Our design for the Verbania Theatre integrates a 500-seat main theatre and a smaller performance hall with a range of amenities, including restaurants, bars and a bookshop. The proposal carefully considers the scale of its surroundings as well as vernacular materials, with a facade crafted from local terracotta. The building’s main axes become part of an urban network of squares, leading through to Lake Maggiore.

Drawing Inspiration from vibrant small-town squares, the complex brings the public up onto terraces where open-air cinema, casual performances, and bar-cafe activity intermingle with the adjoining market place. The main theatre acts as a central hub fostering this dynamic atmosphere, with the reception areas serving as versatile spaces for smaller performances or meetings.

Despite being awarded the top prize in an international competition, the project was shelved due to political changes in the Piedmont region.

In association with Salvador Perez Arroyo