Laban Centre London Dance, Deptford Building Photos, Creekside Arts Project Architect, English Design
Laban Centre : Deptford Building
Contemporary Dance Centre London SE8, UK design by Herzog & de Meuron Architects
post updated 8 September 2021 ; 2 Mar 2010
Location: Deptford, southeast London, England, UK
Date built: 2002
Renamed Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
Design: Herzog & de Meuron
photograph : Tim Crocker
Laban Centre London
Laban is the largest purpose-built contemporary dance centre in the world. The building was designed by Herzog and de Meuron, the Pritzker Prize winning (2001) Swiss architects who also designed the Tate Modern and the National Stadium in Beijing (2008 Olympic Games).
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
By day the building’s semi-translucent cladding allows traces of dance and movement to be visible through the walls. By night, the building becomes a coloured beacon with light and movement spilling out illuminating the surrounding area.
photo : Tim Crocker
Laban Centre Exterior
The visual artist, Michael Craig-Martin, collaborated with the architects Herzog & de Meuron on the bold decorative scheme for Laban’s exterior and on some elements of the interior design. The 7800m2 structure is clad in a revolutionary semi-translucent, coloured polycarbonate punctuated by large clear windows.
The polycarbonate cloaks the building in semitransparent shades of lime, turquoise and magenta. Michael Craig-Martin previously worked with Herzog & de Meuron on the polycarbonate box which illuminates the top of the chimney at Tate Modern in London.
photo : Tim Crocker
By day, the regular activities of Laban – training, rehearsals, research and workshops – are semi-visible through the walls from the outside. By night, Laban acts as a coloured lantern or beacon, radiating light out onto the surrounding area and along Deptford Creek.
The design was conceived as a physical expression of Laban’s relationship with its local community – a vibrant inspiring focal point, accessible and welcoming to all.
photos : Mark Whitfield
Laban Centre Interior
Inside, the building is structured as an urban ‘streetscape’, a series of corridors, interior courtyards and meeting places, centred round the main theatre space – the literal and metaphorical heart of the building.
The Laban Centre design aims to:
– provide inspiring spaces which mirror the fluid movements of dance
– reflect the complex relationships between Laban’s many different fields of activity and enable students and staff from various disciplines to meet and exchange ideas
– preserve some of the distinctive ‘chaotic beauty’ and constructive informality often observed in Laban’s old premises at Laurie Grove, New Cross
Laban Centre Building images / information from the Laban Centre
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London
Music faculty:
Trinity
King Charles Court
Old Royal Naval College
Greenwich
London SE10 9JF
Contact: +44 (0)20 8305 4444
Dance faculty:
Laban
Creekside
London SE8 3DZ
Contact: +44 (0)20 8691 8600
Laban Centre design : Herzog & de Meuron
Website: www.trinitylaban.ac.uk
Location: Creekside, Deptford, south east London, SE8 3DZ, England, UK
London Buildings
Contemporary London Architecture
London Architecture Designs – chronological list
London Architecture Walking Tours by e-architect
Laban Centre London award – Stirling Prize 2003
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image © Hayes Davidson and Herzog & de Meuron
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photo © Arup_Ben McMillan
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image © Adrian Welch
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Comments / photos for the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance page welcome