Sparkenhoe Community Theatre, Leicester, East Midlands

Project Description

The £660,000 Sparkenhoe Community Theatre was created to provide a purpose-built performance and teaching space for the pupils of Sparkenhoe Primary School in Leicester, but also to be used by the wider community. The theatre began life as a 1950s disused former dole office. The original structure of the building was kept and re-clad to form a foyer and teaching space. Behind this, a new structure housing the theatre’s auditorium was constructed.

Aims and Objectives

The building was to be sustainable in its use of materials, provide flexibility in its use of space, and be constructed within a tight budget.

Project Duration

Building work on the theatre began in May 2003, was completed in January 2004, and the garden finished a year later.

Services Offered

The theatre building offers fully accessible facilities, and is open for use by both members of the school and public. The newly built theatre/performance space for dance, drama and music consists of a flat sprung floor and 200 retractable seats, and the converted foyer offers additional teaching space.

Additionally the theatre building houses a multimedia room, dressing room, green room and office, while outside is a garden and play area. The building creates a total of 454 sq m of floor space, which is flexible to accommodate a wide range of activities and uses.

Success Factors

• Imaginatively re-using and retrofitting the existing building on site decreased the costs of a project, creating a development with greater floorspace than would have been possible if starting from scratch. This idea allowed the Community Theatre to be bigger than originally planned (due to budget constraints) and still be constructed within the Council’s budget. Also, this produced a more sustainable development through the re-use of existing structures.
• The design of the building also embraces sustainability through the materials used. It is well insulated and makes use of green materials, including timber and silver thermal foil.
• The creation of this building has transformed the space from a run-down, derelict plot, to a vibrant, populated space with a community facility.
• The theatre won a RIBA Award for Architecture the same year as it was opened, in 2004.

Business/Operational Model

Leicester City Council commissioned Ash Sakula Architects to design the Sparkenhoe Community Theatre. The Sparkenhoe Community Primary School is the main end user of the theatre.

Financing and Funding Arrangements

The project was funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) “Space for Sports and Arts” scheme (administered by Sport England) – an initiative to provide new and refurbished facilities for primary schools in deprived areas.

Measurement and Monitoring

[to confirm]

Publications

Ash Sakula Architects Fact Sheet – Sparkenhoe School, November 2008

RIBA award for Sparkenhoe Community Theatre, Leicester City Council,
17th June 2004.

Diverse City: A Vision for Cultural Life in Leicester, Leicester City Council, 2004
Shape East