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Charcoalblue 2023 Sketched

21/01/23

Happy New Year from Charcoalblue! A new year means new opportunities, so to keep you in the loop we’ve sketched out some projects that we’re excited to see completed in 2023.

Artist render of Perelman Performing Arts Centre at night from REX Architects

The Perelman Performing Arts Center, designed by REX architects in collaboration with Charcoalblue and Threshold Acoustics, will be a new focus of ground-breaking performance and artistic ambition in downtown Manhattan. It will house three flexible auditoriums, a rehearsal space, a restaurant, bars and public areas with a strong community focus, aimed to foster a new generation of experimental and original creators. The Perelman will be nestled between Calatrava’s Transit Hub, Daniel Arad’s September 11 memorial and museum, and David Child’s One World Trade Center. The building’s three main venues will seat 499, 250, and 99.

Charcoalblue have designed robust technical infrastructure and systems, from each individual signal connection point throughout the facility to the performance and production of audio and video, digital signage and CMS, and AV control systems.

Render of a building with a movie scene projected onto the building and an audience in the front, behind the building are two light beams and a dark night sky with a full moon to the left

Artist render of The Factory, Manchester


The Factory, Manchester, UK

Keep your eyes peeled for The Factory, a contemporary centre for music and performance in Manchester. The Factory is a new large-scale venue that captures the extraordinary creative vision of the Manchester International Festival (MIF) and is one of Europe’s most ambitious and adventurous year-round creative programmes.

Part of a wider local cultural development masterplan, The Factory is a seismic catalyst for beneficial economic and social change in the region. The building is designed with flexibility at its core and comprises independent performance spaces that can be joined together for events hosting up to 7,000 guests.

Artist render of the Orchestra Hall inside Bristol Beacon by Levitt Bernstein

Bristol Beacon, Bristol, UK

As Bristol’s largest concert venue, audiences have been enjoying music at Bristol Beacon since 1867. Whilst being Grade II listed, the Bristol Music Trust-managed building has benefitted from a recent redevelopment of its foyer and is now undertaking its largest capital project yet. The new project will restore the original Victorian building and provide an entirely refurbished main hall as well as a restored second hall. In addition, the cellars will be transformed into a new club and music venue with facilities for music education. Additional work will include an improved get-in, a restaurant and refurbished backstage areas.

Charcoalblue is designing state-of-the-art stage lighting, audiovisual and stage engineering systems for the three halls to bring them into the 21st century. All systems are designed to ensure that all spaces can be programmed as heavily as possible to maximise rental income.

Artist render of Geelong Arts Centre Interior

Geelong Arts Centre, Geelong, Australia

The Geelong Arts Centre Phase 3 redevelopment realises an exceptional and contemporary arts campus that transforms the arts and cultural landscape for Geelong, the region and Victoria. The vision is bold and places artists, the community and creatives at its core, redefining the roles of arts centres as change-makers. The centre aspires to run a campus model multi-lingual and multi-cultural building accessible and welcoming to everyone. The redevelopment complements Phase 2, ‘Making Spaces’, where new work is nurtured and explored.

We are excited to be working with ARM Architecture to provide full theatre planning and auditorium design services alongside a full suite of technical design for all performance spaces.

Artist render of La Mama performance space

La Mama, New York, NY, USA

As La Mama plans its next chapter, its highly regarded home as one of the city’s finest examples of 19th-century architecture has received a top-to-bottom renovation that will see a comprehensive redesign of its foyer and performance spaces as well as a sensitive restoration of its façade. Established by esteemed theatre director and producer Ellen Stewart in 1961, La Mama is cherished as a home for emerging artists and is considered a leading training ground for new talent.

Charcoalblue has taken on the role of technical theatre and acoustical consultant, overseeing the implementation of seating systems, stagelighting, audiovisual design and acoustics.

We can’t wait to see the completion of these incredible spaces in 2023. Follow us on our social channels to keep up to date!

Supporting the industry internationally since 2004

The Queen's Awards for Enterprise: International Trade 2020 UK Theatre Tonic Theatre Communications Group Carbon Literate Orginisation - Silver
John Owens is a Charcoalblue Partner responsible for our North American practice.

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+1.212.645.0790