MIDDLE HALL,
AUBADE HALL,Toyama City Theater for Performing Art

Citizens’ long-awaited ‘just right’ hall was born

Opened in 1996, Aubade Large Hall (Toyama City Theater for Performing Arts) has been utilized as one of the leading halls that enables large-scale stage performances in Japan. A variety of performances, such as operas and musicals, have been held and the hall is always full of life with the audience.
On July 1, 2023, the public’s long-awaited Medium Hall was opened on a lot next to the Large Hall. Its maximum seating capacity is 652 seats, about one-third the capacity of the 2,196-seat Large Hall. The Medium Hall serves as a cultural hub where residents can gather together and casually watch performances. With the completion of the Medium Hall, Aubade Hall has been upgraded to a facility that can accommodate the diverse needs of the public.

Your ideas transform the hall into many forms

KOTOBUKI SEATING supplied seats for the Middle Hall following the Large Hall. The Middle Hall is multi-layered style with 4 levels of audience seating area.The distance between the stage and the audience is close enough for the audience to directly feel the facial expressions and breathing of the performers. All the seating on the first floor is movable, consisting of retractable seating THEATRE MORE PREMIUM, wagon seating, and removable seating. 
The THEATRE MORE PREMIUM is KOTOBUKI SEATING’s highest grade of retractable seating, equipped with authentic theater seats. These seats can be easily deployed and retracted by electrical operation. Wagon seating allows the entire unit to be removed while the seats stay fixed to the floor. By changing the direction of the wagon, it is possible to create layouts for the center stage. On the other hand, the removable seating can be detached from the floor to make a runway, special seating area, and other arrangements.
Combining different seating types with these features enables users to turn the space into as many as 6 different layouts. Furthermore, the sliding wall at the back can be opened up creating a large open space that connects the entrance area and the hall. As a versatile variable space, the halls are expected to be used based on flexible ideas from the public.

Seating that was made to be more individual and safer

he seating area was furnished with originally designed seats that were created with the designer’s uncompromising commitment. The most eye-catching feature is the armrests. They are normally shared by people sitting next to each other, but these seats offer armrests dedicated to each person, making the space more individual. The legs have a simple ladder shape that gives a wider view when looked at from the aisle side. Because the hall was primarily intended for theater use, the design was inspired by the image of a traditional playhouse with small chairs lined up one by one. The seating upholstery is in two different colors, brown and grey, with a gradation towards the upper floor. Since the back of the seat was designed not to show the wooden edge when viewed from the front, visitors can smoothly feel the color tone change created by the two different upholstery fabric colors. In the hall where the dark tone has been applied, the colors of the interior wooden louvers and the seating upholstery are well-linked, adding warmth to the space.
Functionality and barrier-free accessibility were also taken into account while paying great attention to seating comfort during viewing. “Spacia” was adopted for all the seating, which is a type of seat characterized by a thinner top end and a triangular shape when looked at from the side. This shape allows the audience to naturally move their legs back and forth, preventing reduced blood flow due to staying in the same position for a long time. It also allows the audience’s legs to be pulled in right under their bodies, making it easier for them to stand up and sit down. 
Handholds were placed on the backs of the seats located on the aisle side of the first floor. Since they are naturally integrated with the backrest board, it’s not quite noticeable, but the handholds provide good assistance for the audience going up and down the steps. These theater seats are easy to use for audiences of all ages visiting the theater.

Facility Overview

Opened in 1996, Aubade Hall’s Large Hall has 2,196 seats and is suitable for various genres, such as opera, musicals, plays, ballet, and orchestra performances. With three different stages—main, rear, and side stage, the Hall has been used as one of the leading venues for large-scale stage productions in Japan. The Middle Hall, built 27 years after the opening of the Large Hall, is multifunctional with a retractable seating system that can be used for a variety of purposes regardless of genre. The inside of the building features a warm interior, with cedar boards used in the ceiling of the main lobby and the Hall. The Hall is surrounded by practice rooms for music, dance, and art, as well as a listening room with a complete selection of audio equipment, allowing for a full range of civic activities. Some of the exterior and interior walls are made of glass so that the activities are visible from the outside. The Middle Hall is also expected to host unprecedented events, such as a project in collaboration with the Large Hall. It aims to be an open and lively exchange space for citizens.

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