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A brand-new centre for the performing arts might be coming soon to the kingdom, and designs for its space were recently recognised for their innovative approach and creative panache.
The Rashid Al Khalifa (RAK) Centre for Performing Arts will be located in Adhari and several of Bahrain’s top architects have been lauded for their designs for the facility, as part of the RAK Architecture Award.
“There is an enormous amount of untapped potential when it comes to visual artists, whether designers, architects, artists or performers and one of the aims of the RAK Art Foundation is to offer opportunities to help realise this creative potential,” the foundation’s founder and National Council for Arts president Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa told GulfWeekly.
“I have always believed that Bahrain is home to countless creative individuals. I am so grateful to the applicants and delighted by the number of submissions that we received. The standard and level of professionalism is extremely promising.”
Each of the designers were asked to submit a schematic for the centre, which includes a performance hall for music and theatre acts, a multifunctional exhibition space for talks and temporary exhibitions, as well as administrative offices, storage, and a general catering area.
“Candidates were expected to take into consideration the history of the location (Adhari) and the surrounding environment,” RAK Art Foundation curator Yasmin Sharabi added.
“Applications were judged based on innovation, sustainability, environmental responsibility, functional design and communal space.”
While a timeline for the project has not yet been revealed, the team is currently in “the process of discussing the feasibility and determining logistics related to construction.”
For the designs, the jury commended the first-place winner, Fatima Nickahdar, on the bold form of the proposal with its sloping massing and curvilinear circulation and gardens.
The jury appreciated that her design of the proposed centre allowed for outdoor performances to occur on the exterior, combining both stage and landscape onto a single roof plane.
In second place was Latifa and Alanood Khayyat’s proposal, which featured a “series of rectangular rooms in plan, connected by an interstitial series of gardens and exhibition multi-use spaces, and the massing which separated the site into three distinct gardens.”
The proposal by Sara Salman was chosen for third place for its vision of various performance spaces accommodated within a single building.
Receiving honourable mentions for their technical achievement were Adnan Hansia’s bold decision to place the theatre and outdoor spaces within a large water feature; as well as Mohammed Al Zeera’s elegant choice of materials and finishes for the centre.
As the project proceeds, the team plans to engage different creative fields to conceptualise what needs the centre would serve.
“We understand the importance of involving and creating discourse with the creative community in Bahrain on projects such as this - after all, it will be utilised for them,” Yasmin added. “It is important for a space like this to engage and satisfy the needs of the people for whom it is meant to serve.
“We will also discuss the needs of artists and performers, their requirements are a priority.
“This also goes for workshops and education. It is necessary to understand what our society, and what are community needs and what is effective in serving them for the benefit of all of us.”
For more details, follow @rakartfoundation on Instagram.
