Cultural centre in Upplands Väsby
Industrial theatre building
Since 2011, a combined high school and general activity centre called Messingen has existed in Upplands Väsby. When it opened in 2011 it won a significant community building award. The developer, Mattssons Fastighetsutveckling, was then given the opportunity to construct a theatre, as a complement to Messingen.
TEA was hired to design the building and the exterior was inspired by the industrial history of Upplands Väsby. Since 1917 Väsby Werkstäder has manufactured brass and copper products in the area, which influenced the choice of materials: brick, brass, expanded metal, galvanized steel and polished concrete.
The exterior of the theatre in the centre of the building is formed as a red structure going up through the roof and making an appearance in the café and foyer. There’s space for 300 people in the room, which is primarily intended to house concerts, but also has retractable seating and an even floor level between the stage and the stalls. This means the room can be used “black box” style, a black room in which the audience and actors can be placed in a range of different positions.
The cultural centre in Upplands Väsby was ready for opening at the end of 2015.
Upplands Väsby, 2015.
