The producers of the North American Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference (NATEAC) are proud to announce that Richard Brett and Hugh Hardy will both give Keynote addresses at the upcoming Conference in July 2008. Both are highly regarded for their work with performing arts venues.
In 2004, Hardy created H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture, an outgrowth of Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates (HHPA), which he co-founded in 1967. HHPA was preceded by Hugh Hardy & Associates, established in 1962. Among his most celebrated projects are the new New York Botanical Garden Leon Levy Visitor Center, the New Victory Theatre, the addition of the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the New Amsterdam Theatre, Theatre Row on 42nd Street, the restoration of the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s façade, and the restoration of Radio City Music Hall.
In 2007 Hardy was awarded the 2007 Distinguished Achievement Award in Theatre Design from the US Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT).
Hardy says, “Sailing ships once provided the technology of 19th-century theatres. Today's revolution in the use of electronics opens new opportunities to explore stagecraft illusion, but human experience remains at the heart of theatre.”
Richard Brett is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT). He has been chairman of ABTT, chairman of the Society of Theatre Consultants, and UK representative on the Executive and a Technical Committee member of the International Organization of scenographers, Technicians and Theatre Architects. Brett joined lighting designer Richard Pilbrow in the late 1960s to create one of the first theatre consulting practices and was responsible for the planning and engineering design of all the technical equipment for the three theatres in the Royal National Theatre complex in London.
Brett also created the concept of the Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conferences and organized two of these in London in 2002 and 2006. He is a partner in the international theatre consulting firm, Theatreplan LLP.
“The design of successful venues for the performing arts requires understanding and collaboration between art, science, and practicality.
Sometimes this does not happen. The Theatre Engineering and Architecture
Conferences were started to help develop these processes, and I am honored that this idea is now to be focused on the many such spaces being planned and refurbished in North America.”
The North American Theatre Engineering and Architecture Conference takes place on July 20-21, 2008 at Pace University in New York City. Over 60 panelists will join Hardy and Brett to discuss the needs of Performing Arts venues over the next decade. Registration and sponsorship information are available online.