Antonin Artaud (1896 -1948), born in France, was involved in theatre as a director, an actor, and a playwright. He was interested in cinema producing several films and was a key figure in the surrealist movement (although later rejected by the surrealists). Throughout his life he suffered from paranoia, depression, delirium and a split personality. From the age of forty-two, he spent eight years (1938-1946) in the confinement of lunatic asylums.

Artaud's passion was for the theatre and his work in it was revolutionary for the time. He felt the function of the theatre was to: "...bring to the surface all the rot, all the filth into which individuals and society have settled down". He identified with Van Gogh - " the man suicided by society": he saw himself separated from society, which he despised. However, the pain which society inflicted on him also allowed him his greatest happiness: it enabled him to produce his best work in theatre - a display of cruelty of the world.

Artaud should be connected to a place which inflicts pain on him, enabling his creativity to be fuelled. Library: represents rational thinking, logic and knowledge - the part of society Artaud felt rejected from. Theatre: Artaud heavily objected to the ideals and running of the traditional theatre. He disliked those who "made a living from entertainment". Lorne St, between the public library and the St James theatre provides an appropriate site.

It was important to Artaud not to separate life and reality, from the theatre. He should therefore be accommodated by the theatre. A combined space - a theatre/living space is proposed.

Artaud saw his ideal theatre as one which completely involved his audience. Although he had performed many times on stage, he had never been allowed the star role, which he desperately wanted. He felt no-one listened to his telling of " intolerable truths inflicted on him by society". Central to this project is the involvement of the public . The construction spans the street - Lorne St and fragments of building are found throughout the space between, and inserted into the library and St James theatre. Movement through the street is possible but the construction presents obstacles forcing public involvement. The main space is inserted into the wall of the St James theatre. The parts viewed from the interior propose an alternative theatre to the St James. The public can enter and are free to move through. Artaud has been given the star role in his theatre; he can be viewed moving across and through his space, displaying his pain.

The form, the construction: defensive, aggressive, antagonistic. It attacks, affects, and is fuelled by the site. Cruelty has surfaced in fragmented pieces: built up, and layered. Structure is exposed. Volumes merge out of walls, fragments cling on.