may 2019
De Loskaai
bachelor thesis

KU Leuven, Ghent, Belgium

Supervisor

Frederiek Ampe

Cosupervisor

Annemie Demeulemeester

Abstract

A theatre with an accompanying café, a backstage space, artist temporary residencies, and a concierge house. Located on a small site in the outskirts of the city of Ghent: ‘de Loskaai’, alongside a river.

The design simultaneously focused on the bigger scale as well as on the detailed scale.

The proposal started by defining what the meaning of the theatre would be: a space where people come together. A place to relax, but also to be dragged into the play. To be away from everything else for a few hours.

Peter Brook was an interesting reference to comprehend contemporary theatre. He is a known theatre maker and his vision on plays nowadays helped develop the details for this new ‘shoebox theatre’. Within his theory, it is important for the actors to interact with the audience, to be close to them.

To define the starting point and a direction to go into, the work of Peter Zumthor helped as well. His book ‘Atmospheres’ and the Saint Benedict Chapel were the most major references. The sensitive way in which he approaches building practice, is characteristic to his work.

Peter Zumthor

Atmospheres

model scale 1:50

Peter Zumthor

Saint Benedict Chapel

model scale 1:50

Peter Zumthor

Saint Benedict Chapel

plan +0

plan +1

plan +2

Inspired by Peter Brook, there is a certain flexibility: depending on the play, the theatre maker and the actors can choose for the audience to be on one side or on both.

The wooden structure from the theatre is repeated in the other unit: the café (ground floor) and the residencies (first and second floor). Dividing the floors happens from most public (ground floor) to most private spaces (second floor).
Between the theater and the café the in-between-space are used as a corridor and a foyer. A place for the audience to gather and talk before and after the play.

The wooden theatre will become a landmark across the river, standing between all brick buildings. The whole available site is not overbuilt, so there would be space left for a the biking route along the river.