The Bourla Theatre in Antwerp, Belgium, is the only large municipal theatre worldwide to be equipped with a complete top of the art heritage theatre machinery from the period 1830 that outlived the fanatic theatre technical renovation rage in our modern times, and still finds itself in excellent and workable condition.

Therefore it is essential that this last surviving example of European theatre technology of that period has to be passed in workable condition to next generations.

The Masterplan developed by DRDH Architects for restoration and renovation of the Bourla Theatre has many interesting and valuable solutions. However a part of it is very challenging, as far as  the heritage theatre machinery may not survive in workable condition. This part of the Masterplan is so provocative and bold that there is a fear for the survival of the building itself.

Jerome Maeckelbergh from theatrEurope is organising an online presentation on the matter. The presentation will cover, from the former theatre building “Tapissierspand” over to an overview on some major changes that the Bourla building has endured in its history, including the fears about a particular and questionable intervention as proposed in the new Masterplan.

The online Zoom presentation is planned on Friday 31 March 2023
at 14:00 Central European Time (CET = GMT + 1).

How to attend:

It is necessary to subscribe to attend this Zoom activity, so that attendees can receive reminders and the Invitation link for the meeting.

Please register your interest to attend the event before Friday 24 February 2023 by emailing theatreurope.vzw@icloud.com