Experimental Puppetry Arts Centre

Experimental Puppetry Arts Centre, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

A professional music and drama center for adult and children’s puppetry performances, workshops, concerts, film, and other community events adjacent to an existing facility.

The design includes a main proscenium theater with a fly tower, black box auditorium for up to 200 seats, as well as a second space for smaller events with 100 seats. Combining both spaces allows for a maximum audience capacity of 300 seats. Additionally, there is an outdoor children’s summer stage with seating for 100.

The building is constructed using concrete with clay brick infill and incorporates natural ventilation. The auditoria are surrounded by an air plenum that draws fresh air through attenuated intakes at a low level and exhausts it through rooftop chimneys at a high level. This design, combined with the thermal mass and configuration of the building, ensures effective cooling in the summer and warming in the winter.

Furthermore, the technical environment of the theater supports a wide range of creative opportunities, facilitating innovation and experimentation in puppetry performances.