BALLET MEMPHIS
Archimania
MECHANICAL
GS&P, Bogue Waller, Innovative Engineering Services, Jack Griffith, Jeremiah Watson
ELECTRICAL
DePouw Engineering - Monte DePouw
ACOUSTICAL/AV
Talaske - Rick Talaske, Scott Hamilton
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Grinder, Taber & Grinder, Brett Grinder, Jay Weber, Junior Whetzel
STRUCTURAL
SSR - Ian Engstrom, Daniel Sours with Vertika - P. V. Banavalkar
ACOUSTICS
Talaske, Scott Hamilton, Rick Talaske
PLUMBING
Jack Griffith, Jeremiah Watson, Innovative Engineering Services, GS&P, Bogue Waller
PHOTOGRAPHS
Hank Mardukas Photography
LOCATION
Memphis, United States
MECHANICAL AND PLUMBING
Innovative Engineering Services - Jack Griffith, Jeremiah Watson with GS&P – Bogue Waller
CIVIL SSR
Morgan Falls
MANUFACTURERS
PPG IdeaScapes, Pac-Clad, Natural copper metal panels
YEAR
2017
AREA
44270 ft²
AUDIO VISUAL
Talaske - Rick Talaske, Scott Hamilton
LANDSCAPE
Dalhoff Thomas - Dean Thomas, Sam Henry
THEATRE PLANNER
Schuler Shook - Jack Hagler, Kimberly Corbett Oates
Ballet Memphis had outgrown its current space and wished to move to a thriving performance arts district in the heart of the city with a one-of-a-kind facility.
The company’s new home opens up to the community with large windows and public courtyards between the studios.
The two-story building houses practice space for Ballet Memphis’ professional company and classrooms for youth and community dance instruction.
The building is intended to engage the public in dance, movement, wellness, self-discovery, and connection.
The exterior form, composed of layers of glass, perforated copper, and volumes of contrasting metal emulates a music box.
Gauzy screens and deep insets of the building mask and reveal the activity of dancers within. Warm and neutral materials and cool colours are also used to frame and display movement.
The perforated copper screen mimics the existing historic street edge – enhancing the urban experience within an entertainment district undergoing a renaissance – while complying with current city codes and setbacks.
The building’s façade offers opportunities for the community to engage with the Ballet, via exterior courtyards and a café.
A costume shop exists at the easternmost end of the project, featuring a display window that doubles as a mini-performance venue.Dance and architecture share a focus on movement, space and time.
Celebrating these disciplines, through this civic project, enhances the growing entertainment district and residential neighborhoods in the area.
