
Oliver Beetschen
Consultant
To provide consultancy in all aspects of theatre design, specialising in auditorium design and planning, foyer planning, seating, sightlines and accessibility.
Oliver has 6+ years of experience working in the architectural industry, and joined Charcoalblue as an architect with experience delivering large-scale civic projects as part of large multidisciplinary design teams with multiple stakeholders. Oliver also has over 10 years of experience working as a freelance Sound Engineer, Set Designer, and Lighting Designer.
Before joining Charcoalblue, he worked as a Project Architect at Hawkins\Brown leading the development of complex projects from concept stage through to detailed design and delivery, with client’s such as; the Department for Transport, Transport for London, Network Rail, Crossrail and Westminster City Council.
Oliver loves a challenge, and enjoys working collaboratively with clients and multidisciplinary teams to design high-quality, user-focused spaces which both meet the client’s aspirations and technical requirements.
If you were to establish your own venue, what would you call it?
“Nothing To See Here…”
… and what would that venue specialize in? Dance, live music, theatre…?
It would be a hidden underground cabaret venue with a mixture of live music, comedy, and fringe theatre. Despite the name there would be plenty to see there!
What qualities should a 'great performance space' have?
It should have that magic to transform into a number of very different spaces and atmospheres to enhance the performance, giving the audience a completely different experience each time they visit – oh, and a good bar of course!
What first sparked your love of theatre or performing arts?
Dare I say it, probably panto as a child (Oh yes it did etc. etc.), but more-so my time at school trying a bit of sound, light, stage management, acting (badly!), and building stage sets.