Cool Spaces: Sala Beckett Theatre

WORDS Cheri Morris IMAGES Adrià Goula

Barcelona’s Sala Beckett Theatre is an extraordinary restoration characterised by a surprising relationship with archaic history and contemporary creativity.

Designed by Flores & Prats, the new-but-old theatrical hub is the former Peace and Justice cooperative located in the Sant Martí district. Dedicated to theatrical arts, experimentation and training, the arresting space is a work of purpose that reflects the dense memories profoundly rooted in the culture of this historical industrial district.

Instead of removing all traces of the 1920s structure, Flores & Prats left substantial pieces of the original building intact. Not only did they intend to bring the past to the present but also to project into the future, turning the uses of the building into a device to give further meaning to the drama-related research conducted by Sala Beckett.

The design feat humbly boasts a carefully collected plethora of significant elements from the frames to the doors, the polychrome tiles, rose windows, the stratifications present in the masonry fabric and the plasterwork. The space is intended to make audience members feel as if they are more than just guests, but rather a part of a dialogue.