Project summary

The Hoffmann Building at Snape Maltings is a development of several previously-derelict industrial buildings located just outside the village of Snape in Suffolk. Aldeburgh Music, which operates the Aldeburgh Festival originally founded by Benjamin Britten & Peter Pears, occupies a number of buildings on the site including the Snape Maltings Concert Hall, which is internationally recognised for its unique character and exceptional acoustics.

The development comprises two new rehearsal/performance spaces, two multi-function practice rooms, office accommodation for Aldeburgh Music, a foyer and box office area, a musician’s relaxation area and a small cafe/bar.

The main rehearsal/performance space is the Britten Studio, whose primary purpose is to provide a rehearsal space for performances in the 800-seat Concert Hall adjacent. The floor area and room volume in the studio is sufficient for orchestras of up to 90 to rehearse in a similar acoustic environment to that of the Concert Hall, and the room is equipped with acoustic panelling, adjustable banners and drapes to allow the room’s acoustics to be adjusted as required.

In addition, the Britten Studio may be used for performances of chamber music, recitals, dance, lectures and small-scale opera. To this end, the room is equipped with a full stagelighting and audiovisual wiring infrastructure, a semi-sprung floor, a mixture of motorised and hand-winched bars for scenery and lighting, and a permanent control room at one end of the gallery. Motorised bleachers provide seating for approximately 260 people, with the capacity to add a further 52 seats on the floor in front of the bleacher and with another 40 seats on a permanent gallery at the rear of the room giving a total cpacity of 350. 

A second rehearsal space - the Jerwood Kiln Studio - is located at the first floor of what was previously a kiln building. This double-height space is approximately 10m square, and is intended for use as a rehearsal room for soloists, string quartets or other small groups of musicians. It may also be used for small recitals, lectures or presentations. The Kiln Studio is also equipped with a stagelighting and audiovisual infrastructure and two fixed rigging bars for lighting equipment.

 Charcoalblue provided design and planning assistance on all aspects of the new performance areas and designed and specified the motorised seating system which allows the space to be reconfigured in a number of ways, including a format which provides space for a small orchestra for performances of chamber operas.

Charcoalblue was also responsible for designing technical systems throughout the complex in close collaboration with the Snape Maltings technical staff, including silent sinewave dimming for all lighting in the Britten Studio, an innovative patch system for the stagelighting, integrated control of all the adjustable acoustics, blackout blinds and lighting systems, and fibre-optic links to the other spaces and to the main Concert Hall.

The new building opened on 8th May 2009 with a weekend of performances and celebrations, and presented the first performances of a new Harrison Birtwistle opera as part of the Aldeburgh Festival in June.

Read the Building Design review of the Hoffmann Building here.