Rebuild La Mama by Meg White and Cottee Parker Architects | 2022 Victorian Architecture Awards

Описание: The La Mama Theatre, which has been a staple of the Australian independent theatre scene since 1967, tragically burned down in May 2018. However, out of this devastation came an opportunity for growth and evolution, and the Rebuild La Mama project by Meg White and Cottee Parker Architects was born. The project aimed to restore the old building while greatly enhancing its facilities and accessibility, as well as creating additional support spaces for staff, artists, and patrons.

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One of the most notable features of the La Mama Rebuild is its generous public forecourt, which is activated by in-built seats, native trees, and welcoming steps that roll out from the new building. A mural by Aretha Brown boldly claims the boundary wall, and before and after performances, a fence slides away to reveal a raised courtyard providing further space for patrons and artists to mingle.

The new building echoes the simple and restrained form, fenestration, and materiality of the original building. Mottled charcoal brickwork frames the view to showcase its redbrick predecessor, and the new building brings theatre to the street with a small stage, curtain, and steps built into its front elevation.

Rebuild La Mama delivers extra spaces, including a dedicated office, a rehearsal hub, a revitalised box office, a mezzanine for creative respite, a bridge link for giving pause, lifts for including everyone at both levels, vastly increased theatre facilities, accessible toilets, a shower, a kitchenette, as well as extensive external areas.

The design approach celebrates the personal, the handmade, the reclaimed, and the reinvented. Revitalized La Mama proudly includes works by staff, artists, and members of the rebuild team, including charred beams and floorboards restored by hand, murals created by old and new artists, handmade lights, sinks, and chair covers, and gardens planted by friends.

This unique project was envisioned and costed before the money was raised, through donations from government bodies, philanthropists, and the La Mama Community. The design prioritizes the repurposing of materials salvaged from the fire wherever possible. ESD initiatives include a water tank, solar panels, insulation, double glazing, and a paint interceptor.

Rebuild La Mama by Meg White and Cottee Parker Architects won the Melbourne Prize at the 2022 Victorian Architecture Awards. This award recognizes the project's innovative design approach, which celebrates the personal and the handmade while prioritizing the repurposing of materials salvaged from the fire. The La Mama Rebuild is a testament to the resilience and creativity of the arts community in the face of adversity.