Local Theaters Us Sections Plans Elevations Drawings

Audience sightlines, accessibility and acoustics all make theater seating a hugely precise fine art. Every bit part of their gear up of online resources for architects and designers, the team at Theatre Solutions Inc (TSI) have put together a itemize of 21 examples of theater seating layouts. Each layout is well detailed, with information on the number of seats, the floor seating expanse and row spacing. These layouts fall under three general forms; to supplement this information, aslope TSI'due south diagrams we've included the pros and cons of each type, as well equally examples of projects which use each format. Read on for more.

The Blyth Performing Arts Centre / Stevens Lawson Architects. Image © Mark Smith Theatre Agora / UNStudio. Image © Iwan Baan Ulumbarra Theatre / Y2 Architecture. Image © Peter Clarke Hamburg Elbphilharmonie / Herzog & de Meuron. Image © Iwan Baan + 32

ane. End Stage

In the End Stage form, the entire audience faces the stage in the aforementioned direction. Sightlines are kept simple, making these layouts perfect for lectures, films and slide-based presentations. They likewise fit well into conventional rectangular plans.

All the same, End Stages are not overly successful at creating a close human relationship between performer and spectator. Theatres in this form as well tin can't exist as well large due to audio-visual limits.

Courtesy of Theatre Solutions Inc. + 32

Examples:

The Blyth Perfoming Arts Centre / Stevens Lawson Architects

Theatre Agora / UNStudio

Municipal Theatre of Guarda / AVA Architects

two. Broad Fan

In this form, theatre seats are placed within a 130-degree angle of inclusion. This brings in the audience closer to the performer, establishing a more intimate experience.

This angling besides means that the form is amend geared towards oral communication-related performances. Motion-picture show presentations would exist trickier in these spaces, with screens requiring proper positioning – perhaps further back from the stage, to compensate for seats that observe their sightlines distorted.

Courtesy of Theatre Solutions Inc. + 32

Examples:

National Chiliad Theatre of China / Paul Andreu

National Grand Theater of China / Paul Andreu — National G Theater of China / Paul Andreu

Ulumbarra Theatre / Y2 Compages

Limoges Concert Hall / Bernard Tschumi Architects

3. ¾ Loonshit

¾ arenas run across a 180-270-caste angle of inclusion. Hearing and visual contact between spectator and performer is improved, and equally audience members tin can see each other when facing ahead, the sense of inclusion is increased even more than.

However, conventional film presentations are almost impossible and would require an alternative screen layout, such as a number of smaller screens arranged throughout the space.

Examples:

Han Show Theatre / Stufish Amusement Architects

Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre / Male monarch + OMA

Hardelot Theatre / Studio Andrew Todd

iv. Other Layout Options

While the above iii tend to be the virtually common forms of seating layout, they are by no means the only ones. Further options include Arena seating where the audition wraps around the stage a full 360 degrees, mutual for actress-large theaters like the Majestic Albert Hall, and the Vineyard style where seats are bundled in cascades of mini-blocks of varying levels, including the rear of the stage, as seen in the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie.

Or even more differently, Bijlmer Park Theatre is a hybrid between End Stage and ¾ Arena, with flexible pull-out seating turning it from i to another, while The Wave'due south seating takes later on its namesake.

For more detail on designing auditoriums, including info such equally seat spacing and the slope of the auditorium, check out TSI'south comprehensive article hither.

Originally published on Nov 16th, 2016; updated on November 4th, 2019.

Cite: Sharon Lam. "How to Design Theater Seating, Shown Through 21 Detailed Example Layouts" 27 Nov 2019. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/799379/how-to-design-theater-seating-shown-through-21-detailed-example-layouts> ISSN 0719-8884

Local Theaters Us Sections Plans Elevations Drawings