Alexandra Palace’s Creativity Pavilion opened today providing a new home in the recently developed East Wing of the building for the charity’s Creative Learning programme. The programme uses the arts and history of the palace to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to develop new skills and boost their well-being.
Designed by East Wing project architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, and built by fabricators Factory Settings, the Pavilion was created with input from local schools, health service providers, set designers, volunteers, artists and organisations such as Haringey Shed and Haringey Music Service, to ensure that the new space would benefit the widest possible range of users.
The final result is a pavilion which has the flexibility to be transformed and adapted for a range of activities; including interactive workshops for schools, music and theatrical performances, community-curated exhibitions, creative sessions for people with disabilities and family drop-in classes, such as Baby Jazz.
The upper levels of the space form a light box, whilst below a series of fixed and moveable panels enable the space to be enclosed from the rest of the East Court or opened up to become part of the larger space. The interior is equipped with a lighting rig and speakers which gives a theatrical feel, whilst the new suspended ceiling and motorised curtain rail allows for the space to be darkened for projection. The Creativity Pavilion provides a welcoming, inspiring and modern fit-for-purpose facility which contributes to the vibrancy of the newly restored East Wing.
The opening of the new Creativity Pavilion is another step in Alexandra Palace’s mission – along with the renovated Victorian Theatre, and the transformation of East Court – to repair, restore and maintain the Park and Palace for public recreation and enjoyment.
The official launch on Tuesday 25 February included the opening of a new exhibition called Little Inventors. This is the culmination of a year-long project that challenged children across north London to start on their own inventive journey, inspired by the innovative spirit of the adventurers and aeronauts of who have appeared at Alexandra Palace over the years. Four winners were selected and their designs brought to life by redLoop, the design and innovation centre at Middlesex University, and will be displayed in the Creativity Pavilion until 24 March.
Louise Stewart, Alexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust chief executive, said:
“We’re delighted to be opening the Creativity Pavilion. Having a dedicated and specially designed space for these activities means we will be much better placed to deliver a creative programme to inspire people. It’s going to be exciting to see how this space will support the charity to benefit more people in new ways.
The Creativity Pavilion also marks the latest phase in our restoration of the park and palace. To see how much this space has changed in the last few years is almost unbelievable, and we’d like to thank everyone who has worked with us to make this possible.”
