pPod

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pPod

Manchester, UK 2005

Horse & Bamboo Theatre

24 m²

The pPod is a tiny, nomadic performance space built for the traveling, Horse & Bamboo Theatre company, based out of Manchester. The lightweight, aluminum tent structure supports an outer fabric membrane shrouding the interior performance space for an audience of thirty-five and three actors.

Inspired by the idea of a kaleidoscope, the theatre’s form is distorted around an imaginary axis. Two overlapping skins merge to give the theatre an ephemeral quality that parallels the experience of seeing a travelling theatre performance. The exterior skin forms a twisted veil around the arching interior performance space. The opaque, aluminium membrane creates a dark interior perfectly suited for theatre lighting. The red exterior membrane consists of a porous fabric which hides the internal structure. At night the soft stage lights shimmer between the aluminium and translucent skins, announcing the theatres presence to the village.

ARCHITECTURE magma architecture

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING Buro Happold, Manchester

CONSTRUCTION Lanco
Thein & Rios

SPONSOR Arts Council

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