Bijlmer Park Theatre Amsterdam : Architecture

Bijlmer Parktheatre, Amsterdam 2009- Architectenbureau Paul de Ruiter b.v. The theatre is located in the heart of the Bijlmer neighbourhood at the edge of the Bijlmer park, beside the lake. Photos : Pieter Kers DYNAMICS The cultural building consists of an ellipse shape, with the upper two floors slightly displaced in relation to the ground floor. This provides a covered entrance area located in a logical position in the urban development plan's routing. During the day, the striking shape of the cultural building makes it clearly recognisable, while it is conspicuous in the evening because of its colour, which can be altered to fit the occasion. The users' wishes in relation to the main auditorium were various. Circus Elleboog, for example, needed a space with a clear height of 7 metres for acrobatic, trapeze and juggling acts, while the preference of the other partners was for a theatre-style auditorium. A solution was found by designing a rectangular auditorium with two ear-shaped appendages beside the performing area - a circus/theatre auditorium with between 180 and 220 seats. These two rounded areas on the long sides of the main auditorium make it possible to use this in a range of circus configurations and theatre configurations, by making use of versatile wings and movable seating areas. In addition to the main auditorium, the cultural building has a spacious foyer, rehearsal rooms, studios, storage rooms, dressing rooms, a sewing room, meeting facilities and offices with a flexible layout. The building accommodates an organisational and programming agency and can act on one day as a school where rehearsals and training take place, and another day as an 'amateur theatre', or a location for lectures and debates. All these functions are spread over three storeys. The main auditorium extends to the height of all three storeys and one of the studios is two storeys high. Bijlmer Parktheatre Amsterdam images / information from Architectenbureau Paul de Ruiter b.v. 250509 + 170409