Dramatic Performances Staged at Borsoni Theatre
In the heart of Brescia, northern Italy, a visually captivating theater, Teatro Borsoni, emerges as a key component in an ambitious endeavor to rejuvenate the Porta Milano district. Designed by Camillo Botticini of ARW Associates and Brescia Infrastrutture, this 3,500-square-meter architectural marvel showcases a distinctive 21x64-meter parallelepiped design, standing tall at nine meters in height.
Teatro Borsoni boasts two performance halls: a larger one accommodating 312 guests, featuring three aisles, and a children's theater with 169 seats and a timber floor that extends to the stage area for casual seating. The theater, imagined as a "social condenser," offers additional spaces catering to various age groups, as well as communal areas, a bar-foyer overlooking the entrance plaza, dressing rooms, and storage spaces.
Positioned to the side of Via Milano, the theater occupies a spacious granite-paved plaza, which is tree-lined towards an existing residential area and characterized by ventilation chimneys and the reflective volume of the plant room to the south. The entrance, which faces Via Milano, features a deep, angled loggia, while the interior is visually connected to the plaza through a continuous glass wall that reinforces the theater's bond with the city.
Prefabricated concrete walls with pyramidal-shaped projections dominate the east and west elevations, with the north-facing entrance loggia clad in aluminum panels. The 19-meter-high fly tower is partially wrapped in polycarbonate panels, illuminated at night, offering a beacon-like effect. Timber-lined acoustic wall panels, contrasting with dark-grey plaster walls and resin floors, accentuate the communal spaces, while aluminum staircases, railings, and reception counters add a modern touch. An "orange path" connects the foyer to the children's room, symbolizing and designating this dedicated space.
The Teatro Borsoni project is part of a broader initiative to convert industrial areas into bustling cultural and social environments. Featuring in various architectural and design publications, Teatro Borsoni has garnered attention within the architectural community for its significant contribution to Brescia's urban landscape. Further inquiries regarding the exact role of ARW Associates in this project might provide more detailed insights into their involvement.
The Teatro Borsoni, in its vibrant home-and-garden setting of the Porta Milano district, not only caters to diverse age groups and tastes with its various communal spaces and performance halls, but also embodies a lifestyle that blends art, culture, and community. Beyond its role as a beacon of performing arts, Teatro Borsoni, showcased in numerous architectural and design publications, serves as a testament to the transformative power of architecture in rejuvenating urban landscapes.
