The Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) in Brisbane is set to officially open its new Glasshouse Theatre, a $184 million addition that makes it “Australia’s largest performing arts venue under one roof.” The rippled glass design, selected from 24 designs in an international competition held in 2019, is a collaboration between Blight Rayner Architecture and Snøhetta.
The Glasshouse Theatre recognizes the site’s cultural significance to First Nations Peoples, drawing inspiration from a poem by Aboriginal Elder and artist Aunty Lilla Watson. “Our intention was to maximise cultural engagement with the public realm in two ways – one, by enabling people to view into the foyers, the other by positioning a pair of live performance spaces at street level where they are visible from the street and courtyard,” says Blight Rayner Architecture director Michael Rayner.
The waved facade is likened to “looking at fish swimming in rippling water,” a design element that adds to the theatre’s unique charm. The $184 million transformation faced delays due to Brisbane’s 2022 floods and complications during construction, but the result is a world-class venue that puts Queensland on the map.
Key Features:
– 1,500-seat theatre with outstanding acoustics
– New foyer spaces and two studios
– Locally sourced Queensland grey ironbark timber and green carpet
– Gold carpet and sand-coloured precast concrete in the foyer
– Four-metre-high bronze sculpture by Brian Robinson
Gumji Kang, Managing Director of Snøhetta Australasia, praised the collaborative approach and commitment to deep listening that shaped the theatre’s design. “Coupling design excellence and a culturally contextualised response, we’re confident the Glasshouse Theatre will make a lasting contribution to Brisbane and the State of Queensland,” she said.
Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek hailed the Glasshouse Theatre as a “game-changer” that will attract world-class talent and productions to Queensland. QPAC chief executive Rachel Healy described it as “Queensland’s newest cultural superstar,” with the capacity to host major events and forges the state’s reputation as a major arts hub.
The Glasshouse Theatre will open for a free community day on 7 March, with performances scheduled from late March.
Image Courtesy: Architecture, Au
