The project proposes an exciting and ambitious new Arts Centre for Halton Borough Council, which has an important role in revitalising the old town centre and the arts in the wider area.

The site, known as Camden Gardens, is situated to the north of the Bridgewater Canal and east of the High Street. The site slopes up from the old town centre towards the canal with magnificent views across the old town towards the Bridge and the Mersey beyond.

The building is organised around three primary functions. The First is the main Auditorium seating 420 in the stalls and circle and is designed for speech, drama, lyric, music and dance, linked by a proscenium arch to a deep stage and a full height fly tower. A forestage links the spaces and can be adapted to provide either an orchestra pit or a flat extension to the stalls.

The second house is a smaller multi-functional flat floor studio. This space which is fitted with retractable raking seats for 120 people allows a variety of seating and performance options including theatre, dance, cinema conference and group activities. Both houses are equipped with separate control and mixing rooms and are acoustically treated.

The third public function is an exhibition space and education workroom.

These functions which are expressed as separate elements are linked together by a top lit double height curving foyer uniting the ground and activities to display areas, seating alcoves and a bar and at first floor to a café and restaurant with a south facing terrace overlooking the canal.

Ancillary spaces include scene dock, green room, changing areas, rehearsal rooms and offices. All areas are designed to be fully accessible.

The project benefits from a passive energy strategy for cooling and ventilation of the theatre by using the structure as a thermal store. This approach was developed in our earlier projects and is rated by the DETR as best practice for energy efficiency.

The construction cost is £6.2 million, (including an enabling contract) and benefited from Arts Council Lottery funding. Halton Arts Centre, now officially named "The Brindley" opened in July 2004.

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