Laban Centre for Contemporary Dance
Award winning architecture, Laban Centre for Contemporary Dance stands alone in the dirty post- industrial area of south- east side of London. The building is unique, soft, voluminous, yet unpretentious in demeanor. Home to the world’s most distinguished dance center, it is alive with color and movement with its simple shapes from the outside that is articulated throughout the interior space.
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Building information
Designer: Jacques Herzog and Pierre De Meuron
Program type: Commerical, dance conservatory
Project Size:
Project budget:
Completion date: 2003
Address: Creekside
Deptford, LND SE8 3DZ
Building analysis
The Swiss firm of Herzog & de Meuron Architekten has been designing award winning buildings since 1978, such as the Tate Gallery Extension of the Tate Gallery of Modern Art, London. Their design concept is a minimalistic approach to geometric shapes. Throughout the decades Herzog & de Meuron have recreated their mission of simplicity through research of the latest materials and technologies. Intense considerations for the latest improvements in materials have allowed Herzog & de Meuron to move beyond Germany to the rest of the world. Herzog & de Meuron Stirling Prize design for Laban Centre in London continues with the tradition of minimalism with innovative and raw materials. The façade of the dance conservatory is made of tinted polycarbonate panels in stripes colored in soft hues of green, turquoise, and magenta. The fenestration is broken down even further with mirrored glaze creating beautiful reflections of the sky. The interior is balanced elegantly with glass, light, color, and space. The reflections of color and light travel throughout, this allows for visitors to move continuously in amazement from its mass to the volume of space.
Detail analysis
The hard lines of geometric shapes of the polycarbonate are interrupted with the curving lines of the entry hall partition moving in a wave. In contrast to the vibrant colors (green, turquoise, and magenta) the black lacquered concrete of the partition wave travels from the entryway to one of two spiral staircases. At this point the wall of the staircase and partition wall connect as one aiding movement for the visitors. The spiral staircases are focal points in the hall, standing as a sculpture separately. This vertical path of egress appears as though it breaks through the ceiling to the second floor, as well as driving downwards with gravity into the basement floor. The stairs are of raw concrete with tight steps and a narrow walkway forcing an experience of movement vertically, yet comfortably.
References
Notes
Student contributions
- Ashley Pearson, Spring 2010
External links
Additional resources
