This mobile bamboo theater was designed by Studio Akkerhuis in 2017 for the opera performance Gestrand Verlangen by the Kunstklank Foundation. Stichting Kunstklank has been organizing performances for 18 years in which professional and non-professional artists and performers work together.
So far, a new, non-reusable open-air stage and grandstand has been built every year at various locations in Noordwijk. Commissioned by Kunstklank, Studio Akkerhuis conceived a unique indoor theater that focuses on the sustainability of the structure, the furnishings and the use.
The design resembles a combination of a small amphitheater and a Bedouin tent, reminiscent of a 19th century traveling circus.
On our advice, 4 different species of bamboo with varying diameters were selected to build the tent structure and bleachers. This resulted in a total of 5,800 bamboo poles, all joined together by hand with bolts or ropes.
The theater can be assembled and disassembled by its own staff and volunteers, making it completely reusable. The theater is also flexible, as the configuration of the stands can be adapted to different performances and venues.
Professionals were used only for the earthworks and the foundations, the screen and the central crown with metal joints. All other work was carried out by a team of 50 volunteers over a total period of three months. At the end of the season, the bamboo theater is dismantled and stored until next year. All bamboo elements were made so that they do not exceed a length of 5.8 m and thus fit easily into small sea containers.
For the foundation 32 concrete base plates of 760 kg each were used. This is to ensure that the bamboo structure remains in place even in winds of up to 8 Beaufort.
With a diameter of 20 m, a height of 7 m and a maximum occupancy of 250 people, the theater remains a relatively intimate space where the audience is never more than 10 m away from the action. The use of bamboo creates a warm atmosphere, and the screen ensures that the audience, costumes and technology are protected from the various weather conditions.
This bamboo theater offers a special experience where performance, architecture and landscape are inseparable. The natural backdrop with views of the beach and sea and the setting sun as theatrical light is an integral part of an overall musical-theatrical experience with soloists, choir, orchestra and dance.
