A new form of theatre and social space for the community

After an initial investigation into the town, it became apparent that Merthyr Tydfil is currently sat within a state of derelict. The town, that was once the height of Britain's irownworks, now finds itself struggling to transition from industry to a place of leisure. Further research began to uncover the effects of the towns decline, with a main component being the loss of community. From this, it was clear that the project would address the loss of purpose and community within the town.

With the profound irownworks closing in 1919, the town that was the source of 40% of all Britain's irownworks began its steady decline. The ironworks left to overgrow, the viaduct abandoned, the town's loss of history, each playing an underlining role in the loss of community and purpose of Merthyr. It became a fundimental principle within the design project to create a space that helps encourage and reinstate the community.

The project aims to bring a sense of community and social activity back to the town, with a proposal that also brings a level of attraction to the area. From this notion, a theatre was selected as the main function. Through research into function and precedent studies the theatre began with the idea of using a new type of performance, known as immersive theatre. Highly renowned performing arts company "Punch Drunk" became a key influence into the space. The space also looked to question how performances can be witnessed, how could spaces double-up as auditoriums, how could a performance start in one area and end in another, the aim of the theatre was to allow the viewer to become lost within the space and how can they be brought back to their current reality. With a deeper look into the vernacular of the town, the use of large sublime stone structures become prominent in the landscape, this construction method played a major influence on the theatre but also looked to how this could be made more sustainable while creating the same aesthetic.

The proposal at its core was driven by the community of Merthyr and how the local and performance art communities could be brought together to restore what Merthyr once was.