Sarah Wigglesworth

Sarah Wigglesworth Architects (SWA) is committed to superb design, excellent service and the exploration of sustainable futures. Sarah Wigglesworth will be coming to The Cass to talk about her award-winning project to create a new studio for a dance company.

 

SWA believes that good design in all its aspects can improve life and make things work more practically and economically, and that every one of us has the right to a good quality environment, as much as we'd expect clean water and good health. The practice undertakes research and analysis on all aspects of a project to produce resilient and sustainable proposals, and strives to produce designs that are underpinned by close collaboration with clients and stakeholder groups to generate the brief and test ideas.

 

One of Britain’s leading choreographers, Siobhan Davies, invited SWA to create a new studio for her dance company and other visiting artists. The design extended and refurbished an old school building in Southwark to create a flexible set of training, rehearsal and performance spaces alongside offices, therapy, changing and function rooms. The building also functions as a showcase for other art forms such as music, performance, art and sculpture. The main studio at the top of the building was finished with a curving, asymmetrical roof with large, irregular-shaped arched windows set into a timber ceiling.

 

The studio was described in Building Design as “One hell of an achievement”, while the Sunday Times newspaper observed the collaboration between disciplines coming together as, “one art form responding to another with wit and panache”.

 

The Cass is delighted to be welcoming Sarah to speak about this project. She will discuss in depth the process of working with the dance company and dancers to deliver this award-winning design.