Ruth Mc Donnell M.Arch Portfolio 

 Thesis 

'Seeing and Being Seen’,  Theatre and the City, 

Thesis Advisors, John Tuomey and Sheila O’ Donnell 

​

Our Thesis group, looked at developing a new building for the Abbey Theatre and extending the production facilities to function as a National Theatre of Ireland. The Abbey production company have acquired the adjacent site along Eden Quay and the project aimed to give the Abbey Theatre presence on the Riverfront and in the City. 

​

The title of my thesis came from Peter Brooks interpretation of the theatrical experience as the act of ‘seeing and being seen’, requiring a special place to do so. The word theatre actually comes from the Greek word, Theatron meaning ‘ Seeing place’. And it was the idea of creating a ‘ Seeing Place’ in the city that inspired my project. 

​

My project is about, creating a theatrical experience in the city that everyone can enjoy, a building that was both an actor and audience in the city, a place to see and be seen.