{"id":498628,"date":"2026-03-27T17:21:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T17:21:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/498628\/"},"modified":"2026-03-27T17:21:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T17:21:15","slug":"haworth-tompkins-revitalises-listed-theatr-clwyd-in-wales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/498628\/","title":{"rendered":"Haworth Tompkins revitalises listed Theatr Clwyd in Wales"},"content":{"rendered":"

Architecture studio Haworth Tompkins<\/a> has updated and extended the Grade II-listed Theatr Clwyd in Wales<\/a>, transforming the sprawling cultural<\/a> centre into a “welcoming civic destination”.<\/p>\n

Situated on a hillside above the town of Mold in north Wales, Theatr Clwyd, which opened in 1976, was in need of an upgrade to its fragmented public spaces and dated facilities.<\/p>\n

\"ExteriorHaworth Tompkins has updated the Grade II-listed Theatr Clwyd in Wales<\/p>\n

London-based Haworth Tompkins<\/a> adopted a “deep retrofit strategy” that aimed to preserve the majority of the theatre’s existing concrete and brick structure, while adding “minimal extensions”.<\/p>\n

The redevelopment also included the overhaul of the building’s mechanical and electrical services, as well as fabric improvements and the integration of passive design strategies and on-site photovoltaic panels.<\/p>\n

\"InteriorThe theatre’s existing concrete and brick structure was largely retained<\/p>\n

“Our ambition was to retain the spirit and character of the original 1970s Grade II-listed building, while opening the building up to its spectacular rural landscape setting and to the community it serves,” said studio director Lucy Picardo.<\/p>\n

“Working closely with the theatre team, we have reimagined the building as a welcoming civic destination,” Picardo continued.<\/p>\n

“The result is a renewed theatre that celebrates its past while creating a technically capable and inspiring setting for theatre-making long into the future.”<\/p>\n

\"TheatrA front extension is arranged around a three-storey atrium<\/p>\n

Central to the redevelopment was the creation of a more inviting entrance for the 10,000-square-metre complex, which could previously be entered at three different points.<\/p>\n

“One of our design principles was to welcome everyone through the same front door and make it prominent and welcoming,” Picardo explained.<\/p>\n

To achieve this, the studio added a three-storey glazed extension to the building’s front. Its timber and steel frame extends outwards to shelter an external patio at ground level and first-floor balcony.<\/p>\n

\"AuditoriumTwo existing auditoria were updated<\/p>\n

Entering through the extension, visitors are guided into a reception and cafe at ground level, where a newly-added central staircase and lifts replace a “convoluted and restrictive” circulation core and improve accessibility.<\/p>\n

On the first floor, the front extension has been arranged around a central atrium that traverses three levels and is framed by large timber columns that demarcate the position of the original facade.<\/p>\n

Full-height glazing and a roof opening draw daylight into the space, which hosts a restaurant and adjacent bar overlooked by additional seating on the upper floor.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Backstage,<\/p>\n

Haworth Tompkins clads The Old Vic extension in recycled spotlights\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

Haworth Tompkins opted for a warm and “robust” material palette for interior, combining the extension’s glulam, cross laminated timber (CLT) and red-toned steelwork structure with copper surfaces and pale wooden floors.<\/p>\n

Silicone light fixtures designed by Rob McIntyre adorn the communal spaces, along with commissioned artwork, including a ceramic tile display by Frances Priest<\/a> and events room curtain by Sauda Imam<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"PeopleA curtain designed by Sauda Imam enlivens the events room<\/p>\n

Alongside the upgrading of the centre’s three performance spaces, events room and cinema, the building now also includes rehearsal rooms, studios, workshops and an office.<\/p>\n

These spaces are largely connected by an “internal street” on the first floor, which runs between the building’s east and west wings.<\/p>\n

“Part of our primary move was to make it really generous, legible and easy to navigate,” Picardo said.<\/p>\n

\"PeopleRehearsal rooms, studios, workshops, and an office were added to the complex<\/p>\n

At the building’s eastern end, two existing auditoria have been largely structurally preserved and fitted with modern lighting and technical facilities.<\/p>\n

At the opposite end of the complex, a carpentry workshop composed of concrete block walls has been built alongside new studio spaces and is overlooked by a public viewing walkway.<\/p>\n

The studio also revamped an existing ground-floor cinema, which included the expansion of an adjacent foyer.<\/p>\n

\"ConstructionA new workshop is overlooked by a public viewing walkway<\/p>\n

Other spaces, which are yet to be completed as part of the redevelopment, include a play area and a sensory garden designed to create more inclusive community spaces.<\/p>\n

Previously, the studio completed an extension of The Old Vic in London, fronting it with a colourful facade of recycled spotlights<\/a>, and completed The Court Theatre in New Zealand with timber benches and large windows<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The photography is by Philip Vile<\/a>.<\/p>\n