Cidermill Theatre
It has been fantastic to see our Cidermill Theatre project complete on site. The development, at Chipping Campden School, brings outstanding new performing arts facilities, not only to the school but also to the wider Cotswold community. Designed by Acanthus Clews, the project has been in the pipeline for over a decade, when it first became apparent that the children deserved better facilities.
Photography: Andy Marshall @fotofacade
Cidermill Theatre Design
Previously, performances within the school took place in the centrally located school hall, a busy and noisy environment which prevented the students from being seen or heard adequately. Whilst Cidermill Theatre rectifies this, it is not just about performance enjoyment, as the Perform Camden School website states. “Performing arts benefits all aspects of education. Learning through arts and culture can improve cognitive abilities and attainment in Maths and English. It develops skills and behaviour that lead to children doing better in school.” (Cultural Learning Alliance, Key Research Findings: the value of cultural learning, 2017).
Photography: Andy Marshall @fotofacade
The aim was to create a vibrant learning environment in which children can thrive. The creative space encourages more people to explore the arts and frees up teaching space in other locations around the school.
Following a huge fundraising effort, which saw school land sold off to Duchy Homes, the build began in 2020. We are proud to be able to share these images now that it has completed.
Photography: Andy Marshall @fotofacade
Auditorium
The centrepiece of Cidermill Theatre is a spacious auditorium, which features retractable seating for up to 340 people. The retractable seating, along with a soundproof moveable wall, will maximise the theatre’s flexibility. Alongside the central performing space are two large rooms that act as multifunctional spaces for classes or rehearsals and a dance studio with a fully sprung floor.
Photography: Andy Marshall @fotofacade
The arts space features all the necessary equipment to host professional performances including audio-visual equipment and a technical gantry to access stage equipment. This allows the theatre to not only service the school but to also benefit the whole of the Chipping Campden community who can now enjoy stage productions and cinema on their own doorstep. The space can also be hired for small and large-scale events, and we must admit with the glulam posts supporting the canopy roof to the foyer there is such a dramatic sense of arrival even the most formal events would be right at home.
Photography: Andy Marshall @fotofacade
SOLID were appointed as Structural Engineers and we are proud to have been a part of Cidermill Theatre’s development alongside Acanthus Clews, TrendGrey Construction Ltd, QODA Consulting, Dawn Lodge Associates and Mick Way from Theatretech.
Do contact the SOLID team if you have your own development to see how we can help.
Photography: Andy Marshall @fotofacade