Capital Theatre Refurbishment

Project Specification and Management

Architect: Streames and Associates

Client City of Greater Bendigo, Federal Grant.

Budget $1.2M

Design Brief After 15 years of heavy use following a re-opening in 1990, the Capital Theatre was looking tired and worn. A grant was approved for re-seating, new carpets and re-painting.

Design Solution An environment more suited to intimate theatre was required, as well as more comfortable seating, more leg room and a deeper colour scheme. Following extensive research into the original colour scheme, we selected a traditional red for the theatre which had been specially mixed for the Art Gallery refurbishment. This deep red was relieved by a Haymes “stoneware” colour for the ceiling. Timberwork and proscenium arch was picked out in a new colour created by adding black to Haymes “dark Indian red”.

Seating colour was matched to the overall scheme but the fabric kept to a contemporary pattern.

The seating tiers needed to be completely re-framed to alter the angle of the rake, with damaged plasterwork revealed by the works requiring restoration. A new stainless steel handrail was added, and optic fibre stair lighting was incorporated into the stair nosings.