Queensland Performing Arts Centre is being expanded with the New Performing Arts Venue – a new state-of-the-art theatre that will become the fifth theatre for the cultural precinct. The architects, Blight Rayner + Snøhetta, combine both Indigenous and contemporary aspects in their design. The design process was inspired by a poem by a well-known Indigenous Australian artist describing the leaves of the rainforest and the forms of water. Another defining design idea is the high transparency of the façade, which aims to connect the artistic activities in the theatre with the public space.

The building envelope consists of a heavily corrugated all-glass façade composed of curved and straight insulating glass panes. The radii of 1m and 1.5m are both convex and concave. The solution proposed by seele supports the high degree of transparency with a discreet steel substructure and satisfies the desire for a minimal range of materials. The entire construction is hanging. The vertical loadbearing of the glass panes is carried out via tension rods and fins, the horizontal load bearing (wind load) via SG bonding to the story ceilings.

Header image and reference overview: © Blight Rayner + Snøhetta