ARTS & ASSEMBLY BUILDING
Aiglon College, Ollon, Switzerland
The new theatre for Aiglon College is dedicated to assembly and performing arts. It comprises a 300 to 440-seat auditorium and a rehearsal studio. The twin-building houses the school’s restaurant.
The main theatre, designed as a single volume with a peaked roof, has a magnificent view to the southern alps. The seating on the parterre has a retractable seating in front of a main balcony, with two small balconies to the side.
The stage is fitted with an orchestra pit elevator that can be used as a stage extension, with a few rows of audience, or with an ensemble of 20 to 30 musicians. The side stages link to the understage dressing rooms and storage space.
A 100 m2 rehearsal studio is tucked under the fixed balcony, has a sprung floor, a simple pipe grid ceiling, and plenty cool northern daylight via a clearstory window.
The Space Factory designed the scenography of the auditorium and studio, including seating configurations, and provided sightline studies. On the technical side, it included the design of catwalks, overhead stage machinery systems and orchestra pit elevator, and the infrastructure for stage lighting and media systems.
Architects — Clews Architects (UK) with CP3 Architecture (CH)
Owner — Aiglon College
Client representative — David Flight
Scenographer — The Space Factory
Acoustician — Ecoacoustique
Contractors scenography — BC Suisse, Ageda, Showtex, Jezet
Construction costs — N/A
Status — under construction – opening 2025
Rendering courtesy Clews Architects
