The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
SPF: architects
ARCHITECTURE
Spf: Architects
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Structural Focus
AUDIO / VIDEO CONSULTANT
Electrosonic Inc.
AUDIO/VIDEO CONSULTANT
Electrosonic Design Consulting
PRESERVATION ARCHITECT
Historic Resources Group
CIVIL ENGINEER
Rothman Engineering Inc
THEATER CONSULTANT
Schuler Shook
MANUFACTURERS
Swisspearl
LIGHTING
Hlb Lighting Design
ACOUSTIC CONSULTANT
Jaffe Holden Acoustics
MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL PLUMBING
Arc Engineering
MECHANICAL/ ELECTRICAL/ PLUMBING
Arc Engineering
HISTORIC TAX CREDIT
Historic Resources Group
FOUNDING PRINCIPAL
Zoltan Pali
CONTRACTOR
Matt Construction
PHOTOGRAPHS
John Edward Linden Photography
COST
$75 Million
AREA
60000 Ft²
YEAR
2013
LOCATION
Beverly Hills, United States
CATEGORY
Cultural Architecture, Performing Arts Center, Renovation
Text description provided by architect.
The program for the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts [the Wallis] was to transform the Historic Post Office Site into a cultural center for the performing arts including, the 500 seat Goldsmith Theatre, the 120 seat Lovelace Studio Theatre, an education wing, administrative offices, café, gift shop, sculpture garden, education court and a state of the art performing arts support spaces.
Conventional wisdom had the main programmatic element [500 seat theatre] inserted into the original mail workroom of the historic post office and adding a wing to house all the other pertinent programmatic elements. We thought of a new way.
It was our contention to re-utilize the historic post office without major alterations by inserting the ancillary programmatic elements within it and building an annex to house the new 500 seat Goldsmith Theatre.
This resulted in a better use of space and a better site utilization. Furthermore, it required fewer modifications to the historic aspects of the original historic post office.
This concept enabled us to fully restore the major elements of the post office’s historic fabric utilizing the Secretary of Interior Standards while maintaining eligibility and historic tax credit status.
