Architectural Ironmonger:
Client:
Austin Smith Lord/Knowsley MBC
The Shakespeare North Project.
The Shakespeare North Playhouse opened in July 2022 to a rapturous reception. Designed by architects Austin Smith Lord and constructed by Kier, the playhouse features two theatres, with 420/60-person capacities respectively. The building also offers an exhibition gallery, café, studio space, visitor centre and learning centre. The main theatre is based on a cockpit-in-court style and is in-keeping with other replica Shakespearean theatres in the UK and internationally.
The project had sustainability at its heart, being built from reclaimed hardwood and using carbon-reduced building methods. The Playhouse itself sits in a Conservation Area, with Knowsley Council looking for social benefits and minimal environmental issues during construction.
RB were asked to work with similar concepts in mind, using a UK firm for the creation of the ironmongery to minimise environmental impacts, and working with the beautiful wooden materials that had been chosen for the theatre, as well as glass doors that form part of the main lobby and make use of natural lighting.
The door furniture chosen needed to fulfil two separate briefs, but to match seamlessly and link from the theatres to the outdoor areas. The handles needed to easily work with the large doors, but not be too cumbersome and distracting. The well-informed team at RB therefore enlisted Instinct Hardware to help this vision come to life.
The Ironmongery: Solid mitred door furniture in PVD Matt Black and Satin Stainless Steel.
The styling of the theatre mixes a yesteryear layout with modern style, with the beautiful reclaimed wood making a visual impact. The door furniture needed to complement this style, whilst remaining simple in design. Minimal intrusion and reflection of lighting was a must for the theatre, meaning that PVD Matt Black was chosen as an ideal finish – matching the balconies and accents in the theatre itself. The solid mitred pulls are slimline but extremely sturdy – allowing full power to the pull but again meaning that the eye is not drawn away from the action on the stage. Double mitred solid lever handles matched the pull handles, with adjustments made allowing for matching lift to lock handles in the accessible bathrooms.
On the other side of the theatre doors, satin stainless was the order of the day, mirroring their matt black counterparts inside. The same solid steel was used to provide a slimline finish to the overall look, whilst ensuring the larger doors could still be easily manoeuvred. Finally, all accessories such as escutcheons and radiused flush pulls were created to match the handles, providing a polished look to this vivacious project.
Instinct were a good choice from the sustainability side as the manufacture of the products was all done in house. The material (19mm solid stainless bar) is sourced from a UK supplier, and modern manufacturing techniques are used to minimise any environmental impact, any excess materials are recycled. Instinct is an ISO14001 registered company.
If you have a project that would benefit from top-quality ironmongery, then contact us today! To find out more about sustainability at Instinct Hardware, read our blog article.
