Glyndebourne Lewes East Sussex

Glyndebourne is considered one of the finest and most celebrated opera houses in the world and delivers performances to some 150,000 people annually. 

The new 2,484m² Production Hub is Glyndebourne's biggest capital development since the rebuilding of its Opera House in 1994. 

The purpose of the project was to create an excellent environment for those who make props, scenery sets, costumes and wigs.

The new building houses both the technical workspace needed to mount its productions, a dedicated rehearsal space, new music practice rooms, and a state- of-the-art dance studio.   The design places a double-height assembly workshop in the centre of the building surrounded by the other workspaces.  The heavier props and carpentry departments are on the ground floor, with the costume department and rehearsal room above, all separated from the central assembly workshop by internal glazing.

The structure consists of a steel frame topped by a CLT roof structure clad in aluminium, with Kawneer curtain walling and Swedish composite windows and rooflights.  All unglazed elevations are clad in dark stained accoya timber.  The ground floor has a solid concrete power-floated floor, with fair-faced precast concrete being used for the first floor and staircase. The metal stud partitions are clad in Fermacell. 

CLIENT

Glyndebourne Productions Limited

Lewes

QUANTITY SURVEYOR

FT Allen

Worthing

ARCHITECT

Nicholas Hare Architects

London

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER

Integral Engineering Design

Bath

M & E CONSULTANT

Max Fordham

London