Elkington Theatre

The theatre is composed of three architectural components of different scales and axis; a jetty extruding from the existing Dawn Fraser Baths, a minor structure accommodating staff facilities and a major truss structure which embodies the public space. A transition of spatial languages from a playful front-of-house to a rigorous auditorium eventually leads to a stage with the cliff face backdrop which frames back to the land and Country. The theatre is constructed with a heavy concrete base and a large steel truss held by tripod-like diagonal columns, enveloped by an angled metal cladding which slightly reveals the interior space.

The public/private access is distinguished by rotating the rigorous 9x9m grid for the minor structure, which allows the circulation axis for the visitors and staff to diverge from the entrance.

The theatre is constructed with a heavy concrete base and a large steel truss held by tripod-like diagonal columns providing a spacious theatre environment and lateral stability to the structure.

The entrance to the main building is revealed with a dynamic and playful space with zig-zag curtain walls which accommodate the café space.

The theatre’s structural composition frames the stage back toward the land, honouring the natural cliff as a dramatic backdrop.