The Premabhai hall is a public theatre designed by Balkrishna Doshi. It is located in the Old City of Ahmedabad. Due to its large dimension, the building is reminiscent of an ancient monumental sculpture. Doshi designed this post-Le Corbusier brutalist piece of architecture in 1956 as a modern public theater.

“A good theatre...is the extension of the most active and creative part of a city. It is a place where all artists meet and recreate a new image of life.” Designed as a public theatre, Premabhai Hall, a largely concrete building, houses an auditorium, vast interior corridors and public gathering spaces.

The wide stage (100 m) provides perfect conditions for western ballet performances. The roof has a generous sky terrace with a fantastic view of its vibrant historical surroundings. As the theater was closed down in 1997, the building is now an empty shell. Nevertheless, its sheer volume is still able to give character to its architectural context, forming and structuring public spaces. Premabhai Hall has now become a hollow guardian of the Old City of Ahmedabad waiting to be woken from its long sleep. This project is part of the Architecture Reading Aid Ahmedabad (Ruby Press, 2015). 

Closed since 1997 due to fire regulations problems & financials issues.