Natalie Lowe BA (Hons) Interior Design
I am an interior designer who is focused on helping to improve the mental wellbeing of occupants and developing new and unique solutions to encourage positive behavioural changes within my designs. As well as designing hospitality spaces and pop-up events, I also have a passion for Graphic Design.
‘Ensemble Theatre’ provides a community space for performers and theatre lovers to celebrate the performing arts. As a dancer myself, I saw first-hand how the pandemic affected those working within the performance industry; with all live performance at a standstill, 70% of theatres closed and countless creative professionals were left unemployed.
Based within 110 Oldham Road in Ancoats, Manchester, Ensemble Theatre has been specifically designed to meet the needs of creative professionals and support them in as many ways as possible; the space offers a place to shop, talk, eat and train. This maximises revenue for the theatre, enabling it to stay open and financially stable through the costume shop, all day performances in intimate viewing pods and renting out dance studios to local theatre and dance companies. The UK performance trade union, ‘Equity’ resides on the first floor, offering face to face support and advice for those struggling within the performance industry.
Following on from the Ensemble Theatre, ‘Home from Home’ is a project based around welcoming audiences back to the theatre and revitalising the love of theatre as restrictions begin to lift. In partnership with Manchester’s HOME arts centre, and based in Tony Wilson Square, Home from Home welcomes all performance lovers, city goers and residents to experience theatre and cinema outdoors. The open event consists of 3 modular structures which open into a bar, stage, and digital exhibition space where creative professionals can share their virtual performances that have been created throughout lockdown.
