David M. Schwarz Architects has completed the Smith Center for the Performing Artsin Las Vegas.
Several physical details of the Hoover Dam provided inspiration for the design of the 358,000-sf Smith Center, including the massing and articulation of its water intake towers; the care taken with concrete, stone and terrazzo finishes; the incorporation of art, iconography and ornamentation on both the exterior and interior; and the aspiration to create a timeless structure that lasts for many generations beyond its creators.
Sited at the heart of 61 acres of environmentally remediated and reclaimed rail yards, The Smith Center accommodates multiple venues for a broad range of performance genres and events.
The 2,050-seat Reynolds Hall with its dramatic stage, stunning balconies, and full orchestra pit will host orchestra, opera, dance, Broadway and first-run touring attractions from around the world. The Boman Pavilion is home to more intimate musical and drama settings, including Cabaret Jazz and the Troesh Studio Theater, plus classrooms, offices and ground level retail. The Pavilion overlooks Symphony Park, a 1.7-acre outdoor venue, which will host performances and events, and other entertainment gatherings.
Additionally, The Smith Center will be the first major multi-purpose performance center in the U.S. to earn Silver LEED certification. BD+C
Related Stories
| Apr 12, 2011
American Institute of Architects announces Guide for Sustainable Projects
AIA Guide for Sustainable Projects to provide design and construction industries with roadmap for working on sustainable projects.
| Apr 11, 2011
Wind turbines to generate power for new UNT football stadium
The University of North Texas has received a $2 million grant from the State Energy Conservation Office to install three wind turbines that will feed the electrical grid and provide power to UNT’s new football stadium.
| Apr 8, 2011
SHW Group appoints Marjorie K. Simmons as CEO
Chairman of the Board Marjorie K. Simmons assumes CEO position, making SHW Group the only firm in the AIA Large Firm Roundtable to appoint a woman to this leadership position
| Apr 5, 2011
Zaha Hadid’s civic center design divides California city
Architect Zaha Hadid is in high demand these days, designing projects in Hong Kong, Milan, and Seoul, not to mention the London Aquatics Center, the swimming arena for the 2012 Olympics. But one of the firm’s smaller clients, the city of Elk Grove, Calif., recently conjured far different kinds of aquatic life when members of the City Council and the public chose words like “squid,” “octopus,” and “starfish” to describe the latest renderings for a proposed civic center.
| Apr 5, 2011
Are architects falling behind on BIM?
A study by the National Building Specification arm of RIBA Enterprises showed that 43% of architects and others in the industry had still not heard of BIM, let alone started using it. It also found that of the 13% of respondents who were using BIM only a third thought they would be using it for most of their projects in a year’s time.
