Another hot day last Friday saw us travelling to Tim Ronalds Architects in London to discuss plans for the seating in the new Colyer-Fergusson centre for Music Performance, as well as to see early incarnations of the model of the new building.
This is a truly exciting moment: when the two-dimensional paper plans begin to translate into a three-dimensional representation of the building, and you start to get an idea of what the all the plans, meetings and discussions have actually been driving towards.
The model of the foyer, with its small performance stage, viewing balcony, social area and lobby (pictured left) gives a real sense of the interior which will greet visitors as they arrive. Musicians on the small foyer stage will be at the focus of the reception area, and viewers on the balcony will be really involved with the performance. The social area in the corner will be a suitable place to listen to music, catch up with e-mails (or up-date your Facebook status on your phone!) whilst waiting for rehearsals and concerts in the main hall to begin.
The glass wall running the length of the foyer’s external east wall will offer enticing views to passers-by and those walking up to the building, of small chamber music performances on the foyer’s stage or audiences congregating before entering the hall itself.
Early designs for the concert-hall (pictured below) also show the great flexibility that the space will afford: without the modelling of seating, you get a great sense of the performance space itself, with the surrounding balcony.
More photos of the finished model will follow in the next few weeks, but to whet your appetite, here’s a brief selection of photos from Friday’s early stages.
Is the giant fan going to exist on the car park to keep us all cool during the summer months? 😉
It’s looking good, although I am now wondering if I am in the wrong job: making models of things looks fun!