Public schools, colleges, and universities often must do more with less, and that includes designing and building multi-use facilities where students can enhance their educational experiences through the performing arts. Such facilities must accommodate a variety of events, from school assemblies to theater productions, band performances to poetry readings, and dance recitals to full orchestra concerts. Plus, many schools share performing arts spaces with the surrounding community—an ideal way to make the school a valued part of its neighborhood.

Here are several design best practices for performing arts facilities. And while these strategies are born of innovative ideas, the most important factor in the design and construction of any performing arts facility is effectively meeting the specific needs of the school, college, or university. For example, not all user groups will need complex theater lighting. Fixed or flexible seating also changes the design dynamics. Whatever type of seating is selected, durable seating materials are a must. Also, proper sound acoustics are essential for facilities that will showcase musical performances, and the right stage surface matters. Actors want to be heard and seen clearly from the back row as well as the front. And administrators want to provide these critical design elements at a cost that is attractive to the school board and, ultimately, the taxpayer.

Well-equipped auditoriums
The word auditorium doesn’t immediately conjure up images of dramatic designs, but there are several design elements that enhance function and appearance. Designing to appropriate dimensions within the facility’s “house,” or seating area, is an important first step. The house must have the correct side-to-side and front-to-back proportions. The proportions of the proscenium opening—the arching wall that separates the stage from the audience section of the auditorium—are also very critical. The proscenium opening will dramatically affect sound, sight, and overall scene.

Another functional element that requires careful design attention is the fly loft apparatus. This lets the technical crew move set pieces, props, and lights on and off the stage by “flying” them vertically above the stage. The positioning of the weight platform for the ropes and pulleys will make or break the functionality of the performance space with repeated use. Regardless of the operator’s level of experience, sturdy and simple are the operative descriptions for mechanisms that will largely be controlled by students.

Many auditoriums also must plan for loading platforms, which work best when they are raised above the actual stage floor 15 to 20 feet. This is ideal for function and for preserving valuable space at the stage floor level. A raised platform is not always ideal, depending on the users. College students or adults in a professional stage group can work more safely in an elevated loading operation. For a school setting, however, such loading needs to take place at floor level to avoid dropping or misplacing weights—a risk that could cause injury. It’s important to keep such details in mind, whether it’s for an auditorium designed for middle-school use, a university-level orchestra, or a community theater.

Lighting considerations
In an auditorium or more complex performing arts facility, the “house” refers to the area dedicated to seating the audience—and, again, proportions and scaling are of paramount importance in developing the design. These proportions must be established in concert with the acoustical balance of the walls, ceiling, and lighting. To ensure proper lighting of the house, design plans should meet at least three minimum criteria.

LOCATION: Lights must be properly spaced. The spacing of the lighting varies greatly from the house to the stage to the aisles. Stage lighting should be spaced differently for each production; therefore, a flexible light grid is needed to accommodate a wide variety of performances.
QUANTITY: A facility needs lights relative to its size. Multiple lighting schemes vary by their location within the facility. For example, the number of lights over the thrust stage—the part of the stage that protrudes out into the house—is different than the quantity of lights at the wings or center stage. Again, flexibility is the key, and designs should take these nuances into account.

QUALITY: Good lights are worth the cost. Quality products are always a good idea in public, multi-use facilities. Life cycle cost analyses usually can support the purchase of quality light fixtures for educational facilities. When you consider the placement, replacement, and constant adjustment for the facility’s lights, it becomes clear that high-quality lighting is actually the most cost-effective. There are algorithms for ensuring facilities are properly lit, as well as distances for spotlights.

The above rendering features an auditorium with stadium seating, which is ideal for uninterrupted sight lines. Maple-trimmed acoustical panels (opposite) give a performing arts facility a refined and impressive look.

Spreading the sound
Acoustically, the proper balance of walls to ceilings is key to successful sound. The objective is to provide clarity of sound so that a single voice can be heard distinctly or an entire madrigal choir can fill the house. It is important for stage sound to carry clearly to the corners of the room, and to be a core part of the sound design.

For a performance arts facility designed to seat 1,000 to 1,200 people—which is typical for middle schools and high schools—ideally, the back wall should not exceed approximately 105 to 110 feet from the edge of the stage. Going beyond these proportions will require the auditorium designer to take other measures to ensure sound quality.

Hearing the various sounds correctly, whether from voices, instruments, or audio mediums, is the goal of every auditorium design. To ensure this goal is met, the auditorium dimensions, materials, lights, acoustic panels, and sound equipment must all be designed in concert one with another.

Artful aesthetics
An attractive auditorium need not break the bank. Even when holding costs down is important, most school districts and post-secondary institutions want the facility to look elegant. This can be accomplished by using the right finishing materials and a little creativity. Wall materials, ceiling construction, and even the critically important acoustical panels can create an atmosphere of refinement that will likely provide the audience an experience to remember.

Maple-trimmed panels with a laminate that has the look of wood are a great design solution that is cost-effective and wholly functional. The shape and positioning of these panels throughout the house are what make them spectacular. For example, the Syracuse Community Auditorium, located within Syracuse (Utah) High School, is a joint facility shared by the school and community arts groups. This auditorium is impressive to look at but was constructed economically. The interior walls are split-faced concrete masonry units, the shaped acoustical ceiling panels are gypsum board, and the sound-reflecting acoustic panels in the interior walls are wood-grained plastic laminate with real wood edging detail.

The result is an interior that changes with the various lighting schemes, and a room that looks like it is lined with rich maple wood panels. The Syracuse Community Auditorium was constructed at a cost of nearly $25 per square foot, less than similar halls in the area.

Flexible planning
Creative and flexible planning and design ultimately can help make the auditorium or performing arts facility a more valued part of the school or university. For example, Timberline Middle School in Alpine, UT, is a flexible space that doesn’t compromise the required design features of good lighting, sight lines, and acoustics. The Timberline auditorium is in the center of the two-story, 180,000-square-foot school. The back half of the auditorium can be sectioned off from the front, resulting in two distinct spaces. The back section of the house is designed with stadium seating (ideal for uninterrupted sight lines) and is also used as a lecture hall. The top of this lecture hall can be accessed from the second floor while the front can be accessed from the first floor.

The best way to maximize the overall design of any educational facility is to ensure that the auditorium or performing arts venue is integrated into the initial design of the entire project. This ensures that performance-related traffic patterns are part of the circulation plan, that appearance and materials are appropriate, and that the arts curriculum informs the building design. The result is an auditorium in harmony with its function in every respect.

Steve Crane, FAIA, REFP, is a partner with VCBO Architecture in Salt Lake City, Utah. Reach him at scrane@vcbo.com.