PA : National Theatre of Catalonia - Draft

The National Theatre of Catalonia, built in 1996, is an appealing and intriguing structure that resides in Barcelona, Spain. What makes this building so interesting is that it looks like an enclosed Greek Temple With a front wall made completely of glass. Ricardo Bofill, a native Barcelonan and the designer of other works such as Walden 7, designed his projects to demonstrate his ability to act in harmony with varying cultures and combining it with global knowledge. The National Theatre was designed to trace back through theatre’s roots and embody the forms that were predominant in the Ancient Greek cities and theatrical structures.

It was learned form history that using older forms of architecture and “following the rules” left most architecture looking the same and the structural integrity not up to what it was needed to be following the 19th century. The National Theatre could be classified as a structure that took inspiration from older forms of design but the inspiration was channeled in such a way to make this structure unique. The combination of Doric style columns and glass were used in an effective and evolved way which makes this building successful.

The National Theatre was designed with 26 commons, 13 on each side, that support the double-slop metallic roof. The structure has monumental dimensions of 315 by 184 feet which is much greater in size than any temple in the ancient world. The use of modern materials is what makes this structure stand out from traditional architecture inspired by the Greek style. The columns and roof are made of concert and the front and side walls are made of glazed glass curtain walls to allow the interior to be seen from the street. There are three different theatres which has seating for 900, 400, and 300 people. There is also an outdoor space, known as the Plaça de les Arts, which is sometimes used as an open air performance space.

The main foyer was a conceived as a large public gathering space with internal vegetation to give the illusion of still being outside but without the heat and elements. Within this space resides the ticket office, cloakroom, information center, and restaurant. This is the area that is surrounded by glass and can be seen from the street.

The main focus of the interior of the National Theater is the main auditorium. It was designed to embody the inspiration of the Ancient Greek amphitheaters. The interior was made of wood to allow for better acoustics and to give a more welcoming appearance to those who enter. This theatre was designed in a way much like the classical amphitheatres because it allows for maximum visibility from every point amongst the seated audience. In this theatre there are performances of Catalan and Spanish play, world classics, and contemporary dance and drama.

Ricardo Bofill designed the National Theatre of Catalonia in such a way that the entire given space was purposeful. It stands out due to the mixture of the Ancient Greek Templar style and high-tech glass curtain walls.