Project summary

Birmingham Repertory Theatre (the Rep) was founded in 1913 by Barry Jackson. In 1971 the company moved to a newly built theatre in Broad Street with a stage of epic proportions and a democratic auditorium with no balconies, pillars or boxes. Now as the company approaches its centenary in 2013, the theatre is undergoing redevelopment as part of the Library of Birmingham.

The Library will be joined to the Rep theatre at ground and first floor levels and will share foyer, bars and restaurant, as well as providing a completely new 300-seat studio theatre. The new theatre will significantly expand the range of dramatic works that the Rep can produce and present and will offer an exciting new space for collaboration between the REP and the Library of Birmingham.

In addition to the new studio theatre, the development will provide new rehearsal rooms, set-building facilities and dressing rooms and will also allow the the Rep's existing 140-seat studio theatre to become a space for the theatre's education activities whilst retaining its ability to present small-scale shows.

The new theatre has been designed by Mecanoo Architects with the help of Theatreadvies BV, and has been under construction by Carillion PLC since early 2010. Charcoalblue has been engaged to assist with the final design of the theatre elements of the scheme, after which the theatre technical systems will be installed and tested prior to completion in 2013.