Hull Truck Theatre Hull Truck Theatre, United Kingdom

Essentially the brief was to create a lively central home for the theatre giving the company new opportunities for future work and providing a green sustainable building.

To build on the existing venue’s popularity and providing a clear sense of continuity combined with a more commercial viability, the capacity of the main auditorium increased 50% to 440 seats with a theatre studio of 135 and an Education Suite.

Working with Wright & Wright architects, AMPC took the essence of the existing thrust stage form and softened the embrace of the audience to generate a good communication with the stage.

Three lighting bridges with good lighting angles to all sides of the thrust stage reinforce the embrace enabling flexibility through a removable staging system to accommodate the company’s diverse producing work of drama, contemporary dance, world music, jazz, folk comedy and cabaret.

The adjacent Studio Theatre is flexible for flat floor or end-stage events with a motorised lighting truss.

A central director’s box overlooks both theatres.

The building opened to popular acclaim in 2009, winning many architectural and access awards. The performance spaces have innovative environmental solutions using passive ventilation with ground source heat pumps and low energy lighting.

The theatre was instrumental in the award of City of Culture to Hull for 2017.

Hull Truck has a lively programme of partnership programmes with children, schools, the RSC and over 55s.

The theatre provides resources, space and support to support artists and new ideas:  many develop locally and reach nationally and internationally on tour.

Hull Truck is an ambassador for Hull and continues to be flagship venue for the region offering a theatre-led, mixed disciplinary programme of produced and touring work whilst being a welcoming home.