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The Laban Building is the world’s largest purpose-built contemporary dance centre

It was designed by award-winning architects Herzog & de Meuron

The Laban Building was designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the Pritzker Prize-winning (2001) Swiss architects who also designed the Tate Modern and the National Stadium in Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games. The building was lauded an architectural triumph when it opened in 2003, winning the Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize!

The architects collaborated with visual artist Michael Craig-Martin to create this iconic and bold building. The interior is structured as an urban streetscape, designed to provide inspiring spaces which reflect the fluid movements of dance. By day the building’s semi-translucent cladding allows traces of dance and movement to be visible through the walls. By night, the building becomes a coloured beacon with light and movement spilling out illuminating the surrounding area.

Facilities

  • Thirteen purpose built dance studios with the latest sprung flooring and large windows, including a 100-seat Studio Theatre performance space
  • Laban Library and Archive
  • Laban Theatre
  • Bonnie Bird Theatre
  • Cafe and Bar
  • Sound and video editing suite
  • Additional studios and newly renovated Performance Laboratory at Laurie Grove

Accessibility

The Laban Building has been designed to ensure full access for people with a wide range of disabilities, from wheelchair users to those with sensory and learning difficulties. You can find out more about our disability policies here.

Public Access

In response to the ongoing risks associated with the Covid-19 pandemic our priority is the safety and well-being of our students and staff. As a result, and with regret, public access to our buildings on a day-to-day basis is restricted to visitors approved in advance.

Thank you for your understanding.