Kilden Performing Arts Centre

Kilden, a theater and concert hall in Kristiansand, southern Norway, has brought together all the Sørlandet region’s performing arts institutions under one roof. Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra has a concert hall accommodating 1,200 attendees. The regional Kilden Theater is performing in a theater with a capacity of 700, that can be transformed to accommodate opera performances by the local ensemble Kilden Opera. In addition, there is a stage for experimental theater and a multi-purpose hall with a level floor.

Kilden produces experiences. The way the concert, theater and multi-purpose halls are serviced efficiently and without interference forms the core of its architecture. The monumental abstract form of the foyer wall made of local oak separates reality from fantasy. Passing through, the audience will move from natural landscape to the realm of performing arts. This wall made of wedged CNC milled solid planks is not only a disguised theatrical effect but a concrete tactile artifact, which also improves the acoustics of the foyer. The infinite blackness of the other three facades emphasizes the spectacle of the foyer.

The expansion of the venue containing more rehearsal space was completed in late 2014.