Amanda Brecknell

Amanda provides consultancy in all aspects of theatre design, specialising in auditorium design and planning, foyer planning, seating, sightlines and accessibility.

I’m an Associate Director and Venue Designer with Charcoalblue. As a venue designer, I like to think my role is almost like being a translator between the practicalities of construction and the magic of performance. My design route is often a journey from the epic to the intimate! I love cutting shapes and ideas at the early stages using big, visual language that forms the bedrock for sculpting in the details that breathe reality and life into the final built experience.

What Excites You Most About Your Work

I’m most excited when we get to infuse our love for performance into unexpected building typologies. There’s a special kind of joy in bringing collaborators on our shared design journey that may not have had much experience with theatre in the past. I really enjoy sharing our practical know-how and ideating alongside incredible collaborators, colleagues and clients to co create new concepts.

What We Won’t Learn from Your CV

You won’t find it in my list of project milestones, but I’m a huge contemporary dance fan (watching, not participating!)

Cultural Value You Most Identify With

Collaboration is something I’ve only really begun to understand since working at Charcoalblue. It can be a testing process to mindfully open yourself to different perspectives and sometimes needs a degree of trust when sharing ideas. While challenging, it is enormously rewarding when that friction leads you to discover something entirely new. I’ve found this comraderie with colleagues particularly rewarding. We’re all from completely different professional backgrounds, meaning the array of experiences and knowledge is astounding. If you don’t know something, I’ve learnt to ask, as there is probably an eccentric story behind it!