Odsherred Theater

laboratory of performance

"Odsherred Theater is a huge gain for the city and the area. It makes a big contribution to the municipality's profile as an active and attractive settlement area, and it also strengthens the business in the community because of the strong cultural offers."
Thomas Adelskov, Mayor of Odsherred Municipality.

Odsherred Theatre is like a lantern – black and dark on the outside with shiny, golden reflections within. The main façade is partly wavy black terracotta tiles that are reminiscent of a stage curtain. Large windows allow people who pass by to look into the theatre and follow the everyday life in a laboratory of performance. The back of the theatre architecture is inspired by the aesthetics of mechanics used inside. Parts of the façade offer views of the interior of the building and the back of the building can be opened, creating a connection between the stage room and the surrounding local area. Between the outdoor areas and the stage room is a workshop where props, sets, and other items for the theatre are produced. The secret jewel of the building – the stage room – is clad in golden copper that reflects the surroundings. The building is seamlessly connected to the existing theatre by a large internal staircase. Thus, the overall architecture forms the foundation of a community-based cultural venue.

The Theatre as a Laboratory

Odsherred Theatre is a contemporary laboratory of culture and a local social hub for the entire town. In other words, it is a performance space for social interaction. We have specifically designed the theatre’s architecture as a cultural catalyst that actively engages with the local community. This includes an urban space created at the main entrance, flowing out into the pedestrian street, central to the city. Here an intimate urban square offers the local community access to a setting of urban furniture designed for leisure and play. The small street scene at Odsherred Theatre’s main entrance provides the ideal setting for small happenings and improvisations that intervene in pedestrians’ everyday lives.

Odsherred municipality has one of the highest numbers of summer houses in Denmark, meaning the town’s inhabitants grow exponentially in the summer months. Having a space for social and cultural interaction in the town center is therefore incredibly meaningful, especially in the winter months for the inhabitants who are there all year round.

“The cultural life is a crucial engine for growth and development, and with its very beautiful and exciting settings, our lively and flexible theatre makes it possible to develop, unfold, and experience – for the benefit of both the theatre, the audience, the citizens, the entire city and the municipality. ”- Chairman of the Building Fund Odsherred Theatre, director Lars Nybjerg in a press release from Odsherred municipality.

Client: Odsherred Municipality / Odsherred Theatre
Area: 1 000 m2 / 10 763 ft2
Year: 2020
Location: Odsherred, Nykøbing Sjælland
Collaborators: Primus / STED / Sweco / Inoconsult / Cowi / Stouenborg
Funding: A.P. Møller Fonden, Realdania
Images: Niels Nygaard