SANTA FE SPRINGS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

This project is a commission for the design of performing arts center to be located within an existing municipal park. The process began with a site investigation revealing the presence of multiple forces influencing the future building site, including dual programs of recreation (the site contains active athletic fields and play areas) and education (an adjacent elementary school is located to the west of the site). The modern perforated exterior shell of the architecture provides glimpses into the central performance space, and allows the interior light to filter out through colored glass apertures. The contemporary forms and building materials include a faceted dry-stacked stone façade, glass of varying translucency, painted metal skylights and wood interior finishes. Brightly-colored skylights mark the center spatially with their form and through directing light onto the surfaces. The design process began with the development of a heuristic device, embodying the project’s research and serving to direct the development of the architecture. In this case, this conceptual device took the form of a three-dimensional viewing apparatus, lit from the center, with ports depicting a series of relationships between the voyeur and the view, and allowing glimpses of a variety of contained events. This project has been featured in national and international design publications.