Théâtre du Rideau Vert, Théâtre du Rideau Vert

Théâtre du Rideau Vert

Théâtre du Rideau Vert
Montréal, Québec, Canada

Inauguration : 1991
Area : 17,000 square feet
Cost : C$ 2.15 million (plus C$ 665,000 for equipment)
Type : Theatres & Concert Halls
Capacity : 427 seats

The challenge was to design a new theatre on a very narrow lot in the heart of town, with a tight construction deadline of just five months. Nearly the whole building was replaced by a more modern functional design that has won rave reviews.

Outstanding features

The exiguity of the terrain and the impossibility to increase the ground area require lots of cleverness to develop a functional and modern design.

The need to maintain the existing height of the building was a crucial factor in the development of a high-performance design. Two walls were preserved and reinforced during construction. The obtuse angle at the intersection of the two walls is located in the fly tower, an unconventional shape that required special treatment.

In order to upgrade the room capacity while respecting the norms of evacuation, a new design for chairs is especially developed for the project; a seat which the seating and the back are both retractable, giving room for the required space within rows.