UNStudio Completes Work on the Glowing Theatre de Stoep in the Netherlands

Dutch architecture firm <a href="http://www.unstudio.com" target="_blank">UNStudio</a> just completed work on the gorgeous Theatre de Stoep in the Dutch town of Spijkeniss. The 5,800-square-meter theater and cultural center features a dramatic fluid shape with a white exterior dotted with undulating rows of glowing <a href="http://inhabitat.com/announcing-the-lighten-up-led-lighting-competition-winners/" target="_blank">LED-lit</a> purple spheres. The building's dramatic swooping shape serves two purposes: first, the form is a nod to the building's theatrical nature, and secondly, the shape was created to avoid disturbing natural wind flow to the nearby Nooitgedacht, a mid-19th-century windmill.

The drastic asymmetric shape of the theater is two-fold: it mimics the dramatic nature of the building's purpose on the interior and avoids disturbing the natural wind flow to the nearby landmark, Nooitgedacht, a mid-19th-century windmill.

Inside, the expansive theater consists of two auditoriums, one that accommodates up to 650 visitors and a smaller hall seats up to 200.

Along with the latest in acoustic software, the building was equipped with specialized ceiling elements that can be lowered and angled to adjust volume levels.

The building has several interconnected foyers which lead to the restaurant and artist’s café, VIP lounge, various dressing rooms, multi-use rooms and administrative offices.

As the theater was designed to accommodate a variety of performances such as theatrical plays, opera, cabaret, musicals, concerts, youth theater and dance performances, a superior acoustic system was paramount to the design.

Additionally, acoustic wall panels were installed to reflect and improve the sound quality for every seat in the auditorium.

Bright colors throughout the interior give the common spaces a vibrant atmosphere enhanced by the clerestory windows, which allow for optimal natural light.

The theater was designed to aoid disurbing the airflow to the adjacent windmill.

The odd shape of the theater allowed for optimal use of interior space.

Mulitple foyers are interconnected in the center of the theater

Mulitple foyers make up the volume of the interior.

Two main spaces receive the majority of visitor flow directly from the principal entrance.

A dramatic vertical foyer allows for various vantage points of the interior.