The Netherlands-based Cepezed Architects were recently appointed by the offices of the Hague Capital of Culture to design a temporary theater. The city strives to be named the European Capital of Culture in 2018, so the architects have created a contemporary version of the Roman Colosseum to become an important icon for the area.

Cepezed Architects’ design provides an opportunity to turn the competition in favor of the Hague for the European Capital of Culture title. The city will be competing against places such as Almere, Utrecht and Maastricht and all will be waiting anxiously to hear the final decision for the title announced in 2013.

From the architects:

‘cepezed has developed plans for a large temporary theater on the Malieveld in The Hague, a large strech of lawn measuring over 10 hectare and positioned right along the entrance of the city. The Hague strives to be European Capital of Culture in 2018. The theater should function as an important eyecatcher and crowdpuller during this year.

The plans have been assigned by the offices of The Hague Capital of Culture 2018. Last Wednesday, this institution presented its report Entitled to Culture!, in which it published its approach to obtain the much desired title. cepezeds theater fulfills an important role in this approach and is one of the most remarkable proposals.

The theater has been designed as a contemporary version of the Colosseum in Rome, the best-known example of a Flavian amphitheater, and should be able to accommodate some 5.000 people. The construction is erected out of scaffolding. On the outside, it is covered with a stretched reproduction of famous artist M.C. Escher’s Metamorfosis. Inside, concerts, performances, exhibitions and fairs can take place. On International Day of Peace, singer Bono of Irish pop group U2 should be onstage.’