Finnish National Opera

In 2015 Theatreplan was charged with reviewing the seating at the Finnish National Opera. The original seats, had been designed for comfort with a lower seat height, resulting in poor sightlines at the front of each of the three tiers. After an inspection of the auditorium we recommended a full reseating plan.

The specified seats were similar in character and materials to the existing with adjusted ergonomics to make the seat more upright, the higher it was located in the auditorium. This improved sightlines and added space. The design also had to address sloping tiers and seats rotating towards the stage as they extended to the sides of the auditorium, so a custom seat design was developed for the front row side seats of the second and third tiers.

As well as undertaking extensive sightline analyses and designing a new auditorium seating configuration, we prepared comprehensive documentation for the seating tender. The installation was completed during a two-month closure period.