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De Kleine Komedie
De Kleine Komedie
56, Amstel, Centrum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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De Kleine Komedie
56, Amstel, Centrum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Being the first theatre of Amsterdam,
De Kleine Komedie celebrates its 225th anniversary this year. For this unique
occasion, Amsterdam-based architecture office denieuwegeneratie was commissioned
to redesign the theatre’s public spaces and its interior.De Kleine Komedie (translates: ‘small
theatre’) is situated on the quay of the river Amstel and was built as a French
comedy theatre in 1786 by Amsterdam city architect Abraham van der Hart. The
main part of the current structure however, dates from 1947, when the decayed
building, used as a bicycle parking at the time, was transformed back into a
theatre. Since the 1950s there have been several small interventions,
suffocating the interior space completely. After a thorough preparation, the
building was stripped and restored in an extremely short time span. The
monumental building revealed many surprises, but after a few months of
pressurized construction work, it reopened the 14th of October with an
anniversary show.Rethinking the primary functions,
public and private routing was splitted to improve convenience in use for the
public and staff. Spatially, the small theatre had to become ’larger’ within
the limits of the existing state monument. New internal relations are created
for the public by creating visual connections between strategic places. A void
between the theatre hall and the facade at the first floor provides an open
connection between the three different foyers.The interior finishings are
specifically designed for night use. The skin of the theatre hall is
highlighted with a finish of hand-polished white shiny lime plaster according
to authentic recipe from the Renaissance. The opposing inner side of
the facade has a dark, basalt color. The light is pulled in from the
surrounding theatre district around the building, and at the same time the
theatrical interior is exposed to the dark streets outside. This reinforces one
of the most important roles a theatre has: serving public life. It’s only in a
theatre building, where two meanings of the word ‘public’ coincide, a space to
see and to be seen. The small beloved theatre becomes a living room for the
city once more.The use of materials and the
detailing of the interior is of high refinement. Old monumental materials and
patterns are combined with modern ones, faint finishing is combined with shiny,
and soft materials with tough. These contrasts in material finishing are
crucial for a theatrical experience. A few examples of the used materials are
dark belgian limestone, oak, wool, felt and concrete (bars).The selected colors are used to
direct the eye: bright colors emphasize the bars, seats and doors to the
theatre hall. The remaining parts of the small spaces are kept modest in grey
tints. The route signing is subtly embedded in the stucco walls. Advertisement,
visible installation parts and lighting are all integrated in the finishing
surfaces.The original theatre hall stayed as
it was. The sharp contrast between the old, flamboyant hall and the more
humble, modern foyer creates an exciting connection between old and new and
will be a home for a new generation of theatre makers and its public.
De Kleine Komedie celebrates its 225th anniversary this year. For this unique
occasion, Amsterdam-based architecture office denieuwegeneratie was commissioned
to redesign the theatre’s public spaces and its interior.De Kleine Komedie (translates: ‘small
theatre’) is situated on the quay of the river Amstel and was built as a French
comedy theatre in 1786 by Amsterdam city architect Abraham van der Hart. The
main part of the current structure however, dates from 1947, when the decayed
building, used as a bicycle parking at the time, was transformed back into a
theatre. Since the 1950s there have been several small interventions,
suffocating the interior space completely. After a thorough preparation, the
building was stripped and restored in an extremely short time span. The
monumental building revealed many surprises, but after a few months of
pressurized construction work, it reopened the 14th of October with an
anniversary show.Rethinking the primary functions,
public and private routing was splitted to improve convenience in use for the
public and staff. Spatially, the small theatre had to become ’larger’ within
the limits of the existing state monument. New internal relations are created
for the public by creating visual connections between strategic places. A void
between the theatre hall and the facade at the first floor provides an open
connection between the three different foyers.The interior finishings are
specifically designed for night use. The skin of the theatre hall is
highlighted with a finish of hand-polished white shiny lime plaster according
to authentic recipe from the Renaissance. The opposing inner side of
the facade has a dark, basalt color. The light is pulled in from the
surrounding theatre district around the building, and at the same time the
theatrical interior is exposed to the dark streets outside. This reinforces one
of the most important roles a theatre has: serving public life. It’s only in a
theatre building, where two meanings of the word ‘public’ coincide, a space to
see and to be seen. The small beloved theatre becomes a living room for the
city once more.The use of materials and the
detailing of the interior is of high refinement. Old monumental materials and
patterns are combined with modern ones, faint finishing is combined with shiny,
and soft materials with tough. These contrasts in material finishing are
crucial for a theatrical experience. A few examples of the used materials are
dark belgian limestone, oak, wool, felt and concrete (bars).The selected colors are used to
direct the eye: bright colors emphasize the bars, seats and doors to the
theatre hall. The remaining parts of the small spaces are kept modest in grey
tints. The route signing is subtly embedded in the stucco walls. Advertisement,
visible installation parts and lighting are all integrated in the finishing
surfaces.The original theatre hall stayed as
it was. The sharp contrast between the old, flamboyant hall and the more
humble, modern foyer creates an exciting connection between old and new and
will be a home for a new generation of theatre makers and its public.
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