The Hardelot Theatre was chosen as the 2017 recipient of the Wood in Architecture Award by the World Architecture News jury panel, who viewed a shortlist of six entries before choosing the winning design. The 2017 judges were: Jon Eaglesham (Managing Director at Barr Gazetas) Clare Murray (Head of Sustainability at Levitt Bernstein) James Greaves (Partner at Hopkins Architects) and Mark Robinson (Science & Industry Leader at Arup Associates).
L+A Landscape Architecture, the firm led by IIT Professor and MLA+U Program Director Ron Henderson, was consulting Landscape Architect for the project.
The theater – designed by the architect Andrew Todd – is a cylinder of wood and bamboo discreetly sited between a stand of horsechestnut trees and a wetland meadow on the grounds of Château d’Hardelot. It is the first round theater built in France since the Revolution.
The landscape is distinguished by a stand of Aesculus hippocastanum (horse chestnut) and Tilia tomentosa (linden, or lime tree) that were preserved by the careful placement and pre-fabricated construction techniques of the theater. Paths of crushed seashells give access to the theater and to the restored wetland meadow adjacent to the theater.