Perched on top of Denys Lasdun's Grade II~*-listed National Theatre in London is an intriguing translucent box of a building, which cycles through a range of colours at night. Temporary and demountable, it is licenced for summer use over five years. The theatre needed a place for parties and receptions that was large enough and acoustically insulated from the auditoria. The only available space was a high-level roof, overlooking the sweep of the Thames, and near to the fly tower and other service elements. Architect A-EM Studio's design echoes these simple forms, and was low enough to satisfy the planners. The roof has no live loading capacity beyond the very limited amount required for maintenance. So, beneath the sustainably sourced hardwood deck, there is a heavyweight steel structure which spans between the few points where it is possible to transfer loads to Lasdun's original building.
展开▼
