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Performing Arts Center
Performing Arts Center
Johannesburg, South Africa
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Other Projects by Flansburgh Architects
Performing Arts Center
Johannesburg, South Africa
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2016
SIZE
1000 sqft - 3000 sqft
BUDGET
$0 - 10K
The American International School of Johannesburg is an independent school in South Africa serving students grades PreK-12. The school’s main campus in Johannesburg is sited on 58-acres of land located on the city’s northern edge. Formerly a horse farm, the school’s original buildings recalls their rural roots in their building materials; white brick used to construct existing buildings remember the white brick of the horse stable that once served as the original school building.
In 2011, the school engaged Flansburgh Architects to develop a Campus Master Plan with the purpose of identifying current and future needs to accommodate a growth of approximately 250 students over a five-year period. The Plan was to consider the site, culture, zoning constraints, as well as overall vision of the school, and to propose a phasing strategy to achieve said goals. What resulted was a five-phase plan that included the construction of an aquatics center, new elementary school, and athletic center among other facilities.
The fourth phase of AISJ’s Campus Master Plan was recently completed. Located in the center of campus lies the Performing Arts Center. Multiple pathways lead to and from the Center establishing the arts as a central part of academic and social life. The vision for this particular phase was to create dynamic, integrated educational and performance spaces that embrace the outdoors: the orthogonal plan of the featured theatre is a seamless extension of the adjacent arts courtyard. The Performing Arts Center’s 525-seat, 15,000-s.f. theatre is adaptable for dramatic and musical setting; the facility features a scene shop, dressing rooms, music ensemble rehearsal studios, practice rooms, a film studio, design technology workshops, and a visual arts studio. Project challenges included designing a facility able to accommodate both the music and drama programs while celebrating student creative work by putting the artistic process on display, and to maximize opportunities for social integration and community use.
The theatre takes the form of a courtyard and opens onto outdoor courtyards on either side allowing inside activities to expand outward. The adjacent courtyard includes project lay down space for the fabrication lab, an outdoor reception area, café seating, and student gardens. Large spans of glass between the various wings connect students and faculty to the interior courtyard and exterior surroundings, and informal gathering spaces located within the links have direct access to the courtyard. A large, movable wall opens onto an arts courtyard with access to music rehearsal spaces and visual and digital arts studios.
Indoors, the theatre uses innovative “pivoting shells” to quickly transform the stage between scene and performances. An adjustable proscenium, adjustable acoustics, and the uniform tech level make the transformation complete. A highly flexible tech level, with closely spaced catwalks accessible by a perimeter tech balcony on the same level as the control room, extends over the house and stage. The fully controllable LED lighting can be located almost anywhere in the theatre.
Like the Aquatic Center, gymnasium, and athletic center designed as part of earlier phases, the bold geometric exterior of the Performing Arts Center used white brick to recall its horse farm, rural roots. The perforated wood of the interior recalls woven baskets, and angled columns are meant to symbolize trees under which importance conversations are said to happen, according to African belief.
In 2011, the school engaged Flansburgh Architects to develop a Campus Master Plan with the purpose of identifying current and future needs to accommodate a growth of approximately 250 students over a five-year period. The Plan was to consider the site, culture, zoning constraints, as well as overall vision of the school, and to propose a phasing strategy to achieve said goals. What resulted was a five-phase plan that included the construction of an aquatics center, new elementary school, and athletic center among other facilities.
The fourth phase of AISJ’s Campus Master Plan was recently completed. Located in the center of campus lies the Performing Arts Center. Multiple pathways lead to and from the Center establishing the arts as a central part of academic and social life. The vision for this particular phase was to create dynamic, integrated educational and performance spaces that embrace the outdoors: the orthogonal plan of the featured theatre is a seamless extension of the adjacent arts courtyard. The Performing Arts Center’s 525-seat, 15,000-s.f. theatre is adaptable for dramatic and musical setting; the facility features a scene shop, dressing rooms, music ensemble rehearsal studios, practice rooms, a film studio, design technology workshops, and a visual arts studio. Project challenges included designing a facility able to accommodate both the music and drama programs while celebrating student creative work by putting the artistic process on display, and to maximize opportunities for social integration and community use.
The theatre takes the form of a courtyard and opens onto outdoor courtyards on either side allowing inside activities to expand outward. The adjacent courtyard includes project lay down space for the fabrication lab, an outdoor reception area, café seating, and student gardens. Large spans of glass between the various wings connect students and faculty to the interior courtyard and exterior surroundings, and informal gathering spaces located within the links have direct access to the courtyard. A large, movable wall opens onto an arts courtyard with access to music rehearsal spaces and visual and digital arts studios.
Indoors, the theatre uses innovative “pivoting shells” to quickly transform the stage between scene and performances. An adjustable proscenium, adjustable acoustics, and the uniform tech level make the transformation complete. A highly flexible tech level, with closely spaced catwalks accessible by a perimeter tech balcony on the same level as the control room, extends over the house and stage. The fully controllable LED lighting can be located almost anywhere in the theatre.
Like the Aquatic Center, gymnasium, and athletic center designed as part of earlier phases, the bold geometric exterior of the Performing Arts Center used white brick to recall its horse farm, rural roots. The perforated wood of the interior recalls woven baskets, and angled columns are meant to symbolize trees under which importance conversations are said to happen, according to African belief.