The Oily Cart theatre mainly works with children with special needs and Hawkins\Brown was tasked with creating an ‘inspiring and playful’ scheme for the group.

The theatre annexe provides space for management, prop building, costume design, rehearsals, workshops and storage.

The scheme has been shortlisted for a RIBA London Regional Award.  

Source: Tim Crocker

The architect’s view

‘Bold colours were used throughout the theatre to aid with orientation around the spaces and a new mezzanine level insert was added to the building that acts as a flexible meeting room, as well as clean and dirty workshops to make all of the necessary props, sets and costumes for the theatre.

‘The original theatre had poor accessibility for its occupants and one of our major interventions was the addition of an external lift with patterned anodised aluminium panels to access the first floor of the theatre, formerly only accessible via an external staircase.

‘The resulting building creates an inspiring, bright and tactile space for children to lean and play, as well as reusing and recycling materials and found objects from the site.’

Source: Tim Crocker

Source: Tim Crocker

Project data

Location Wandsworth, London
Type of project refurbishment
Client Oily Cart Trustees
Architect Hawkins\Brown
Structural engineer Form Structural Design
M&E consultant Skelly  & Couch
Quantity surveyor Stockdale
Main contractor Penten Group
Total cost £350,000

> via architectsjournal.co.uk