It’s far more than a wealthy philanthropist lady’s sitting rooms, but the Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center which recently opened at Gonzaga University, does have such quarters. Dedicated to the Washington philanthropist, whose generosity made the arts center possible, an exhibit at the recently opened center includes recreated sitting rooms from Myrtle Woldson’s house, replete with furniture.
But it’s really a side-note to the many features of the 52,000-sf arts center, which recently celebrated its grand opening. The building is both functional and necessary to fulfill the needs of faculty and staff of the university. It includes a 750-seat theater and was designed by Pfeiffer. The building was named for businesswoman and Spokane resident Myrtle Woldson.
See Also: ASU Health Futures Center combines a novel design and approach to learning
As is the case sometimes these days with newly built structures on university campuses, the new arts center is intended not just to meet the growing needs of the music, dance and theater departments and the rest of the campus community, but as a spot for collaboration across disciplines. It also is meant as a foundation block of a planned Arts Village, which will include the Jundt Art Center and Museum.
The newly completed building is accessible through a central lobby that could be called dramatic, given the views of Lake Arthur available from it. The structure has two primary performance spaces: the Fr. Bernard j. Coughlin, S.J. Theater, a 750-seat multipurpose theater with adjustable acoustics; and the Martin and Edwidge Woldson Recital Hall, a rehearsal and recital space which seats 170. The building also includes a multidisciplinary design studio.
Adjacent to the theater is the Woldson Wing, a recreation of the sitting rooms from Myrtle Woldson’s house, that includes her personal furnishings. The exhibit’s series of spaces are meant to educate, but also as a tribute to the donor and her commitment to the arts.
Related Stories
University Buildings | May 19, 2015
Renovate or build new: How to resolve the eternal question
With capital budgets strained, renovation may be an increasingly attractive money-saving option for many college and universities.
University Buildings | May 19, 2015
KU Jayhawks take a gander at a P3 development
The P3 concept is getting a tryout at the University of Kansas, where state funding for construction has fallen from 20% of project costs to about 11% over the last 10 years.
University Buildings | May 5, 2015
Where the university students are (or will be)
SmithGroupJJR's Alexa Bush discusses changing demographics and the search for out-of-state students at public universities.
BIM and Information Technology | Apr 9, 2015
How one team solved a tricky daylighting problem with BIM/VDC tools, iterative design
SRG Partnership's Scott Mooney describes how Grasshopper, Diva, Rhino, and 3D printing were utilized to optimize a daylighting scheme at Oregon State University's new academic building.
Sponsored | University Buildings | Apr 8, 2015
Student Housing: The fight against mold starts in the bathroom
University Buildings | Apr 8, 2015
The competitive advantage of urban higher-ed institutions
In the coming years, urban colleges and universities will outperform their non-urban peers, bolstered by the 77 million Millennials who prefer to live in dense, diverse, and socially rich environments, writes SmithGroupJJR's Michael Johnson.
University Buildings | Mar 18, 2015
Academic incubators: Garage innovation meets higher education
Gensler's Jill Goebel and Christine Durman discuss the role of design in academic incubators, and why many universities are building them to foster student growth.
Retail Centers | Mar 10, 2015
Retrofit projects give dying malls new purpose
Approximately one-third of the country’s 1,200 enclosed malls are dead or dying. The good news is that a sizable portion of that building stock is being repurposed.
University Buildings | Feb 23, 2015
Future-proofing educational institutions: 5 trends to consider
In response to rapidly changing conditions in K-12 and higher education, institutions and school districts should consider these five trends to ensure a productive, educated future.
University Buildings | Feb 20, 2015
Penn strengthens campus security by reviving its surrounding neighborhood
In 1996, the University of Pennsylvania’s sprawling campus in Philadelphia was in the grip of an unprecedented crime wave. But instead of walling themselves off from their surrounding neighborhoods, the school decided to support the community.