A New Stage Structure for the National Theatre of Costa Rica

Abstract

The following paper describes the designs and construction of the new stage structure and metal rigging of the National Theatre of Costa Rica (TNCR). The 125-year-old heritage building was subjected to renovations of the stage and rigging, interweaving a new structure that left the original iron and wood structure intact and respected a fully operational historical stage. The project was innovative because it maintained the original loom and added a dual-stage that supports larger loads in a new bolted metal structure while preserving the craft of the stagehand in the original theatre rigging system.

Keywords:

• preservation
• heritage
• dual rigging
• modular bolted
• exoskeleton

Acknowledgements

This project was the result of collaborative work carried out by several consulting firms, designers and construction companies, and theatre employees and was performed over several years and stages. It is important to recognize the fact that despite the long period of the renovation (running from 2012 to 2023), budget limitations and the oversight of several directors of the TNCR, the project persisted, and was finished successfully.

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analysed in this study.