The company behind the set designs for major touring artists including Beyoncé, U2, Madonna, Rolling Stones and Elton John has designed a tourable, socially-distanced, venue.

Live entertainment touring design specialist Stufish Entertainment Architects has partnered with veteran concert tour production director Jake Berry to co-found the Vertical Theatre Group (VTG) and create The Vertical Theatre – a modular, movable, socially-distanced performance space.

VTG said the freestanding structure will be rolled out later this year and the aim is to have multiple venues operational around the world.

The building has a socially-distanced audience capacity of between 1,200 and 2,400 people, depending on Covid-safe event guidelines, and can be adapted once Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.

The structure has been designed to accommodate audiences split into groups of between four and 12. The roofed construction has open slides to enable natural ventilation, and will feature a central stage surrounded by a four-storey structure consisting of multiple balconies and viewing boxes separated by clear screens.

VTG was founded in August last year by Stufish’s Ric Lipson and Paul Preston; live events and documentary producer Holly Gilliam; theatre producer Katy Lipson; production director Jake Berry and Digital Theatre CEO Robert Delamer.

Lipson said, “We were excited to see what a new type of cross arts collaboration could produce, as we build a new vision for the future of live entertainment – The Vertical Theatre.”