Poland

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Serge Ferrari Group has joined a project to redevelop Szczecin Summer Theatre using two of the Group’s architectural membranes — Tenseo Advanced 1002 S2 and Tenseo Comfort AW.

Located on the banks of the Oder River, in Western Poland, the city of Szczecin is a place of deep historic significance. Formerly the seat of the Duchy of Pomerania, part of the Holy Roman Empire for several centuries, the city was eventually incorporated into the newly-formed Kingdom of Prussia in the early 18th century and was perhaps most notably the birthplace of Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, the future Catherine the Great, tsarina of Russia.

Today, Szczecin is one of the busiest sea ports on the Baltic Sea. It also remains a vibrant hub of culture, home to several universities, theatres, museums and many libraries.

To the north of the city, in Kasprowicz Park, is one of the Szczecin’s most iconic cultural landmarks: the Helena Majdaniec Summer Theatre, thus named after a popular 1960s Polish singer. Designed by architect Zbigniew Abrahamowicz and inaugurated in 1976, the original building was an avant-garde concept distinguished by the addition of a reinforced concrete arch said to have been inspired by the Gateway Arch, a 200-metre-high monument designed by Eero Saarinen still visible today in Saint-Louis, Missouri.

Updating an iconic building

In 2015, the city council of Szczecin launched a design competition for the renovation of the theatre, which included designing a new roof and completely refurbishing the existing stage and auditorium. The project’s objective was to enhance the design and aesthetics of the venue to make it more attractive, and improve amenities available at the theatre, which is mostly used during the summer season.

The winner of the competition is London-based studio Flanagan Lawrence, selected for their project designed in part to accentuate the contrast between the building and its immediate natural surroundings. With its curved shape and white silhouette, the new roof is clearly visible against the backdrop of trees surrounding the venue, but still blends in elegantly with the lush greenery. This duality between built form and natural growth is artfully mastered, elevating both the building itself and its context. Behind the stage, the structure gapes wide open, offering breath-taking views of Lake Rusalka and the possibility to create stage designs of unprecedented lavishness.

The firm has also made a point of preserving the theatre’s most distinctive visual feature — its arch. The feature still acts as an identifiable marker for the venue, but it has been paired with a complex geometry roof structure, developed using cutting-edge computational software. The resulting combination of shapes and materials delivers subtle synergy between the structure itself and the theatre’s technical assets, delivering an innovative concept intended to provide the framework for the best European amphitheatre in terms of technology and acoustic performance.

TenseoAdvanced 1002 S2 and Alphalia Silent AW

The redevelopment of the Helena Majdaniec theatre included the design of a roof solution that would combine light weight with flawless acoustic performance. Covering both the entire stage and the audience, the roof essentially consists of a sturdy steel grid shell.

The structure’s outer surface has been covered with Tenseo Advanced 1002 S2 — a material recognised for its high resistance, transparency, and consistent colour when viewed against the light. The white fabric accentuates the roof’s flexible and light appearance, while also improving the performance of lighting equipment used to enhance the roof.

On its underside, the structure is fitted with diamond-shaped panels clad with acoustic membrane Tenseo Comfort AW. With the capacity to absorb up to 65% of ambient sound alone, this material reduces reverberation and delivers excellent acoustic properties.

In total, some 4,500 sqm of Serge Ferrari membranes have been used for the renovation of this ambitious cultural landmark, which matches up to the best European auditoriums both in terms of acoustic performance and visual identity.

Project participants :

Architect: Flanagan Lawrence
Structural engineers: K2SE
Installer: Abastran SP. Z O.O
Copyrights : ABASTRAN SP. Z O.O