The Theatre as Arcade, the Arcade as Theatre

David Hodgson, an MArch student at the University of Sheffield, has won the AJ Students Award for his design of a performing arts complex. The centerpiece of the complex is The Arcade Theatre, a space for immersive performances where the audience gets involved. The project incorporates idiosyncratic details to trigger people’s curiosity, learning from the work of Walter Benjamin who described the arcade as a “world in miniature”. These “oscillations”, as Benjamin called them, are deviations from repetitive elements such as a bright yellow arch, an exuberant light fitting, and a black brick studio. The result is a rich environment full of the theatre of everyday life.

There are many projects claiming inspiration from the Arcades Project, but often they only show a superficial resemblance to Benjamin's writings and the historical structures he examined. Hodgson, on the other hand, has a much deeper understanding of the Arcades Project. His emphasis on the idea that structure can shape an experience gets to the heart of Benjamin's interest in the Paris Arcades.