Future Plans (Phase 2)
 
 
As part of a feasibility study commissioned by Biggar Theatre Workshop and funded by the Rural Community Heritage Fund, Richard Murphy Architects have been asked to look at a redesign of the Corn Exchange (Phase 2)
They were briefed to:
1. Look at the whole building and assume the complete ground floor area is able to be reconfigured (i.e. include public toilets, wine store and dark room).
2. Continue to provide the same public WC provision and allow the WCs to act independently of the theatre when the theatre is closed.
3. Attempt to give the activities of the building some external presence.
4. Provide the same number of seats (no need for any dramatic increase) but as collapsible seating with a sprung floor beneath.
5. Make the building fully disabled accessible.
6. Allow actors direct access to the stage.
7. Allow for enough extra rooms for the building to be as flexible and attractive as possible for letting to other organisations or as a small conference venue.
With this in mind, their proposals consist of:
1. A reorientation of the relationship of inside and outside by creating both a new principle facade to John Street but also by the removal of steps up to the front door on the High Street and their replacement with steps down to the new lower level foyer.
2. A complete reorganisation of the lower floor including the removal of a number of internal walls and major new openings to the west and the south. The proposal show a large foyer space and servery, a box office, a meeting room and relocated WCs now accessible from the south yard itself landscaped to form a south facing café terrace. The WCs are separated from the foyer with a sliding screen which can be retracted when the theatre is in use so that the WCs also act for the theatre space. An external terraced space has been created in the current yard for café seating overspill.
3. A lift for disabled access has been shown connecting all three major spaces.
4. The new façade to John Street now shows a new entrance at street level, the removal of the external staircase and the addition at first floor (theatre) level of a glazed staircase and walkway. This connects the foyer level to the theatre entrance and to the remaining accommodation on first and second floor. It also makes highly visible to the street all the movement within the building and by a sliding screen can be connected to the theatre space itself
5. The theatre is shown with new bleacher-style retractable seating, 7 rows of 15 seats and 1 row of 10 seats placed 500mm apart, being a total of 115 seats. The existing control balcony is shown removed and replaced by a new balcony at the southern end. The stage measures approximately 7.5 x 5.5m and benefits from direct access to actors accommodation and also having crossover outside the body of the space.
6. The current foyer is shown as the principle actors accommodation. There is a WC and shower, and the space can either be subdivided into two rooms with circulation corridor or used as a single space for meetings conference etc. There is a store primarily intended for stackable chairs and tables for flat floor events in the main theatre.
7. The upper room (currently props store and dressing room) has been restored to a single space and acts as a secondary meeting room or conference breakout facility. It is accessed by the corner tower stairs as existing.
8. The existing fire escape in the east alleyway has been removed and a new escape shown corresponding to the changed seating plan within the theatre.
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