Macalester College Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center

1600, Grand Avenue, Saint Paul, MN, United States

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Macalester College Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center

1600, Grand Avenue, Saint Paul, MN, United States

Firm

Type

Cultural › Gallery Hall/Theater
Educational › University

YEAR

2012

The Music Building is transformed under Phase I into a state-of-the-art facility with greatly increased functionality and flexibility. The heart of this transformation is the new 318-seat Mairs Concert Hall. Connected to the Arts Commons by a spacious lobby, the Concert Hall is surrounded by undulating red-oak wood slats inspired by the idea of polyrhythm, essential to the work of the College’s popular African Drumming Ensemble. The wood lattice, which conceals fabric curtains that can be deployed and retracted to meet varying acoustic needs, is designed for acoustical accuracy and adjustability. The stage has been enlarged from Macalester’s previous facility to allow larger instrumental and choral groups to perform on campus.
The 2,200 square foot gallery provides a venue for formal display of rotating student and professional work. Large openings to the North Court and to both levels of the Commons allow passersby to engage the work.