Theatre Royal Stratford East to open new theatre

Theatre Royal Stratford East will build a second major arts venue, which will open in 2015.

The new performance space, to be named The Red Crate, will be situated immediately opposite the theatre in Theatre Square, and will link with the adjacent empty catering unit which will be transformed into a new cafe/bar area.

Designed by award-winning architects Haworth Tompkins, The Red Crate plans to be a striking 220-seat eco-friendly theatre building which hopes to create a cultural and vibrant atmosphere for the local community and visitors from all over the world. The Red Crate is inspired by it's sister building, the National Theatre's temporary theatre.

Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, said: "The Red Crate is a ground-breaking venture for Theatre Royal Stratford East, resulting from a new relationship between them and the National Theatre, which will add to the burgeoning cultural quarter that is developing in east London as a legacy ".

The theatre has launched its capital fundraising campaign of £4.5m and a public consultation will take place this autumn. The Red Crate is due to open in 2015 and will stand for a decade.