The centerpiece of the redevelopment is The Stage, Shoreditch – London’s second oldest Shakespearean playhouse.
Discovered during archaeological investigations in 2011, this 16th Century Curtain Theatre was the venue for the first performance of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Henry V.
As per the restoration scheme, the 14-sided, 22m diameter theatre and related finds will be excavated, preserved and exhibited in a 13,000ft2 space including a 164-seat indoor auditorium.
The theatre will be restored in close consultation with the Museum of London Archaeology and English Heritage to safeguard and create an internationally significant cultural and educational attraction.
An additional 200-seat performance space will be created outside, which will be connected to a new, 1.3 acre open square with shops, bars, cafés and restaurants.
Besides this, the 2.5 acre development includes a 40-storey residential tower building featuring 385 residential units. The residential units will vary from studios to penthouse apartments with balconies or roof terraces.
It also includes two buildings providing 25,000 m2 of office space and 4,500m2 of shops and restaurants.
The scheme will be built sustainably. It will feature an energy centre to share heat and power evenly across the day by providing 34% reduction in the CO2 emissions as compared to a Part L 2010 compliant development.
Passive measures will further enhance the sustainability along with the installation of green roofs and sedum roofs with solar panels.
The office and retail elements are designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating while residential units are targeted to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes level four.
Other work of the scheme includes 19th Century Victorian railway viaduct restoration, a 7,800ft2 urban park on top, and 742 cycle parking spaces including 128 above ground space for visitors.
Plough Yard Developments Ltd.is the developer of the project. Townshend Landscape Architects will provide the landscaping.
