Strasbourg, France

Designed by LAN Architecture, the new Théâtre du Maillon is an extension of the thought process begun in 1927 by Walter Gropius; it attempts to erase or redefine the different lines of demarcation: between the theatre and the city, between outside and inside, between the front and back of the house, between the artists and the audience and, of course, between the different disciplines.

To reassert the founding principles of the Maillon’s artistic identity and to enshrine an experimental approach to research and artistic creation, as well as to showcase its commitment to fostering direct, lively relations between artists and audiences, the plans for the new theatre aim to build more than a mere place: a true artistic machine at the intersection of theatre and the making of theatre.

In lieu of the traditional proscenium-style theatre (lobby, auditorium, backstage), the plans focus on the idea of a space essentially comprised of open areas that, like a city, begin by defining traffic patterns.

The new theatre is one of the first theatres built for the purpose of offering a stage adapted to contemporary theatre, to its unpredictability and to its capacity/need to use all kinds of spaces.

This goal is translated spatially into foundational principles: the first is to design more empty space and more volume in the belief that emptiness is the space of possibility; the second is to set up a hyper-flexible building with no boundaries between what is theatrical and what is not with the goal of providing a resource that can accommodate the most unprecedented and stimulating scenarios.

Thus, a single façade defines all the parts of the edifice and multiple entrances. The mobile walls
enable the spaces to be reconfigured.

The outdoor areas can host performances and are directly connected to the stages.

From a set design point of view, the theatre is everywhere and the space is not very demanding. It can be easily appropriated, facilitating cross-pollination, creation and experimentation.

Théâtre du Maillon consists of two auditoriums, a hospitality area, a logistics area, an administrative area, an ‘artists’ area, a backstage logistics area and two courtyards: a logistics courtyard and an entrance courtyard.

The paths of movement play a major role: they define the spaces without preventing them from evolving. The demands of set designs push toward even more flexibility, resulting in spaces with high potential for use.

For example, the delivery courtyard turns into a stage, the lobby and the courtyards become exhibition spaces, the small auditorium can be joined to the hospitality area, and so on.

Each space becomes a discovery, each detail an invention.

Architects: LAN Architecture
Client: Eurométropole de Strasbourg
Photographers: Charly Broyez