Parkstad Limburg Theaters – Heerlen

We recently provided consulting, design and procurement guidance for the new retractable seating platform in the Limburg Hall which will be in use by the end of 2023.

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Revitalisation City Theatre and new multifunctional Central Hall. The main hall is a proscenium theatre (drama, musical theater, etc.) and a classical concert hall (symphony orchestra, harmony orchestra, choir, chamber music, etc.).
The second hall is designed as a pop hall, but can also be used as a proper theatre hall. Theatrical and acoustic facilities for upgrading the plan to a “Large Pop Hall” for the South Limburg Region have been funded by the Province of Limburg with a € 3 million investment subsidy. Hence the name “Limburg Hall.” The existing building section has been stripped down to the bare concrete structure and completely rebuilt according to current requirements and insights.
High level of ambition, so that the building and the halls are at least on the same level as the premiere theatres of national and international companies. The completely renewed theater technology is according to the latest technology (state-of-the art).

Our recommendation
– Expansion of the capacity of the large theatre auditorium from approx. 894 seats incl. a number on the orchestra pit, 1060.
– The auditorium concept is a compact design from the 1960s with 2 balconies with the aim of short sight lines and a good theater atmosphere. The largest viewing distance in the new situation is no more than 26 m.
– The rows of seats are curved for optimal horizontal viewing.
– The “dish floor” of the parterre is optimized and rebuilt.
– New construction of a highly multifunctional center hall:
– (list) theater hall with a hall-in-room concept resulting in an intimate stage and chamber music with 350
seats
– flat-floor hall with 6-piece movable stage for various arrangements with open stage: frontal, Théâtre en Rond, peninsula theater (“thrust-stage”), 500 seats or 1,200 standing places
– large pop hall with 1,200 standing places
– large event hall.

Result
The theater technology of the halls is highly appreciated by the visiting companies. among others, the Royal
Concertgebouw Orchestra (KCO) Amsterdam now performs there every season by its own request. So do international orchestras such as the Budapest Festival Orchestra. Music programming attendance has more than doubled in just a few years. Theater companies also enjoy playing there. The speech intelligibility in both halls meets high standards.
Opera and ballet companies (Nationale Reisopera, Opera Zuid, Opéra de Wallonie, Nederlands Danstheater etc.) have found their way to Theater Heerlen. There is cooperation with the operas of Liege and Aachen.