Timberlane Performing Arts Center

Narratives

Architect Narrative

“More than an Auditorium”
Our challenge was to create an Arts Center that supports peer groups, promotes MS & HS collaboration, and has the capability to deliver high quality performances to the community. A lofty goal, but our client’s efforts over the last decade was to move the performance spaces out of the local gymnasiums to a home that reflects the schools and communities commitment to the Arts. The design team saw this as an opportunity to “hinge” middle and high school programs to encourage, foster and develop young talent through a shared interest in the Arts.

“The Fifth Dimension”
The State and Local school funding’s direct impact to tax increases presented the team with a challenge of limited affordable space to accommodate an extensive program. By understanding the curriculum, scheduling blocks and moving the lecture hall (and budget) from the adjacent high school project to the Arts center’s turntable decreased cost while increasing capability and function.

“Something Roughly in the Middle”
Topography, microclimate and the hinge concept led the design team to site the building between the existing schools. This location landmarked the campus and visually reinforced the curriculum. Open space to the south is designed for a link of the three buildings and will allow for TV, dance, and music studios leaving room for an exterior performance theater.

“If you had to do it all over again”
With school administrators and plane tickets in hand, the team visited 3 other performing arts centers in Austin, Phoenix and Mesa that made use of a turntable. By applying a “lessons learned” approach to the process, the challenges of designing the architecture and building systems to accommodate a room that literally moves from one stage to another now only became clearer. This study provided improved design by asking a few simple questions of the users. The trip strengthened the teams resolve to design with a turntable system to provide 3 house configurations (240, 700, and 940 seats) The high-function capability of the turntable assists in the program layering, and increases the potential as an income generator.

“What is a Charrette?”
Design team charrette’s and work sessions with school and district participants led to innovative layered program spaces that enhanced the learning environment and function specifically to each use, without compromising performance. At the start, a design team was formed that included educators, district administration, along with architects, designers, and engineers. Attention to high performance capability and dedication to deliver a piece of architecture of a bold and dramatic design to the community as the crowning jewel of the districts 8 school improvement project.

“Magic”
Masonry, metal, concrete, and paint for 30,000 SF, cost of the volume nearly fixed, what really matters is what you do with it. “DESIGN”. Working with color, form and texture, the team designed playful forms, balanced color schemes and a dramatic interior for the main house. Greens and brick tones are carried from the exterior to the interior of the building. Oversized windows were placed to maximize daylight penetration while minimizing glare. The turntable contributed to the design language and implied hinge or pivot that is reflected from the splayed Lobby to the signage. The design team was determined to create a bold dramatic aesthetic that reflects the synergy the students bring with a character that instills pride of place and becomes a source of pride in the community.

“Healthy Schools”
A balance of affordability, maintenance, human health and well being formed the sustainable approach for the project. Material choices were weighed with low maintenance, indoor air quality, and energy conservation as the criteria. An energy-efficient envelope system was designed that incorporated a continuous thermal break system and multiple drainage planes and siding systems that are not sealant dependent.
The building employs a displacement air system that provides 100% fresh air with dehumidification. By delivering slightly cooled air at low velocity across the floor of the spaces and exhausting the air from the top of the space, the occupants breathe fresh air. Energy is conserved by use of exhaust air energy recovery and DDC — VAV control systems with maintenance ease designed as a priority.

Educator Narrative

The basic ideas that were presented to the architectural firm for this project were the following.

Provide an atmosphere that is conducive for the learning of the arts,
Provide a major performance space for the presentation of major musical and dramatic events/concerts
Provide numerous rehearsal spaces/classrooms for the daily instruction of music and drama
Provide a flexible smaller performance space for one act plays and music recitals
Provide administrative and faculty space for the directors and faculty.

The final building has meet and exceeded all of our requests and requirements. The major performance space accommodates 936 audience members and is large enough to allow us to present major concerts and dramatic presentations. The acoustics and the aesthetics of the main hall as well as the rehearsals halls areas are outstanding.
The rehearsal areas are large enough to accommodate our classes and the sound transmission is not a problem with any of our spaces. The separation designed is sufficient for us to use all of the spaces simultaneously with no sound interference.
The unique recital hall with the 46-foot turntable on which 240 audience seats sit, affords us the opportunity to best utilize the existing building square footage as well as using the seats to their fullest advantage. The 240 seats in this space can be use for the recital hall as well as to complement the main hall seat of 936. This unique feature also allows us to have two events simultaneously without any interference.