Case Description
In response to the pandemic, architecture firm Marvel designed a temporary open-air theatre, striving to address the challenge of facilitating crowded cultural events during the Covid-19 pandemic in dense urban environments. By relocating theatre performances outdoors, the risk for contamination is reduced. The proposed open-air theatre consists of two towers on the sides of a road and a shipping container that serves as a stage that bridges the road. During the evening, ‘the road could be closed off to vehicle traffic to allow an audience to sit below, looking up at the stage’; whereas during the day, ‘cars and cyclists could pass below the bridge theatre unimpeded.’
Relation to Resilience
The open-air theatre is an adaptable design which allows for implementation in dense urban areas without obstructing the city’s mobility flows. It gives people access to theatre performances when this is arguably most needed, offering entertainment, distraction, and an escape from social isolation, as well as the opportunity to participate in the social discourse and dialogue.