The Italian Forum Cultural Centre is a multipurpose theatre, gallery and Function Room Space, built within an existing building shell at the Italian Forum, in Norton Street Leichhardt. The fitout of the space has created a 365 seat multipurpose theatre and auditorium, with gallery spaces, function rooms, kitchen and bars, back of house spaces and administrative offices. The facilities form the central hub of the Italian culture in the Sydney Metropolitan area. The Italian Forum Cultural Centre provides Theatre and Multipurpose spaces for the Italian Community and the wider community at large. The Italian Forum complex was completed in 1997. It included provision for a Cultural Centre and auditorium, and although the structure (slabs, columns, perimeter walls) were constructed legal issues prevented the project from proceeding further. In 2007 BHA designed a new, more flexible and substantially different auditorium facility for the Centre. It involved adapting the existing structure and services to create an outstanding beautiful new Multipurpose auditorium. The central focus of the Italian Forum Cultural Centre is the multipurpose theatre. Designed as a flat floor auditorium, it comprises retractable seating, with a stage area with proscenium and curtain. The theatre has been designed with an octagonal footprint, rising over two storey, and incorporating a unique central skylight, allowing daylight to theatre for day events. The theatre can be used for concerts and recitals, cinema screening, fashion shows, and a multitude of flat floor functions. The interior of the theatre has been designed in three dimensional origami elements that come through the foyer areas and connect the centre.
