from the same architects of tate modern, jacques herzog and pierre de meuron, a new building for the world’s largest contemporary dance school, the laban centre for movement and dance, opened on 5 february 2003. just as tate an important new cultural landmark for london.
the centre was founded by rudolf laban, a hungarian refugee, soon after the second world war. he was one of the founding figures of modern european dance. he fled nazi germany and settled in britain in 1948 where he established the art of movement studio in manchester. this later became the laban centre for movement and dance, and was relocated to new cross in south london.
the new building is located in deptford creek, one of those curiously placeless voids in the city where rubbish and litter accumulate like fluff under the wardrobe. it still shows the scars of wartime bombing. a most uncommon location for such a notorious project. it's one of those confrontations of the banal with the fragile.
for the design of the building the architects collaborated with michael craig-martin, an artist. the result is a special mix between color and light. by day, the semi-reflective, semi-translucent polycarbonate both mirrors the passing weather and allows the regular activity of the centre - dance classes, rehearsals and workshops. by night the centre becomes a colored illuminating volume. an effect caused by the glass facade and the colored walls at the inside.
a remarkable building designed for an equally remarkable institution. |
