Limites da forma: desafios para uma reforma do teatro Castro Alves em Salvador, Bahia

Limits of Form: Challenges for the Renovation of the Teatro Castro Alves in Salvador, Bahia Fifteen years after undergoing a renovation that saved it from abandonment and destruction, the Teatro Castro Alves (TCA) is again in need of renewal, so that it can better meet both present and future needs for a larger physical space as well as technologically updated stages and backstage facilities. In the original Bina Fonyat structure, gutted by a fire just a few days before its planned inauguration in 1958 and not finally open to the public until 1967, one sees the many architectural elements which have earned it renown in twentieth century Brazilian architecture; one also sees a number of elements that present challenges to the practical uses for which it was designed. Architecturally, the renovations begun in 1993 were carried out with an eye to making maximum use of the original space, and therefore the additions made at that time did not necessarily abide by the original design, as may be seen in the addition of a new ramp in the middle of the existing one linking the foyer to the main auditorium. From the standpoint of city planning, the TCA stands as a rare example of the architecture of a by-gone era, since most other buildings from the same period, such as single-family homes, have been destroyed. Further, it is illustrative of the urban planning of that period, in which great projects, such as the TCA itself and the Fonte Nova Stadium, were placed at strategic points between the historical town center and newer up-andcoming neighborhoods. This paper explores the possibilities and limitations for renovation and adaptation of the TCA, taking into consideration its original form and its situation in the urban landscape of Salvador. It will address its history and the uses to which it has been put (it was planned as an opera house in the late 1950s but has since the very beginnings been home to many kinds of special events), the comparison between the original plans and the 1993 renovation, and its present use and the findings of recent technical analyses.