Aviva Studios, the new £240m arts venue in Manchester, launched with a Matrix-themed extravaganza called Free Your Mind. The show featured dancers wrapped in cocoons, convulsing on stage to symbolise humans breaking free from amniotic pods. The venue, described as the “most important cultural development in Europe” by Manchester city council’s leader, was originally intended to have a unique spandex-like structure with glass walls and sliding doors, allowing for outdoor performances. However, due to complications such as escalating costs and design complexity, the final result is unrecognisable. Instead, it resembles a hulking, faceted lump made from corrugated metal and concrete.
John McGrath, artistic director and chief executive of Factory International, the organisation behind Aviva Studios, insists that the core vision has not been compromised. The venue is both a 1,600-seat theatre and a 5,000 capacity mega-venue, capable of hosting a wide range of events from opera to all-night raves. The original design by Dutch architects OMA was a competition-winning entry, but it had to be drastically altered to meet acoustic requirements and accommodate surrounding residential towers. The venue is part of a larger commercial real estate venture called St John’s, which includes residential towers and required noise reduction measures for Aviva Studios.
Inside the venue, visitors are greeted with a lobby featuring exposed ducts and wires, colourful furniture, and touches of Ben Kelly’s iconic hazard stripes. The theatre itself is made from cross-laminated timber, with a fixed balcony, bleacher seating, and a sunken orchestra pit. The warehouse space is massive and capable of supporting heavy loads, but it remains to be seen how often such flexibility will be needed or financially viable. The connectable nature of the two venues means there is no conventional backstage or fly tower, which may pose challenges for theatrical productions. However, the team at Factory International is determined to make the most of the building’s potential, even considering performances in unconventional spaces such as the acoustic corridor.
In conclusion, while Aviva Studios may not have turned out as originally envisioned, the creative team behind it is determined to adapt and use the space to its fullest potential. With its combination of a theatre and mega-venue, it is poised to become a cultural hub that caters to a wide range of events and performances.
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