Items Tagged ‘performing arts center’
Ideas Abound for Future Use
Synopsis:
The Town of Amherst (Massachusetts) and leaders of the North Congregational Church are in talks to determine how to best reuse the church building. The congregation at North Church has become too small for the large building. They plan on either renting out a small portion for themselves, or turning the building over completely for a new use. While some talk has included the idea of another religious group taking over the space, many discussions have focused on adapting it for a new use.
The leaders of the church have stated that they do not support the building become condos or retail space. Office space is one consideration, but a lack of parking has stymied this idea. Another idea is for the congregation and the North Amherst Library to trade spaces, providing the library with much-needed room. The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce has voiced its support for the building to be turned into an arts and performance center.
At this point, no plans have been set in stone. The church is awaiting a potential buyer who’s intentions for the structure meet their own desires.
Wallis Annenberg Center For The Performing Arts Breaks Ground With A Construction Party
Synopsis:
The historic Beverly Hills Post Office is set to become the home of the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Nearly 500 community leaders, celebrities, VIPs and politicos attended the celebration groundbreaking. Built during the Great Depression, the building will be adapted and renovated for a whole new purpose. The spaces that were once used for mail sorting and postage purchases will be redesigned to become a theater school, a flexible studio theater, sculpture garden, café, gift shop and more. The 500-seat contemporary Goldsmith Theater will be added adjacent to the old building. The new center is anticipated to benefit both residents and visitors.
Arsenal de Metz
Synopsis:
History
Built in 1863 during the reign of Napoleon III, this building served as a military arsenal for over a century.[1]
(Re)Developer
Ricardo Bofill, the renowned Catalan architect, was born in 1939 in Barcelona. In 1963, shortly after graduating from the Barcelona University of Arqitectura and Scholl of Geneva, Bofill formed an international team of architects, engineers, sociologists, writers, movie makers and philosophers and thus founded Taller de Arqitectura. Over the past 40 years, the studio has gathered valuable experience in the fields of urban planning, architecture, landscaping, interior, furniture and product design. Among prestigious projects undertaken by Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arqitectura are the Christian Dior headquarters in Paris, the headquarters developed for Cartier, Decaux, Axa, the Shiseido company headquarters in Tokyo, Donnelley skyscraper in Chicago, and the international airport in Barcelona, and many other.
Outcome
The restoration of the building, with its nearly 11,961 sq. yards of built surface, was directed at accommodating a rehearsal hall, a concert hall for chamber music, a restaurant, exhibition gallery, offices for administration, management and centre services and a 1,500-seat auditorium. One wing of the building, originally square with a 100′ x 166’ interior courtyard, has been sacrificed in order to open up the central courtyard to the city, forming a public square and giving a better view of the Templars chapel, which dates from the 12th century. The façade has been slightly modified by means of cladding with slabs of natural stone with metal joints which underline the rhythm of the arches. The introduction of big new windows has lightened the heavy, opaque solidity of the old military building. The main auditorium is underground, situated beneath the central square. The roof, with its wooden structure covered with anodized steel, is flat, the problems of reverberation were resolved by means of a design based on detailed studies of acoustic performance. The hall has two ramped seating areas; the smaller, with a pronounced incline, can be used to accommodate the choir when necessary. The orchestra pit is located between these two seating areas, on the lowest level of the auditorium.[2] With its completed conversion, the building is now home to Symphony Orchestra of Lorraine. This project has helped to open up the space to the public, provide a new cultural venue, and build upon its storied past.
Georgetown Green Plans To Buy The G&B Mill Site
Synopsis:
The outlook appears promising for the redevelopment of the former Gilbert & Bennett wire mill now that a new redeveloper has agreed to purchase the site. Georgetown Green plans to close on the purchase from Georgetown Land Development Company in June 2010. Callen Cooper, CEO of Georgetown Green, sees the G&B mill as the perfect combination for transit-oriented development, green and clean technology, and affordable and senior housing. The 2004 master plan for the site, born out of a collaboration between the town, neighboring towns, state and federal officials, will continue to be honored under the new owners. The plan calls for adapting the 55-acre site for housing, office, retail, performing arts space, offices for the Weir Farm Historic Site, as well as a new railroad station. Housing will include single-family homes, townhouses, condominiums, affordable and senior housing. While adaptive reuse will be a focal point of the project, it will be used only where feasible.
More details about the project are available here.
Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center
Synopsis:
History
Designed by B. Marcus Priteca and built in 1915, the synagogue served the Orthodox Jewish congregation Chevra Bikur Cholim.[1]
(Re)Developer
The building was originally adapted as part of the Model Cities Program which was a part of President Johnson’s Great Society and War on Poverty initiatives. Running from 1966 to 1974, the program focused on improving the coordination of existing urban programs and providing additional funds for local plans. The program’s initial goals emphasized comprehensive planning, involving not just rebuilding but also rehabilitation, social service delivery, and citizen participation.[2]
Outcome
The City of Seattle purchased the center in 1971 and since then has continued the mission of the Center while updating and renovating the building (1971, 1991, 2003, 2009).[3] The Center is dedicated to celebrating, nurturing, presenting and preserving African American performing arts and cultural legacies. “Created to provide a cultural institution in Seattle’s Central Area, LHPAC has been at the core of experimental, cutting edge, traditional, and emerging art forms for more than 30 years. It has been an essential gathering place for an African American canon of work in a neighborhood that has seen numerous demographic changes over the past three decades. The Center is committed to championing a cultural and artistic voice while building powerful connections with the diverse cultures in the community. This is accomplished through the creation of dynamic performing arts experiences for all.”[4]
