Extending the skin(s) of the Capitol Theatre

Abstract

Extending the sSkin(s) is concerned with the adaptive re-use of the Capitol Theatre in the Pretoria into an existing building which has been abused and neglected, not only gives the building a new lease on life, but brings about the rejuvenation of the surrounding areas too. The design attempts to blur the boundaries between interior and exterior, and to extend the fantastic nature of the interior out onto the street. In this way, the original function of the building as a theatre becomes more accessible to the general public. The theatre as a whole becomes a mysterious fantasy realm drawing in passers-by, and thereby functioning as a platform for performance. When people enter the space, they become performers in their own right - their performance is mapped out by how they interact with the spaces and each other. The existing character has been reinterpreted allowing the Capitol to regain its former elegance and sense of mystery. The Capitol is brought into the here and now; the same but changed; a new energy for an existing building… Copyright