Eden Court Theatre

Built as a centre of performing arts, the theatre was designed to be multi-use to accommodate orchestral and chamber concerts, opera, ballet, drama, conferences, dances and films.

The form of the auditorium has proved the key to the theatre's success, consisting of a three-tiered horse-shoe it was significant in re-awakening interest in this traditional form and its innate flexibility in use.

The hexagonal forms of the building arose naturally from the shape of the site. The stepped design evolved from the need to provide a greater movement area in the ground floor whilst requiring less space in the upper foyers.

For a building of such a size, it is unusual that there is no steel frame (other than that which holds the pitched roofs to the eaves), only loadbearing concrete blocks. Designed to be seen; the open lawn to the east allows clear undisturbed views from Ness Bank and in turn, the large glazed panels frame views to the River Ness whilst creating a feeling of greater space from within the foyers.