malopolska garden of arts by ingarden & ewy architects
developed by ingarden & ewy architects, the malopolska garden of arts introduces new spatial order to the old backyards and ruined buildings in rajska and szujskiego streets in krakow. the starting point is a multifunctional hall, which enters into the outline of the old, 19th-century horse-riding arena, used in the last years of its history as workshops and storage space for the juliusz slowacki theatre in kraków.
the malopolska garden of arts is a cross between two institutions: the juliusz słowacki theatre and the malopolska voivodeship library. the wing on szujskiego street holds a modern art and media library, with multimedia books and music, while the section standing on ul. rajska has been developed by the theatre, and is equipped with a multifunctional events hall. the new hall – operating, as a studio theatre, conference room, concert hall, and venue for banquets and exhibitions – holds retractable stages for 300 people.
honing the form, the architects focused on interaction with the future recipients, which is why the entire spatial form of the symbolic, openwork roofing raised over the garden from the side of rajska street – though not functioning as an actual roof – is there to transport the gateway to the stage out onto the street. in this way, the building delicately nudges passers-by with the skilful manipulation of its shape, already at first glance giving the onlooker the impression of going beyond the borders of a garden, where culture is grown in evenly planted rows. imitating flower beds, the equal bands with low greens are a metaphor of a garden.
state-of-the-art stage technology is present overhead: fixed on hoists and cranes to the steel ceiling girders. this allows dramas and concerts to be performed, and exhibitions, film screenings, symposiums, conferences, art auctions, fashion shows, and many more events to be held. altogether, the space of about 4300 sq.m houses a theatre together with a cosy cinema with 98 seats, a café, and premises for the organisation of educational, art-related activities.
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