The Brindley facts for kids
Exterior view of the entrance to The Brindley
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| Address | High Street, Runcorn WA7 1BG |
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| Coordinates | 53°20′26″N 2°43′53″W / 53.3406°N 2.7315°W |
| Owner | Halton Borough Council |
| Type | Theatre |
| Capacity | 420 theatre / 108 studio |
| Construction | |
| Opened | September 2004 |
| Architect | John Miller and Partners |
| Structural engineer | Dewhurst Macfarlane & Partners |
| Services engineer | SVM |
| Main contractors | G&J Sedden |
The Brindley is a cool theatre in Runcorn, Cheshire, England. It sits right by the Bridgewater Canal. This special place is named after James Brindley, who was an engineer for the canal. The Brindley first opened its doors in the autumn of 2004. John Miller and Partners were the architects who designed it. Halton Borough Council owns and runs the building.
Contents
Building The Brindley: How it was Made
When building The Brindley, the local council wanted to be kind to the environment. They also wanted to save energy. So, they used "low energy, high efficiency techniques" to construct it. This means they built it in smart ways to use less power.
Smart Energy Saving Features
One clever technique they used was a system called TermoDeck. This system helps control the temperature inside the building. It uses hollow spaces within the concrete floors. These spaces act like air ducts, helping to keep the building cool or warm. This makes the building more energy efficient.
What You Can Find Inside The Brindley
The Brindley has many different areas for fun and learning. It's a busy place with lots to see and do.
Main Theatre and Studio Spaces
- Main Auditorium: This is the biggest space, with 420 seats. It hosts many shows, like plays and touring productions. Every Christmas, there's a professional pantomime show. Local groups also put on their own performances here.
- Studio: This smaller room has 108 seats. It can also be used as a cinema to watch films.
Other Cool Areas
- Exhibition and Gallery Space: Here, you can see art and other displays.
- Education Room: A place for workshops and learning activities.
- Dark Room: Used for developing photos the old-fashioned way.
- Digital Imaging Room: For working with digital pictures.
- Dressing Rooms: Where performers get ready for their shows.
- Meeting Room: A space for groups to gather.
- Bar and Café: You can grab a drink or a snack here. It has great views of the Bridgewater Canal.
Awards and Recognition
The Brindley has won many awards for its design and for its work in the community.
Awards for Architecture
- The Centre Vision Award: From The Civic Trust in 2005.
- Excellence in Access Award: From the ADAPT Trust. This award is for making places easy for people with disabilities to use.
- Architectural Award: From the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). RIBA praised the building for fitting well into its surroundings. They liked how it used the canal views and stayed within its budget.
- Open Award for Technical Excellence in Architectural Technology: Won in 2008.
Awards for Community Work
- Best Arts Project in the UK: The Brindley won this at The National Lottery Awards in 2007. This was for its activities that help the community.
- Best Performance Venue Award: Won in May 2008 at the Mersey Partnership Tourism Awards.
