What if an opera house had a skate park at its heart? Opera Houses are white elephants amongst our cities; despite their minimal relevance to the populace at large, they are considered the ultimate prestige projects. They can be regenerative, a symbol of a city’s future, or, the expensive self-indulgence of star-chitects – “top-down” buildings that aren’t accepted by the people who live there.

Millennial operas typically counter this exclusive reputation a ‘gesture’ of public space. The “black box” auditorium is isolated at the heart of these buildings, severing the act of performance from public space. This project inverts the typical spatial hierarchy of an opera house – carving out the centre of the building (usually dedicated to the auditorium) and instead providing a skate park and informal performance area. A smaller opera auditorium is placed on the side, with a direct connection to the street which also acts as a foyer.