2007 » Spain » Architecture section
Curator: | Ramón Ivars, Ramon Ivars |
Authors of Theme: | Antoni Ramon, Antoni Ramon, Andy Bargilly |
Designer / Architect of exhibition: | Joaquim Roy |
THEATRES AT RISK
The Spanish section of theatre architecture presents the Circo Apolo Theatre of Vilanova i La Geltrú. A burned-down theatre which has been chosen as an example of the fragility of some theatre spaces. In 1988 Jean Guy Lecat and I had seen the progressive deterioration of this theatre, yet its originality and quality seduced us from the first time we set eyes upon it, and we believed there were good reasons for saving it. In 2004 the Vilanova Town Council asked us to make a report on the possibilities of re-opening the theatre. In the report we evaluated the value of a place where the past, as on the faces of old people, had left the traces of time. Unlike new architectural styles which are often cold, formless and soulless, old theatres retain their charm and emanate with the life which many artists search for. In such spaces the theatre space and the decoration come together to form a unified, unique whole. We delivered our report in December. A month later the theatre was in flames, an “accident” finally put an end to its existence. The case of the Apolo shows how the growth of the city following market forces threatens certain spaces. Sometimes it is no more than public or private idleness which makes them vulnerable. However, many of these buildings deserve to be rescued so that they can be used and enjoyed by society. The case of the Apolo, and many other cases, presses the need to create an Observatory for Theatres at Risk. A collecting point for information on theatre spaces under threat. Antoni Ramon
With the cooperation of the Architectural Composition Department UPC (Catalan Polytechnic University) (luc)logo šp. ambasády patří do NS, jen se tam už nevešlo