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Experimental Puppetry Arts Centre

Category
Community & Culture


Team
arkee studio in collaboration with Hao Chen


Organiser
City of Stara Zagora Municipality, Bulgaria

Project Location:

General Gurko St, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria


Project Status
Design Competition

Project Time

2023


Project Area

​Approx. 800 m²

Under the ethereal glow of soft illumination, the enchanting world of puppets comes alive, their delicate movements and heartfelt performances captivating the audience's imagination. Through these mesmerizing displays, the ancient wisdom and cultural heritage of a bygone era are artfully transmitted, preserving the intangible essence of tradition and narrating poignant tales that stir the depths of the soul.

The Experimental Puppet Theatre stands as a sanctuary for these captivating performances, transcending its mere role as a stage and transforming into a sacred space for cultural expression and enlightenment. Seamlessly woven into the fabric of history, it harmoniously intertwines with the weathered beauty of the old building, bridging the past and the present in a visual symphony of significance. Within its main hall, a meticulous arrangement of spaces ensures the seamless flow of creativity and functionality, facilitating an efficient and adaptable operational framework that accommodates the multifaceted needs of artistic endeavours.

The idea originates from the captivating interplay of a puppet on a string, which serves as the inspiration for the internal spatial logic of the building. This evolution gives rise to a well-defined division of functions, as each block establishes a clear relationship with one another.

 

The façade of the building is predominantly composed of recycled masonry, exuding an understated elegance and a profound sense of solidity. It carries an air of subtlety and weightiness, reflecting its timeless character, blends into the environment effortlessly.

In summary, our proposal offers a solution in line with the theatre’s activities and functional programme, developed a distinctive and contemporary recycled masonry architectural design while protecting, communicating and promoting the identity of the surrounding areas and the existing theatre. It blends into the surrounding park, studies and takes the characteristics of the existing puppet theatre building and expands its history, feature and feel into the new building façade and spaces. It considers the urban environment and vegetation, reflects the urban requirements of the location, flow of traffic and pedestrians, respects the rules for level of noise in the proximity of residential buildings. It has brought a brand new image to the performances, culture and activities, taken the legacy of puppet art and extend it to the bright future for the locals, visitors, different users and the people of Stara Zagora.

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