Space & Technical Planning

Careful attention to space and technical planning for a venue is crucial to successful programming. Most of the spaces that I've visited in the past year suffer from poor planning and lack of attention to critical spaces like backstage and wing areas, dressing rooms, audience sightlines, audio operator's and lighting positions. A poorly designed space results in compromises that may make the audience experience less than satisfied and probably distracted from the hall's original purpose.

Good space planning and design rely much on the designer's experience and knowledge early on in a project. In projects where these spaces are crucial, theatre planning consultants experienced in performing arts building are engaged to come out with the programming blocks of the building even before architects are engaged.

I remember a particularly high profile project - the Eugene McDermott Hall in Dallas, Texas where noted architect I.M. Pei had to share leadership duties with the late acoustician Russell Johnson. Johnson has built more concert halls than any other person in the last 50 years and is recognised as one of the pre-eminent designers of modern day concert halls. According to a biography on Pei, there was a tremendous amount of tension on that project with Johnson on areas such as aesthetics and placement of other architectural elements. At the end of the project, Pei, when asked about his working relationship with Johnson, answered, "The man has great ears, but he has no eyes." Johnson retorted, "He has eyes, but he is deaf!"

Hence, a there sometimes exists a tension between the architect and the theatre planner over good practical design and perceived needs especially when the theatre planner comes in late during a project. Now, there are good reasons to let an experienced theatre space planner lead in this area, two major ones are :

1) Experience - most theatre planners have had years of experience in the field. They do it day and night, day after day, week after week. Most have years of working in a production environment under their belt. They will be able to identify problem spots simply because they've spent time on the floor, often in poorly designed spaces, making shows work. As opposed to architects who may have be commissioned to build one or two performing spaces a year, they are involved in building projects almost exclusively throughout the year. Theatre planners don't do condos or offices.....

2) Cost savings - getting an experienced theatre planner will save costs on the long run because it's done right the first time around. My projects from 15 years ago are still in operation today. On the other hand, I've been to scores of poorly design spaces where I've had to redesign spaces and systems for the second or even third time resulting in extra costs to the client years after the project.

Now, it's important to note that I'm not saying that architects are not adept at their jobs. They are still the experts when it comes to putting a building up and making it look good. What I am saying is that, in many cases, most architects do not have enough experience to be put into a position of deciding where a space should be. Just as the M&E consultant is left to design the air conditioning system, a theatre planner should be allowed to come out with the preliminary space design before it is all integrated into the main building program.

Architect Frank Gehry during his lecture in Singapore said this of his curvy designs, "If I had for one moment neglected the programming of the space first and foremost and focussed on the aesthestic design, I will not be in business today."

I've worked with many architects who have been more than accommodating to change critical aspects of their designs to fit technical spaces and adjust audience sight lines. All I'm saying is that it needs a specialist with theatre experience to propose functional spaces rather than perceived functional spaces based on textbooks early on in the process.

So, book your theatre space planner early....