The Howard Theatre
For Downing College our most ambitious project of recent times has been the construction of the new Howard Theatre built using funds from a generous gift from the Howard Foundation. The Theatre is unique in that it combines the latest technologies with traditional classic architecture. The Howard Theatre is an environmentally-sustainable building with the following features:
- Ground-source heating and cooling throughout the building, partly located under the neighbouring sunken garden.
- Solar panels fitted to the welsh slate roof to provide an additional environmental heating source for the building's domestic hot water.
- An exterior structure made from Ketton stone, giving both grace and thermal efficiency to the building.
- Rain water harvesting for flushing the toilets and maintaining the allied landscaping.
Inside the theatre, the decorative ceiling evokes the spirit of Georgian theatre and has been designed by Francis Terry of Quinlan and Francis Terry LLP, while the front-of-house curtain has been designed by Francis Terry as a Grecian street scene, portraying the College among images of classical Greek architecture. With tiered flooring and 120 auditorium seats crafted from the finest Italian leathers, and upright seating along the side galleries on the first and second floor, the room can accommodate a total audience of 160. The Grace Howard Room, situated on the ground floor, offers an ideal space for exhibitions, registrations and refreshment breaks, as well as a range of catering options. The Theatre building also contains four smaller meeting rooms accommodating up to 12.
Download the Howard Theatre Meeting Rooms plan PDF
Download the Howard Theatre room plan PDF