CONSERVING A PIONEERING REGENCY BUILDING TO DELIVER A WORLD CLASS ARTS VENUE

Brighton Dome Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre
Brighton Dome Corn Exchange -  Music Concert

Set in historic Regency gardens and adjoining the famous Royal Pavilion, Brighton’s Grade 1 listed Corn Exchange and Grade 2 listed Studio Theatre has been refurbished for a 21st century audience.

Working with theatre experts and skilled craftspeople, the project makes major technical and operational improvements to the Corn Exchange and to the Studio Theatre, including a brand new foyer space and café and better accessibility for performers and artists, whilst essential conservation work peels back the layers to restore hidden spaces and reveal them to the public.

Brighton Dome is the South Coast's leading arts venue and remodelling its buildings will give it much-needed flexibility in terms of layout, seating and infrastructure – allowing a wider range of artists and performers to come to Brighton.  Anita's Room - is a creative space for community groups and emerging artists to use for workshops, meetings and rehearsals.

Key Information

Sector: Arts & Culture, Heritage & Creative Reuse

Client: Brighton Dome & Festival Ltd and Brighton & Hove City Council

Location: Brighton

Completion: October 2023

Size: 3,500sqm

This work will allow Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival to continue to contribute to making the city and the county we live in a world-class destination for people everywhere.

Andrew Comben, Chief Executive of Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival

TRADITIONAL CRAFTS TO TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE

Originally built as a stable block for the Prince Regent, the 200-year-old, Grade I Listed building has served as a Victorian skating rink, a WW1 military hospital and is now a leading performing arts venue.

Pioneering for its time, the building has the longest-single-span timber-frame in the country. Original decorative timber features have been revealed and restored using specialist craft skills and workmanship, conserving the original character of the remarkable 1806 interior.   

Team

Architect
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
CDM
Baqus Group
Civil and Structural Engineers
Arup
Fire Engineer
The Fire Surgery
Landscape Architect
LT Studio
M&E Engineer
Max Fordham
Quantity Surveyor
Jackson Coles
Theatre Consultant, Acoustic Engineer
Charcoal Blue
Photography
Richard Chivers, Andy Stagg, Chloe Hashemi