Feature Project

Center for the Arts, South Puget Sound Community College

The Center for the Arts at South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) opened in September to rave student reviews.

Housing several departments including Drama, Music and Art, the new facility greatly expands SPSCC’s arts programs, providing practice and rehearsal spaces, choir and band/orchestra spaces, and custom instrument storage, all tuned acoustically for the specific needs of the programs.

The building form, driven by the large volume auditorium, rehearsal and choral spaces, is simple and elegant. With references to masonry performing arts centers of the past, the space maintains modern sensibilities and seamlessly incorporates 21st century technology.

The star of the building is the 500-seat theater with full fly loft. Developed to be a teaching space as well as a state-of-the-art college theater, the auditorium will be used by the college’s drama and music programs, as well as the community. The facility is designed such that community events in the auditorium, as well as regularly scheduled classes, can occur at the same time without concern for security or accessibility.

Placed at the campus entrance, the Center for the Arts creates a dramatic new introduction to the college with core design textures and materials echoing materials used on established buildings across the campus.