Dear Lovers of Theatre and Heritage Theatre Technology worldwide,
The Bourla Theatre in Antwerp, Belgium, is the only large municipal theatre worldwide to be equipped with a complete top of the art heritage theatre machinery from the period 1830 that outlived the fanatic theatre technical renovation rage in our modern times, and still finds itself in excellent and workable condition. Therefore it is essential that this last surviving example of European theatre technology of that period has to be passed in workable condition to next generations.
The Masterplan developed by DRDH Architects for restoration and renovation of the Bourla Theatre has many interesting and valuable solutions. But a part of it is very challenging, as far as I doubt that the heritage theatre
machinery will survive in workable condition that particular operation. This part of the Masterplan is so provocative and bold that I even fear for the survival of the building itself.
Therefor I decided to organize an online presentation on the matter. From the former theatre building “Tapissierspand” over an overview on some major changes that the Bourla building has endured in its history, up to my fears about a particular and questionable intervention as proposed in the new Masterplan.
The online Zoom presentation is planned on Friday 31 March 2023 at 14:00 Central European Time (CET = GMT + 1). I inform you early about this online activity to give DRDH Architects the possibility to have a preview of my statements and have the time to prepare a contradict to my allegations after my presentation.
Attached as PDF file, you find the programme for this international online conference, including a short cv of the different speakers. Also a timezone list for the start of the conference is included with an overview of the amount of registrations worldwide.
On 27 March you will receive the link to the online conference, which email will be at the same time a last reminder for the event.
Up to now there are 136 registrations. We can still handle a few more, so if you are interested in this matter, feel free to mail secretariat@theatreurope.eu to request a registration.
Best regards,
Jerome Maeckelbergh
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Secretary General theatrEurope vzw
Rijke Beukelaarstraat 8
2000 Antwerp, Belgium
+ 32 (0)499 18 77 16
theatreurope.vzw@icloud.com
www.theatrEurope.eu
