The Stage: A Spatial Laboratory for Architects?

Hendricus Th. Wijdeveld (1885–1987) and the dialogical interplay between theatre and architecture

Suse Koch, dipl. Arch. mas eth gta
Advisor: Prof. Dr. Philip Ursprung, Institut gta, ETH Zürich

A sketch by Hendricus Th. Wijdeveld for the Centre de Culture — Hendricus Th. Wijdeveld, Concept sketch Centre de Culture in the South of France, 1966 (Quelle: Het Nieuwe Instituut, Rotterdam, Wijdeveld H.Th. / Archief WIJD 3.4.3.1.2.81)

New theories in aesthesiophysiology opened a discourse on the notion of space in arts and architecture around 1900. As a consequence, theatre became an experimental ground for modernity. Reforms in contemporary theatre were inspired by the contributions of many architects in this process of transition from painted two-dimensional sceneries to spatial stage designs. At the same time, architects were able to transfer their experience in the field of theatre to their own discipline. This research project debates cross-fertilizing relationships between architecture and stage design, examining in particular the role of scenography as a spatial laboratory for architects.

The International Theatre Exhibition in Amsterdam (1922) and the oeuvre of Dutch architect Hendricus Theodorus Wijdeveld will serve as case studies. The exhibition presents a wide panorama of contemporary positions in stage design. It was co-curated by Wijdeveld, who was extensively involved in dramatic arts alongside his architectural work: He not only designed theatre buildings, but also produced designs for costumes as well as scenery, and he published widely on contemporary topics in the performing arts.