Over the years Herman Hertzberger has made a great many theatre designs for sites both in the Netherlands and abroad. They are presented here together for the first time in book-form. In a long interview with Arthur Wortmann the architect explains what designing theatres means to him. Armed with many examples from his own work and the work of others, he describes how a theatre ought to slip into its urban surroundings, the considerations that obtain when designing the auditoria and the secret of a good foyer. Hertzberger explains that theatres in fact should blend into the city. He calls for polyvalency instead of flexibility and stresses the need to articulate space so that there is always plenty to see. Once again Hertzberger shows himself to be an inspired teacher who expounds his views in convincing fashion.

Over the years Herman Hertzberger has made a great many theatre designs for sites both in the Netherlands and abroad. They are presented here together for the first time in book-form. In a long interview with Arthur Wortmann the architect explains what designing theatres means to him. Armed with many examples from his own work and the work of others, he describes how a theatre ought to slip into its urban surroundings, the considerations that obtain when designing the auditoria and the secret of a good foyer. Hertzberger explains that theatres in fact should blend into the city. He calls for polyvalency instead of flexibility and stresses the need to articulate space so that there is always plenty to see. Once again Hertzberger shows himself to be an inspired teacher who expounds his views in convincing fashion.