GLENN HOWELLS ARCHITECTS
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The translucent white cladding contrasts
with the colourful surrounding buildings and
allows passers-by to catch glimpses of the
professional dancers as they rehearse
The translucent white cladding contrasts with the colourful
surrounding buildings and allows passers-by to catch glimpses
of the professional dancers as they rehearse. This is achieved
Commissioned in 2014, the brief was to design a creative space for
making and dancing that would serve as a new focal point for ballet
in London. The main challenge was providing the required extensive
range of flexible, state-of-the-art facilities on a narrow site, with a
comparatively challenging budget. This was achieved by creating
something that is both pared-back and elegant, but also hard-
working, with its character defined by a celebration of exposed raw
materials such as concrete ceilings and translucent glass walls.
using 3,600sq m of Linit, a white translucent glass, which provides
privacy whilst offering a hint of the dynamic movement in the
studios.
The production studio can also be used for ENB’s outreach
programme with local schools and other stakeholders. It also gives
ENB the ability to rent out spaces thus increasing the company’s
financial stability at a time of diminishing public funds.
The limited material palette and the use of standard, off the shelf, The building transforms the way in which the organisation honours
hardworking components has helped to ensure that the building the original vision set out by founders Alicia Markova and Anton
met the budget. Dolin, whose aim was to take classical ballet of the highest quality to
the widest possible audience. Supported by the Mayor of London’s
The ground floor is designed as a lively circulation space that acts Good Growth Fund as well as the Arts Council England’s Capital
as the soul of the building, with a public café and exhibition space Programme, the new building facilitates ENB’s new skills
encouraging interaction between the school and the company. The programme, Bridging Neighbourhoods - Growing Talent, as well as
building also houses spaces for back-of-house specialists such as providing new jobs for the area.
technicians, set builders and costume ateliers to work, enabling the
company to create costumes in-house for the first time.
www.glennhowells.co.uk
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