3 ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORT PERFORMING ARTS CENTRES Do you like theatre, dance, music? Have you been to one of these events? What was it? The equivalent Italian expression is arti dello spettacolo What art forms do visual arts include? Surf the net to get information. ONLINE RESOURCES The Globe Theatre, London convertible: modificabile to grant: concedere, assegnare to increase: aumentare seating configuration: disposizione dei posti a sedere throughout: attraverso venue: luogo, posto (dove ha luogo un concerto, una conferenza, una manifestazione sportiva, ecc.) widespread: molto diffuso 194 PUBLIC WORKS What is a Performing Arts Centre? The term Performing Arts Centre (or PAC) refers to a multi-use performance space that can be used by various types of the performing arts*, including dance, music and theatre and sometimes visual arts*. This kind of building is different from single-purpose concert halls, opera houses and theatres, which are still widespread all over the world. The national Centre for Performing Arts, Beijing, China Birth and evolution of PACs New performing arts centres appeared in the last decades of the 20th century as a means of generating new investments, increasing economic activity and revitalizing parts of a city. The world of performing arts continues to evolve and architects are re-imagining the spaces when designing PACs to accommodate contemporary popular entertainment. New trends Food and beverage offerings. Food culture in many countries has changed over the past two decades. The evolution has absorbed the performing arts, which are now giving priority to the integration of high-quality food, drink, and dining experiences for audiences. So, top restaurants can be found inside PACs. Convertible audience floors for more versatility and flexibility. The term popular entertainment includes different kinds of performances from musicals, comedies, classical music, jazz concerts to operas and more. Each of these shows comes with its own individual artistic character, production design and seating configuration. In order to host more shows, both classical and contemporary, many venues are incorporating convertible audience floor systems into theatre design. Light and video animation onto interior and exterior architecture. Advancements in LED technology have granted more creativity through video and the use of light. Colourchanging LED lights can illuminate the walls and ceilings throughout the space, creating a distinct, dynamic environment for each performance. Today, many projects for PACs will have animated architecture combined with the building design, both interior and exterior. Whether theatres are hosting a show for one night, a week or several months, architectural designs for performing arts centres must comprise the new popular entertainment experiences and the new type of audiences.