Bold, economical and inventive
Architectural Emporium for Walk the Plank
Contract value: £879,178
GIA: 1,062m²
Cost per m²: £828
Walk the Plank (WTP) is a theatre company with a diverse range of work, including large-scale public productions, mentoring, training and working with disadvantaged groups. Born out of a travelling theatre ship, WTP wanted to build a new home to unite makers, delivery and management teams.
With a shoestring budget, the project reuses an old warehouse, extending it to the north. The site strategy is bold and inventive, placing the new office building at the far end of the site on the busy crossroads, reached by a path running alongside the road. This gives the visitor an introductory promenade of the yards and workshops and creates a safe ‘street’. Elsewhere, the architecture is economical and inventive. A beautiful sheltered courtyard is created by removing the roof of one of the old buildings. A quirky interior refers to the company’s history on a boat and produces a finer scale of privacy.