The Arts Centre (Melbourne)
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| The Arts Centre | |
 |
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| Building | |
|---|---|
| Type | Arts centre |
| Location |  Southbank, Victoria |
| Owner | The Victorian Arts Centre Trust |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: |
| Construction | |
| Started | 1973 |
| Completed | 1982 |
| Height | 115m (spire) |
| Design Team | |
| Architect | Sir Roy Grounds |
The Arts Centre is a complex of theatres and concert halls in the Southgate precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, designed by architect Sir Roy Grounds. The masterplan for the complex (along with the National Gallery of Victoria) was approved in 1960, and construction of the Arts Centre began in 1973 following some delays. The complex opened in stages, with Hamer Hall opening in 1982, and the Theatres building opening in 1984.
The Arts Centre is located by the Yarra River and St Kilda Road, one of the city's main thoroughfares.
The Arts Centre is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
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[edit] Buildings
There are several distinct buildings at The Arts Centre: Hamer Hall (formerly the Melbourne Concert Hall, which seats 2661) is used for orchestral and contemporary music concerts; the Theatres Building houses three theatres, including the State Theatre (seats 2077 and has one of the largest stages in the world[citation needed]), used for musicals, opera, ballet and drama performances; the Playhouse (seats 882), used for drama and dance events; and the Fairfax Studio (seats 376), also used for drama and dance events. Major Companies regularly performing in the theatres include Opera Australia and The Australian Ballet, the Melbourne Theatre Company and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The Arts Centre also has many international performances, most recently hosting the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2007.
The Sidney Myer Music Bowl situated in nearby King's Domain is The Arts Centre's outdoor arena, seating 12,000 on the lawn area plus 2,150 in reserved seating, used for music concerts.
The Centre is unusual in that its theatres and concert hall are built underground. Hamer Hall, situated closest to the river, was initially planned to be almost entirely underground, thus providing a huge open vista between the theatre spire, the river and Flinders Street Station. However, construction problems with the foundations meant the structure had to be raised to three storeys above ground. Similarly, budget constraints meant that Grounds' design for the Theatres Building, which included a copper-clad spire, were shelved, and a shortened un-clad design was substituted. This was eventually replaced with the current 'full-height' un-clad spire.[citation needed]
[edit] Spire
The complex retains landmark status due to its massive steel spire and its wrap-around base. The original spire designed by Roy Grounds was 115 metres tall. By the mid-1990s, signs of deterioration became apparent on the original upper spire structure, and the Arts Centre Trust decided to replace the spire. The new spire was completed in 1996, and reaches 162 metres, though it is still based on Roy Grounds' original design. The spire is illuminated with roughly 6,600 metres (21,653 feet) of optic fibre tubing, 150 metres (492 feet) of neon tubing on the mast and 14,000 incandescent lamps on the spire's skirt. The metal webbing of the spire is influenced by the billowing of a ballerina's tutu and the Eiffel Tower.
A Wedge-tailed Eagle and Peregrine Falcon were utilised in early 2008 to deter groups of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos from damaging the spire's electrical fittings and thimble-sized lights.[1]
[edit] Other buildings and locations
The wider arts district includes the adjacent National Gallery of Victoria International (also designed by Grounds), the Victorian College of the Arts, and the nearby Sidney Myer Music Bowl.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2007) |
- ^ Eleven, Beck. "Cockies not so rapt as Zorro flies in", The Age, 15 February 2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-22.
[edit] External links
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