Post-War Theatre Architecture: Informed Conservation and Development

A workshop bringing together theatre organisations responsible for post-1945 theatre buildings in Britain, along with specialists in conservation and refurbishment, to discuss the challenges and opportunities these buildings present. The workshop lasted a full day and was held at The Theatres Trust in London, an organisation established by Act of Parliament as a statutory consultee in the planning process. Following the workshop, key findings were distilled into a four-page booklet which was issued with the September issue of 'Theatres' magazine, which is widely read within the industry.

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A number of themes emerged from the speakers’ contributions and the discussion:
• the importance of seeing post-war theatre buildings as examples of a signi cant moment in the histories of British architecture and theatre.
• being able to communicate the values which these buildings represent to audiences, staff, the local authority, and funders.
• conservation does not mean preservation, but rather relates to be process of well-informed change which ideally preserve and enhance the signi cance of a building whilst transforming
it in potentially radical ways
• theatres are bespoke buildings and every project is unique, but a signi cant body of expertise and knowledge exists in the academic and heritage sectors which can help theatre managements and their designers not only nd solutions to the technical, material, and sustainability challenges of post-war architecture but also the broader conceptual and organisational opportunities that a capital project offers.