Geffen Playhouse
Other Projects by Ronald Frink Architects
Geffen Playhouse
Type
STATUS
Built
SIZE
25,000 sqft - 100,000 sqft
The RFA design for the adaptive re-use and renovation of the Geffen Playhouse provides a dynamic and flexible "state-of-the-art" live theater facility. The original 1929 structure, a Masonic Club, is identified in the Westwood Village Specific Plan of Los Angeles, as a Cultural Resource eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The design goals and scope included:• Adaptive reuse and renovation, modernization, seismic strengthening and historic restoration for the 1929 building, which was not designed for live theater.• Renovated main house theater for 512 patrons with improved seating, sight lines, acoustics.• Recreate the main stage with a taller proscenium,new wing space, demountable stage with traps and understage, theatrical lighting and rigging.• Careful addition of a new contemporary 3 story building with a 120 seat 2nd stage, administrative & production offices, cast dressing rooms for stars and chorus, green room, essential back of house support areas and a new landscaped entry terrace.• Preserving the romantic charm and intimacy of the original historic structure while providing dramatically improving comfort and amenities for patrons.• Provide Fire/Life/safety upgrades of the historic structure to be compliant with current codes.Awards:• 2006 Preservation Award - Los Angeles Conservancy• 2006 National Award of Excellence - Preservation - Los Angeles Business Council• 2006 National Award of Excellence - Society of American Registered Architects• 2006 Award of Excellence - CA Council - Society of American Registered Architects• 2006 Grand Prize - Southern CA Development Forum