Building and Location
Teatre Nacional de Catalunya
Plaça de les Arts, 1
08013 Barcelona
Tel. 34 933 065 700
Fax 34 933 065 701
info@tnc.cat
View map here
The construction of the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya in the plaça de les Glòries in Barcelona, a building designed by Ricardo Bofill, revitalised the neighbourhood which needed a profound
urban transformation. In this respect, it also notably contributed to providing the city of Barcelona with balanced facilities.
La plaça de les Arts, with the location of the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya and L'Auditori, has been consolidated as one of the key points of culture in
the country.
The Teatre Nacional de Catalunya was created by the Department of Culture of the Government of Catalonia. Construction began on 8 November 1991 on land ceded by Barcelona City Council. It
is a complex made up of two different structures. The main building, in the form of a Greek temple, houses the Sala Gran (870 seats) and the Sala Petita (up to
450 seats) of the Theatre, in addition to the main foyer, an area for artists, offices, and all complementary services. It has a surface area of 20,000 m2 covered by a metallic
gabled roof supported on 26 columns of 12 metres in height.
The auxiliary building has a surface area of 5,000 m2 and complements the general composition. It has a traditional and modern appearance at the same time. This structure houses the
Workshops of the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, including the Sala Tallers (up to 400 seats), a multiuse auditorium for all kinds of productions.
Sala Gran
Access is via the upper area, crossing a surrounding passage for taking a stroll and resting with windows overlooking the auditorium. The interior décor is made of wood, both to improve
the acoustics and to achieve a sober and welcoming space for the audience. It has a capacity of 870 seats, arranged in the form of a classic amphitheatre, which ensures maximum
visibility. The seats themselves, designed by Ricardo Bofill, are made of stainless steel and tobacco–coloured leather. Above the ceiling there is a series of technical galleries, with
windows for the light projectors. The air conditioning system works through grilles located under the seats. Highly complex sound studies have been carried out to ensure good acoustics
from any part of the auditorium. At the foot of the stage an orchestra pit can be equipped with a capacity for 56 musicians.
Virtual tour
Artists’ area (Sala Gran)
Artists’ area(Sala Gran)
In the artists’ area there are dressing rooms for up to 70 people. All the dressing rooms of the Sala Gran are arranged around a patio to achieve a place of circulation and communication
facilitating human contact between the actors. A stairway connects the artists’ patio with the waiting room from where the actors enter the stage. In this space there are small dressing
rooms for quick changes, make-up, hairdressing and scene costumes, stage help and group dressing rooms (musicians and dance groups).
Stage area (Sala Gran)
This block of the building houses three rehearsal rooms (on the 5th floor), some theatre administration offices (4th floor), and technical assistance and repair workshops for productions
underway (block symmetrical to that of the artists’ dressing rooms).
The stage area itself has a height of 35 metres. The stage is 18 metres wide and 16 deep. The height of the stage opening is 9.85 metres, and below the stage there is a depth of 5 metres.
The stage area also comprises lateral spaces of 16x16 metres and a space behind the stage of 18x16 metres. On the stage there are three platforms that can rise individually or together
and allow multiple stage combinations. The ceiling lighting bar consists of 56 aluminium bars of 22 metres long that rise and fall driven by 56 motors. Each of these bars can support up
to 500 kg. and can carry, alternatively, spotlights or stage elements. The bars are complemented by 28 additional motors. All the stage machinery is controlled by a computer system.
Main foyer
This space has been conceived as a great public square, encased in glass, air conditioned and with interior vegetation. A place of meeting and rest which offers all the services: box
office, cloakroom, bookshop, cafeteria, information centre, etc. An escalator and a glass lift connect the main foyer with the restaurant, which occupies an area of 1,000 m2 just above
the stalls of the Sala Gran. Access to the foyer is up the steps of the main façade, facing the sea and in front of the plaça de les Arts, an area of gardens surrounded by palm trees and
suitable for the presentation of complementary performances in the open air.
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Sala Petita
The multiuse auditorium of the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya was designed by Ibáñez/Bantjes, Consultors Escènics. With an independent entrance through carrer de Padilla, it has its own
services independent of those of the Sala Gran (box office, toilets, dressing rooms, tailoring and make-up rooms, storerooms, among others). The side galleries, the upper lighting bar and
the floor make up a space in the form of a harmonic prism, of 14.14 metres wide, 21.70 metres long and 8 metres high. The floor is formed by moveable trap doors. The auditorium is
absolutely neutral, constructed with functional materials. It has been conceived as a physical space, flexible and adaptable to experimentation with unconventional forms of relations
between actors and audience. This is possible thanks to the mobile galleries, collapsible and telescopic seating allowing various positions according to the stage space. These options
affect the capacity of the auditorium (variable, around 450 seats). An interior stairway directly links the Sala Petita with the main foyer.
Virtual tour
Sala Tallers
The Sala Tallers has become the third venue of the TNC. It is in the central module of the building annex and occupies 800 of its 5,600 m2. This auditorium, which offers around 500 seats,
has the corresponding services (cafeteria, box office, cloakroom…) and dressing rooms, small workshops, storerooms and offices. In the two side naves of this building there are currently
a stage design and props workshop and a rehearsal room.
Virtual tour