Tucked into Cincinnati’s Walnut Hills neighborhood, the new dance center surrounds people in the joy of movement. Adjacent to one of the city’s major expressways, the building’s strategic siting makes a highly visible statement: the arts are valued in Cincinnati.
The design accommodates a community studio with a first of its kind overhead track system that will allow people with physical disabilities to enjoy the movement of dance. Large windows provide ample daylight; the premier studio offers city views.
Moreover, the project takes advantage of the site’s slope to create loading dock access to the third-floor studios. Graceful stilts help maximize the amount of building that could fit on the site; terracotta tiles on the exterior were individually hand made in Lexington, Ohio. Each tile is unique, like each dancer who comes to the center to experience the joy of dance.
Project: Cincinnati Ballet Valentine Center for Dance
Firm: GBBN
Finalist, 11th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Health
