Haworth Tompkins designed The Shed as a monolithic red box, entirely clad with rough-sawn timber boards. This material references the board-formed concrete of Denys Lasdun's celebrated 1970s National Theatre and was intended by the architects to appear as its opposite.

Four towering chimneys rise up from the corners, helping to draw air through the structure using a stack-effect system of natural ventilation. These chimneys were also planned as a reference to the architecture of the theatre and they mimic the angular geometry of its riverside facade.

A temporary foyer is created beneath the existing balconies and leads straight through into the 225-seat auditorium.

Reclaimed chairs provide all of the seating inside the building, while recycled materials were used for all of the cladding and surfaces.

"This collaboration has been a wonderful opportunity to explore the ways in which temporary public buildings can alter our perceptions of places and organisations," said practice director Steve Tompkins. "We hope The Shed will be seen as a playful but thoughtful building, both challenging and complementary to the permanent cultural architecture."

Above: photograph is by Philip Vile

The auditorium will remain in place for a year, temporarily replacing the Cottesloe Theatre room while it undergoes a renovation.

Pop-up theatres and cinemas have become increasingly popular in London over the last few years. In 2011 a team of volunteers built a cinema under a motorway flyover, while a theatre for an audience of six travelled around Clerkenwell during last year's design week in the district.

Above: photograph is by Philip Vile

Other temporary theatres created recently include one made from scaffolding and plastic pond liner in southern England and one in Estonia made from straw bales. See more theatres on Dezeen.

See more architecture by Haworth Tompkins, including the new home for print-making and photography at the Royal College of Art.

Photography is by Hélène Binet, apart from where otherwise stated.

Above: photograph is by Philip Vile

Here's some extra information from the architects:

Haworth Tompkins creates temporary venue at the National Theatre ‘The Shed’

Haworth Tompkins announces the completion of The Shed, a temporary venue for the National Theatre on London's South Bank. The Shed will give the NT a third auditorium while the Cottesloe is closed for a year during the NT Future redevelopment, also designed by Haworth Tompkins.

The artistic programme for The Shed, recently announced by the Director of the National Theatre, Nicholas Hytner, pushes creative boundaries, giving the NT the opportunity to explore new ways of making theatre. In the same way, The Shed has been a test bed for experiment by the architectural design team. Conceived by Haworth Tompkins and regular collaborators Charcoalblue, it was then designed and built in little more than a year, a collaborative process between the building designers, the National Theatre, and theatre-makers who will work in the space, in a way that more closely resembled a theatre show than a conventional construction project.

Above: photograph is by Philip Vile

Its temporary nature, building on Haworth Tompkins' earlier temporary projects like the Almeida Theatre at Gainsborough Studios and King's Cross, permits a structure that can be seen less as a building than as an event or arts installation - a vibrant intervention on London's South Bank that will entrance, and sometimes bewilder, passers-by for a period of twelve months.

Above: photograph is by Philip Vile

The Shed occupies Theatre Square, at the front of the National Theatre, beside the river. Its simple form houses a 225-seat auditorium made of raw steel and plywood, while the rough-sawn timber cladding refers to the National Theatre's iconic board-marked concrete, and the modelling of the auditorium and its corner towers complement the bold geometries of the NT itself. A temporary foyer has been carved out from the space beneath the NT's external terraces and provides easy connection to the existing foyers. The Shed's brilliant red colour covering the entire mass of a form without doors or windows, announces its arrival boldly against the concrete bulk of the NT, giving it a startling and enigmatic presence.

Above: photograph is by Philip Vile

The Shed also represents another step in Haworth Tompkins' ongoing project to research sustainable ways of making theatres. Built of materials that can be 100% recycled and fitted out with re-used seating, The Shed is naturally ventilated, with the four towers that draw air through the building providing its distinctive form.

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by Haworth Tompkins appeared first on Dezeen.

Located at a secondary school in the town of Salmtal, the new building provides a flexible events space that can also be used for plays, music recitals or Christmas fairs.

Around the windows, SpreierTrenner Architekten clad the exterior of the walls with vibrant red ceramic panels. "We wanted something vivid and playful to engage the children, but also welcome any visitors," architect Daniel Spreier told Dezeen.

"The facade material draws its inspiration from the existing school building from the 1970s, which has a red brick facade," he added. "So a red ceramic facade using 30-millimetre panels was a close contemporary choice."

The interior surfaces of these panels are exposed concrete, formed against chunky chipboard to create a soft texture. The red exterior is barely visible, so to add colour the architects filled the room with an assortment of red, yellow and green chairs.

A grid of wooden trusses supports the ceiling and matches the chequered pattern of the walls. This structure allows for a column-free space that can be divided up using removable partitions.

"The starting point was the square plan, which allowed for maximum flexibility" said Spreier. "To span a square plan most efficiently we thought of a two-directional grid. We then took that grid to the facade as well, so it determined the height of the room, the size of the windows and an efficient ratio for the wooden ceiling trusses."

A glazed entrance opens the building out to the playground, where the grid continues as square paving panels and seating blocks.

"The final result seems to remind people of a Rubik’s Cube," said Spreier.

We've published quite a few red building on Dezeen, including a youth centre in Denmark and a psychiatric centre in Spain.

See more red buildings on Dezeen »

Photography is by Guido Erbring.

Here's some more information from SpreierTrenner Architekten:

The new school canteen of the Salmtal Secondary School in Germany was designed by SpreierTrenner Architekten as a multifunctional building with the greatest possible flexibility. The space is used not only by children to eat every day, but also for special events such as music concerts, theatre plays or even Christmas fairs. This is why the main room was set out with a column-free square plan only subdivided by a mobile wall.

The adjoining section at the rear contains all supporting facilities, such as a kitchen, storage space, toilets and staff facilities, etc. It has been set out with the option of extending it in the future.

The big glazed entrance opens up the main canteen room to the outside and represents a welcoming gesture. The cantilevering canopy creates a transition zone between the interior and the playground.

The roof grid of the main room consists of 10cm thick and 1m high wood trusses. To keep the appearance simple all ducts, ventilation outlets and lighting are recessed in the ceiling. The integrated lighting produces glowing wood squares that turn the structural trusses into a design feature.

The squares were also used to perforate the building envelope, creating a human scale (1.25 x 1.25m) and allowing for changing outlooks and interesting insights. The surrounding landscape almost appears like pictures hung on the wall rather than mere windows. The checked windows also allow the pupils to interact and play around with their classmates relaxing outside in the schoolyard.

All materials used were kept natural, robust, durable and simple. The main components were concrete, wood and ceramics. The façade was clad with ceramic tiles reflecting the red bricks used to build the original school. Its glazed surface makes it more durable and easier to clean.

Although the façade is a bright red, no colours were used inside to allow the vibrant furniture to stand out. The concrete walls were constructed with a rough surface produced by standard OSB formwork that creates a warm texture. The floor shows the concrete screed surface, similar to the material used in car parks, covered with a transparent protective resin layer.

The architect, Daniel Spreier, wanted the children to take ownership of the building and use the surrounding spaces to relax and have fun. The checked pattern is playfully extended into the external space, which is framed by lawn areas and trees and subdivided by direct paths.

Above: site plan - click above for larger image

The area includes two “external classrooms” consisting of staggered concrete cubes, which allow the students to sit down, run around, jump over and let out any excess energy that builds up in classroom.

Above: floor plan - click above for larger image

Since the building opened, these cubes have proved to be very successful, with children hanging out with their friends at break times and after school.

Above: section - click above for larger image

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by SpreierTrenner Architekten appeared first on Dezeen.

The architects renovated and extended an existing building, cladding the roof and every wall in red-painted panels of steel and timber.

"The colour of the building is an important issue," architect Dan Cornelius told Dezeen. "The traditional old fisherman's cabins are one of the most characteristic elements of the village."

The walls of the two-storey building turn inward at the junction between the original structure and the extension, lining the edge of an outdoor play area.

A external staircase climbs down from the first floor to meet this play area, creating a space that the architects describe as a "small stage".

A double-height sports hall occupies one end of the building and features a protruding corner window where children can work or play in small groups.

We've featured a few all-red buildings on Dezeen, including a psychiatric centre in Spain and a chocolate museum in Brazil. See all our stories about red buildings »

Photography is by Adam Mørk.

Here's a project description from the architects:

Youth Centre, Roskilde, DK, 2012

The project is a conversion and extension of an existing building. The main approach is to make a new interpretation of the red barn buildings and fishermen cabins of the old part of the village where the building is located. The extension to the old building starts where the building takes a turn making a more intimate feeling surrounding the outdoor play areas.

Ground floor plan - click above for larger image

The building is located between an old village and a seventies development, so in order to underline a regional identity to the building it was coloured all red. The red colour follows the tradition of the old fishermen cabins of the village. The roof has the same colour as the facades to make the shape of the building more precise and simple underlining the basic shape of the building.

First floor plan - click above for larger image

The building is renovated into a low energy building, covered with new facade materials and reorganized into a more open, playful and modern building. New covered areas, balconies and stairs integrates more intimate corners and living areas both outside and inside.

Section one - click for larger image

The surrounding green areas are more integrated and daylight optimised. The extension includes a flexible multi purpose hall for concerts, theatre, playing and sports activities including an integrated climbing wall.

Section two - click above for larger image

Several façade elements breaks the basic shape of the building into a smaller scale: a stair functions as a small stage area, covered entrances and the corner window which cantilevers from the building and creates a more intimate living space for the children to sit in smaller groups - a private space being a part of the interior and exterior at the same time.

End elevation one - click above for larger image

Type: Transformation, renovation
Team: E. Troelsgaard engineers
Area: 600 m2
Client: Roskilde Municipality

End elevation two - click above for larger image

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Cornelius + Vöge appeared first on Dezeen.

This red concrete house outside Stuttgart by German firm Finckh Architekten has an oversized middle floor that cantilevers across the driveway (photos by Zooey Braun).

Despite its projecting middle, Haus Ostfildern has two standard storeys and a pitched roof, just like its vernacular neighbours.

The main door is positioned around the side, together with a glass wall that slides back to open the ground floor living and dining room onto the sheltered driveway and terrace.

A large black gate also slides across to span the front of the house and driveway.

Study and play rooms occupy the larger first floor, while a bedroom and bathroom are located under the eaves in the attic.

If you're interested in buildings with red concrete exteriors, check out a work studio for a poet and musician we featured recently.

Here's a project description in German from Finckh Architekten:

haus B - eine versteinerte hommage

"das einfache volumen, seine textur und materialisierung, die wenigen, präzisen öffnungen, und das grosse schiebetor mit zugang zum garten reflektieren den geist des ortes"

das gebäude befindet sich in zweiter reihe in einer ehemals ausschliesslich von scheunen geprägten struktur, gelegen in unmittelbarer nähe zum dorfzentrum von ostfildern-ruit.

diese alte struktur der scheunen und gärten mlit kleinen obstbäumlen und vieh hinter den wohnhäusern prägt zuml teil heute noch den ort.

vor dem hintergrund einer baulichen verdichtung des dorfkerns werden die scheunen nach und nach durch wohngebäude ersetzt. die heutige vorgefundene situation wird durch eine lieblose, marginale, rein den baurechtlichen vorschriften unterworfenen architektur geprägt.

unser gebäude orientiert sich weniger an der gebauten struktur des umfelds, sondern greift tiefer und entwickelt sich vielmehr aus der aufgabe selbst und dem historischen kontext des ortes.

das neue trägt das vergangene in sich; ist komplizenhaft an den eigentümlichkeiten des ortes und setzt darüber hinaus ein zeichen, das den urbanen kontext aufkratzt. eine moderne „versteinerte scheune“, die provoziert und herausfordert. gewohntes und neues verschmelzen, werden eins und sind nicht mehr zu trennen.

die enge des baufensters fordert einen passgenauen baukörper, der aus einem schmalen langen quader heraus durch subtraktion generiert wird. auf der einen seite lehnt er sich an das nachbargebäude an, zur anderen entwickelt er sich plastisch und öffnet das innere.

die steil geneigten dachflächen der scheunenstruktur werden übernommen. im erdgeschoss entsteht ein hofartiger überdachter aussenraum mit durchgang zum garten. dieser definiert eingang, terrasse und stellplatz.

das innere gliedert sich in drei ebenen unterschiedlicher nutzung, die alle über einen kleinen luft- und treppenraum miteinander verbunden sind. dort ergeben sich interessante vertikale raum- und blickbeziehungen und ein gefühl für das gebäudevolumen im inneren.

am fusse des luftraues im erdgeschoss befindet sich ein schmaler hoher eingangsbereich mit garderobe. etwas höher gelegen der helle kommunikationsbereich mit küche, essen und offenem kamin. dieser orientiert sich hin zum hof und hinaus zum schönen garten.

auf die beiden oberen geschosse verteilen sich die privaten rückzugsbereiche der familie. im obergeschoss kinderzimmer, bad und ein schmaler arbeitsraum, allesamt kleine und niedrige räume mit sparsamen öffnungen.

ganz oben unter dem dach entwickelt sich ein grosszügiger, lichtdurchfluteter raum mit kleiner galerie und bad für die eltern.

die architektonische gleichbehandlung von fassade und dach durch textur und materialisierung, stärkt das volumen und schafft ein körperhaftes ganzes.

die möglichst wenigen, präzisen öffnungen und materialien lassen den gebäudekörper klar und einfach wirken. es entsteht ein kraftvolles ganzes ohne ablenkung auf unwesentliches, ganz nach dem prinzip der alten historischen scheunengebäude.

die raue fassadenschale mit seinem hölzernen abbild als versteinerte hommage vergangener zeiten, wird im bereich der einschnitte durch eine weiche, lichtdurchscheinende fast immateriell wirkende haut kontrastiert.

das zarte innere zeigt sich nach aussen. dort wird der aufbau des hauses, die harte dunkle schale und das weiche helle innere sicht- und erlebbar.
architekten: FINCKH ARCHITEKTEN BDA, stuttgart
bauherr: familie bräuning
fertigstellung: 2008
tragwerk: pfefferkorn & partner, stuttgart
lichtplanung: thelightingarchitects.com

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Construction of the controversial 115 metre-high sculpture that artist Anish Kapoor and structural engineer Cecil Balmond designed for the London 2012 Olympic Park is now complete.

Visitors will enter a central elevator to ascend the steel tower, named the ArcelorMittal Orbit, arriving at an observation deck with a panoramic view of the city. To exit, they will be encouraged to climb down a staircase of 455 steps that spirals around the tower's exterior.

Around 560 metres of red tubular steel form the structure and 250 coloured spotlights illuminate it at night. Internal fit-out will begin later this month and the attraction will open to the public before the games begin in July.

The project suffered a huge backlash when the initial plans were revealed back in 2010. See the comments from Dezeen readers here.

See also: our earlier stories about completed Olympic venues the aquatics centre, the velodrome and the main stadium, and see all our stories about the London 2012 Olympics here.

Photography is by ArcelorMittal.

Here's some more information from the London Mayor's Office:

ArcelorMittal Orbit unveiled to the world

Main construction of the London 2012 landmark is declared complete.

ArcelorMittal, tier two sponsor of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the world’s leading steel company, will today offer a preview of the completed ArcelorMittal Orbit – the 114.5 metre sculpture designed by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond which will stand at the heart of the Olympic Park.

The ArcelorMittal Orbit is being handed over to the London Legacy Development Corporation later this month, so that Balfour Beatty Workplace can complete the fit-out ahead of the London 2012 Games where it will be a ticketed visitor attraction.

The press event will be attended by the team behind the sculpture, including Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond, Lakshmi N. Mittal, Chairman and CEO, ArcelorMittal, and Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, alongside the architects, engineers and builders who have helped bring the project to reality. For the first time, attendees to the unveiling will be able to travel up to the viewing platform and enjoy a panoramic view of up to 20 miles, encompassing the entire Olympic Park and London’s skyline beyond. At 114.5m, the ArcelorMittal Orbit is the UK’s tallest sculpture and stands 22 metres taller than New York City’s Statue of Liberty.

“It gives me great pride to see the ArcelorMittal Orbit standing not only as a completed work of public art but as a physical symbol of the Olympic spirit,” comments Lakshmi N. Mittal, Chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal. “It makes me very proud that ArcelorMittal plants from across the world contributed to this showcase of the strength and versatility of steel,” he adds.

Boris Johnson: “This 114.5metre-high attraction to trump rivals the world over is a calling card for investment in east London. It is a symbol of prosperity and growth, backed by one of the world’s most astute business leaders, which delivers the strongest message that this part of London is open for business after decades of neglect.

“In addition to the £11billion plus investment that has taken place around the Olympics over the last four years, the ArcelorMittal Orbit will draw visitors to newly regenerated swathes of east London in perpetuity and has changed our skyline and aspirations forever. The development of this area, creating new jobs, homes, schools, and thriving communities beyond the Olympics, is one of the most important regeneration priorities as we lay the ground now to meet the needs of the next 25 years.”

Anish Kapoor: “I am absolutely delighted that construction is now complete and I would like to thank the project team for making this possible and for their work on what is technically a very challenging project. I am looking forward to the Olympics when visitors to the Park will be able to go up the ArcelorMittal Orbit for the first time and I am delighted that members of the public will be able to interact with the work in this way.”

Cecil Balmond: “Anish and I were conscious from the beginning that the ArcelorMittal Orbit would be a lasting legacy to the city and so we wanted to stretch the language of the icon as far we could go. The Orbit is a hybrid, a network of art and structure, and its dynamic is the non-linear. You read into it multiple narratives in space.”

One of the world’s leading artists, Turner Prize winning Anish Kapoor studied in London, where he is now based. He is well known for his use of rich pigment and imposing, yet popular works, such as Marsyas, which filled the Tate’s Turbine Hall as part of the Unilever Series, Cloud Gate in Chicago’s Millennium Park and his recent record breaking show at the Royal Academy, the most successful exhibition ever presented by a contemporary artist in London.

The ArcelorMittal Orbit was designed by Anish Kapoor and one of the world’s leading structural designers, Cecil Balmond, who trained and lives in London, and is known for his innovative work on some of the greatest contemporary buildings in the world, such as the CCTV building in Beijing, as well as many Serpentine Gallery Pavilion commissions.

Construction of the ArcelorMittal Orbit took 18 months and required 560 metres of tubular red steel to form the sculpture’s lattice superstructure. The result is a bold statement of public art that is both permanent and sustainable, with close to 60 per cent of the 2,000 tonnes of steel used in the sculpture being drawn from recycled sources, underlining steel’s status as the world’s most recyclable material. Steel was chosen for the ArcelorMittal Orbit because of its unique properties including strength, modular structure and advantages of weight and speed of construction.

Sitting between the Stadium and the Aquatics Centre, the ArcelorMittal Orbit will be a beacon of the Olympic Park during the Games and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as the area will be known after the Games.

Visitors will be able to take a trip to the top of the structure in a lift and down too if they wish, although they will be encouraged to walk down the spiral staircase, which has 455 steps and has been designed to enable the guests to experience the feeling that they are orbiting around the structure as they descend it.

After the Olympic and Paralympic Games and following a period of transformation, the Legacy Corporation will run the ArcelorMittal Orbit as a visitor attraction with ticketed viewing from the observation decks and a compelling venue for private functions. It will be able to accommodate around 5,000 visitors a day with potential to attract around one million people during its first year of operation. It will have the capacity to accommodate between 400 – 600 visitors per hour, including full wheelchair access.

Last month, the Legacy Corporation announced that the ArcelorMittal Orbit will light up East London after 250 colour spot lights were added to the sculpture. Each can be individually controlled to produce a stunning digital combination of static and animated effects including a 15 minute moving light show every evening after the Games.

Andrew Altman, Chief Executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, said: “The ArcelorMittal Orbit will become one of London’s most spectacular visitor attractions and a stunning backdrop to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. “Not only will it offer differing views by day and night, but it will light up the East London skyline to become a beacon of the incredible transformation of this part of East London.”

The Legacy Corporation, which will lease the ArcelorMittal Orbit to LOCOG during the Games, has said that 85% of the 50 jobs created in the venue after the Games will go to local people.

As a tier two sponsor of London 2012, ArcelorMittal has committed to funding up to £19.6 million of the £22.7 million cost of the ArcelorMittal Orbit, with the outstanding £3.1 million provided by the London Development Agency. It has been estimated that the resulting visitor attraction will generate up to £10 million of revenue per annum and create up to 50 new jobs following the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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and Cecil Balmond appeared first on Dezeen.