Fine Arts Addition & Renovation

1. Fine Arts Addition & Renovation 2006 tasa/tasb school architecture awards photography by Paul Chaplo

2. The Story In spite of the fact that the high school had limited art spaces in its existing facility, the district had developed a top quality, highly competitive arts program over the past several years. A single music space failed to address unique needs of both choir and band. Ordinary classrooms were ill-suited to serve as art labs. The tiered cafetorium served poorly as a drama classroom and performance venue. As the architectural team probed to discover the needs of this under-served educational department, it became clear that the staff’s goal far exceeded simply meeting the TEA minimum standard. This client was committed to providing a first class performance venue for the school and community, with all the associated support spaces.

3. Educational Appropriateness The renovation and addition aggressively addresses the school and community needs. In addition to taking advantage of existing parking, the chosen location allowed for adaptive reuse of existing space for drama, choir and a small band room. New space included a large band hall, art lab, additional classrooms and a 1,165-seat auditorium. Existing High School Fine Arts Addition Art Choir Auditorium Band

4. Educational Appropriateness This carefully crafted facility provides extraordinary sightlines and acoustics for the enjoyment of the audience. Large work and practice spaces with abundant storage and easy access to the stage, provide an equally pleasurable experience for the performers.

5. Design With typical architectural characteristics of a public performance hall, the design is symmetrical with grand steps in the front, its presence is bold and powerful. The entrance, with massive columns carrying half circle archways, is a magnet that will draw visitors to the center. The journey of entering the building begins at this point.

6. Design Upon entering the building, one will experience moving through several layers, each with its own unique form, materials and function. The different layers are obvious and can be detected from a distance, as intended to allow time for the visitors to visually separate and prepare for the experience.

7. Design The first layer is a row of slightly curved steps that lead up to a public plaza, half circle in plan, providing a great place for crowds to form.

8. Design The second layer is the covered porch, supported by columns about the perimeter, and is the most dominant feature of the design. Its mass stands 40-feet high, is broken and articulated by a large recess within the brick façade, and is a half circle arch made of stucco.

9. Design The third layer is, as a part from the whole, freestanding in the center of the plaza, a pair of masonry columns carrying a steel canopy extending through every layer and into the entry lobby, announcing the path to the main entrance.

10. Design The fourth layer is found upon entering the building through doors within large two-story curtain walls of glass extending the width of the lobby. The porch is designed with the required depth to shadow the glazing and allow ambient daylighting to flood the lobby.

11. Design The main lobby is a grand two- story symmetrical space, rectangular in shape with room enough to hold the crowd gathered outside on the plaza steps. The interior walls are built to last, constructed from materials that range from clay brick masonry, smooth face and rough face masonry units. A grand stair, located in the center, is the main attraction, with wooden curved handrails, supporting curved masonry walls, vertical steel ballistrads and built in display cases.

12. Value Building Envelope: The envelope system comprised by the foundation, roof and exterior walls, is designed to withstand the constant barrage of exterior elements (sun, rain, wind and soil expansion) for the long term. Exterior walls are full-height solid masonry – brick veneer and concrete block back-up – and designed with redundant systems within to control moisture and keep it outside the facility.

13. Value Full Height Interior Masonry Walls: The use of brick masonry interior walls throughout the design offers another eye-catching, yet resilient and cost-effective surface, requiring minimum care. Structural Foundation: In order to address expansive soils on the surface of the site, a structural foundation system with piers was designed to avoid the impact of hydrostatic pressure. Roof: Topping it all off, a 20-year warranted built-up roofing system was provided to cover and protect the Fine Arts Facility.

14. Innovation Not to be satisfied with an ordinary theater-going experience, the client drove a design unique among high school theaters. As a space that will be used for theatrical productions, band and choir concerts, the space has superior acoustic and visual properties. Even major commercial venues often fail to provide clear viewing of the full height of the performer. Through a careful use of floor slopes and steps, virtually every seat provides a full view of every performer.

15. Innovation Because of the varied types of performances offered, the space uses natural acoustics and reinforced sound technology to address every possibility. A portable band shell and acoustically designed curved gyp-board ceiling are combined to project sound to every part of the auditorium. Where naturally produced sound is inadequate to fill every corner of this very large hall, carefully placed speakers provide amplified sound throughout the theater.

16. Innovation The vertical volume of the space, created by the balcony-like tiered seating at the back of the theater, created special space utilization challenges. To provide ADA access, and meet budget limitations, careful placement of ramps, stairs and an elevator provide ready access for all patrons. Locating public toilets below the tiered seating helped manage the overall building footprint.

17. Innovation Art Band