.

The approach to the building’s design has been a pragmatic view of culture as an opportunity and experience for all. Therefore, space has been created for both scheduled and ad hoc events outside at the plaza, inside the foyer and on the grand staircase where visitors can choose to be spectator or even participate in the activities.

Inside, an open plan solution ensures visual and physical connections across the building. The boundaries between publicly accessible areas and the more traditional theatre functions are blurred. 

We've designed emphasis on the interaction between artists and spectators. Inside, all the major halls can be opened to the foyer, the use of glass and windows in different rooms creates visual connections and the performers can get a glimpse of the public from their lounge on the top level.

The building will manifest itself as a new living organism in the cityscape. It is a building which stands by its cultural significance and which dares to be different without taking focus away from the town’s existing qualities.

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Architects
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Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
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Collaborators
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Landscape Architect.- LIW Planning Aps
Engineer.- Brix & Kamp A/S/ ALECTIA A/S
Other consultants.- Gade & Mortensen Akustik A/S/ AIX Arkitekter AB/ Filippa Berglund, scenographer, architect maa
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Client
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Municipality of Hjørring/ Realdania
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Size
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4,200 m²
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Cost
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€ 24 million excl. VAT
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Dates
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Competition.- 2013, 1st prize in restricted competition
Opened January 2017
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Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects was founded in Aarhus, Denmark, in 1986 by architects Morten Schmidt, Bjarne Hammer and John F. Lassen. Today, the practice has grown substantially and employs 150 staff. The group of partners has also grown and now includes Senior Partners Kim Holst Jensen and Kristian Lars Ahlmark, Partners Chris Hardie and Rong Lu. In addition, there are six associate partners and seven associates. Day-to-day management of the practice is the responsibility of CEO Bente Damgaard.

The practice has extensive global experience in the design of libraries and other public and cultural landmark buildings including the Katuaq Cultural Centre of Greenland in Nuuk (1997), the extension to the Royal Library in Copenhagen (1999), ARoS Museum of Art in Aarhus (2004), Halifax Central Library in Canada (2015) and the largest public library in Scandinavia, Dokk1 in Aarhus (2015). Aside cultural buildings, our works have a democratic approach to architecture creating modern, open and multi-functional spaces such as The International Criminal Court in The Hague (2016) We pride ourselves on projects which interact with their urban context placing particular emphasis on the surroundings and social context like Malmö Live, a Concert/Congress/Hotel centre in Sweden (2015), Ningbo Home of Staff in China (under construction) and Christchurch Central Library in New Zealand (under construction).

Awards. WAF mixed Use Award 2016/ Governor General’s Medal in Architecture in Canada/ Public Library of the Year Award 2016/ A+Award 2016/ Årets Bygge 2016/ Architectural Review MIPIM Future Project Awards 2015/ World Green Design Product Award 2014/ RIBA National Award 2013/ RIAS Award 2013/ LEAF Award 2011 to name but a few.


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Published on: March 28, 2017
Cite: "Vendsyssel Theatre, by SHL Architects. Opening of First theater outside of Copenhagen in over a century" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/vendsyssel-theatre-shl-architects-opening-first-theater-outside-copenhagen-over-a-century> ISSN 1139-6415
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