New London Theatre Company venue at One Tower Bridge plans are announced for a new 900-seat theatre at Tower Bridge.
Situated at the heart of Berkeley Homes’ landmark One Tower Bridge development, the venue will be the flagship theatre for the London Theatre Company, the new independent producing company founded by Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr, following their departure from the National Theatre after 12 years.
Designed to offer contemporary comfort for audiences and modern facilities for theatre-makers, the new venue will become the only commercial central London theatre of its scale outside the historic West End. The auditorium is designed by Steve Tompkins and Roger Watts of Haworth Tompkins, the Stirling Prize-winning theatre design practice behind The Royal Court Theatre and the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool.
The theatre will also create a new cultural destination, complemented by restaurants, cafes and shops within this iconic mixed use development. The site has been earmarked for a cultural venue of national importance for over 20 years, and was originally set to accommodate the Royal Opera House during the renovation of its Covent Garden home. The venture with the London Theatre Company is the result of a 10-year active search by Southwark Council and Berkeley Homes for the right occupier, both in terms of the space itself and the vision for the wider area.
This new riverside hub will add to the trail of cultural attractions to be enjoyed along the south bank and supports the claim by Mayor of London Boris Johnson that London is the cultural capital of the world*.
The London Theatre Company will play a vital part in establishing the riverside at One Tower Bridge as a destination for everyone to enjoy. In addition to a programme of world-class performances, the new venue will offer a range of schools’ initiatives and educational opportunities.
The new theatre is due to open in 2017, subject to financing and planning. The One Tower Bridge development is due for completion in 2017. The additional commercial units are due to be released later this year (2015).
www.LondonTheatreCompany.co.uk
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Photo: Helen Maybanks
*According to new research released (4 August 2015) by Google and produced in partnership with London & Partners to launch London’s Autumn Season of Culture.
