When men first walked on the moon in 1969, “space age” design began to percolate into mainstream architecture. One of the most literal and dramatic interpretations of this futuristic trend was the Royal Exchange theatre in Manchester, a heptagonal theatre-in-the-round contained in an ultra-modern structure of tubular steel and glass inspired by Nasa’s lunar lander. A key member of its design team was Axel Burrough, of Levitt Bernstein Architects, who has died aged 79.
The theatre module, which Burrough designed with David Levitt and Malcolm Brown, squats within the imposing neo-classical confines of the historic Royal Exchange. When the Exchange finally ceased trading in 1968, its grade two listed status ruled out conventional uses and refurbishment strategies, but it could be made to accommodate a building-within-a-building, conjuring a compelling visual and experiential contrast between old and new.
