Cox Architecture to lead redevelopment of Adelaide's Her Majesty’s Theatre

Cox Architecture has been named as the lead architect for the redevelopment of one of Adelaide’s best loved theatre venues, Her Majesty’s Theatre.

With a $35 million commitment from the South Australian Government, Her Majesty’s will be expanded from its current 970 seats to 1,500 seats, enabling it to host major national and international touring events such as musicals, which sometimes bypass Adelaide due to lack of a suitable venue.

The extra capacity is anticipated to mean up to 100 additional performances each year and will also help ease pressure on the in-demand Adelaide Festival Theatre.

Perhaps best known in South Australia for its award-winning work on the Adelaide Oval redevelopment, Cox Architecture was selected following an open tender process.

It is currently working on the new Adelaide CBD High School on Frome Road.

Central to the Her Majesty’s upgrade is the expansion into the adjoining western property, which the Adelaide Festival Centre Trust purchased to allow for new foyers, bars, patron facilities and disability access.

The project, which will create up to 220 jobs during construction, will include an additional balcony of seating, improved orchestral pit and technical facilities, a back of house upgrade as well as expansion of the foyer spaces.

The Adelaide Festival Centre Trust will be raising additional funds to contribute to the project, while the South Australian Government will spend an additional $1.1 million over two years supporting the Trust during periods when the theatre is closed for renovations.

Commenting on the project, South Australian Arts Minister Jack Snelling stated “revitalising Her Majesty’s will have huge spin offs for our local economy – a bigger theatre and more shows mean hundreds of extra people working in and visiting Adelaide and the Grote Street precinct specifically, supporting local traders and revitalising the area.”

Adelaide Festival Centre Trust, Chief Executive and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier added “Her Majesty’s Theatre is a nationally significant cultural icon and it is vitally important that we protect its legacy and prepare it to meet the future needs of the performing arts in Adelaide hopefully for the next 100 years.

“The Theatre will also need to be a destination in its own right with a series of attractions, such as galleries and bars and ticketing outlets that will help in the activation of the Market to Riverbank laneway precinct.”

Concept designs are now underway with construction anticipated to start early in 2018, concluding in late 2019.

Rider Levett Bucknall has been awarded the contract as cost manager. 

Click here for more information on the Her Majesty's Theatre Renewal Project.

Images: A spatial concept for Her Majesty’s Theatre showing its adjoining western space (top) and artist's impression of the interior upgrade to Her Majesty's Theatre (below).

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