The Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center

Los Angeles, California

Educational/Institutional

Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services

10,550 sq. ft.; 300-seat theatre

Designed to support both the campus and the community, the building is the home of Vista Del Mar's innovative therapeutic performing arts program and is designed as a multi-use performing arts facility to accommodate dance, music, teaching, and theatrical productions. The project is an adaptive reuse of an existing building that is augmented by the addition of new square footage for accessory spaces. These include production support areas, rehearsal spaces, stage craft, dressing, and classroom spaces. The primary challenge was to transform an existing temple while preserving as much of the existing structure as possible. By wrapping the existing theatre with a translucent addition, the building is evolved into a glowing new center for the campus.

Completed May 2021

Brian Wickersham (Principal-in-Charge), Sabina Lira (PM), Matthew Aulicino, Sean McCusker, Ksenia Chumakova, Burcin Nalinci, Manori Sumanasinghe, Aman Sheth, Louie Bofill, Graham Jordan, Ashley Hsu, Marija Volkman, Uriel Lopez, Elizabeth Pritchett, Taylor Nunes-Agins

Project Manager - Gardiner & Theobald, Structural Engineer - Nous Engineering, MEP - South Coast Engineering, Civil Engineer - VCA Engineers, Inc., Theater - Idibiri, Lighting Design - KGM Architectural Lighting, Graphic Design - Newsom Gonzalez, Landscape Design - SQLA, General Contractor - Shawmut Design and Construction

Nic Lehoux

ArchDaily, Dezeen, The Plan Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Metropolis Magazine, Global Design News, The Architect's Newspaper, Retrofit Magazine, Deco Journal (Korea), YAPI Design (Turkey), Building Design + Construction, ARCHITECT, Beverly Hills Patch, LUXE Magazine, Luxesource.com, Construction Global, CommARCH, Century City News, Westside Today, AECCafe.com, Building Enclosure, Construction Specifier, Inside Charity, Commercial Construction & Renovation, School Construction News, AUX Portfolio (pdf)

2022 AIA California Design Award, Institutional/Education Category, Merit, 2022 Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award, 2022 Fast Company Innovation by Design Awards, Honorable Mention, 2022 Westside Urban Forum, Institutional Category, Merit Award, 2022 LABJ Commercial Real Estate Awards Community Impact Category - Silver, 2021 AIA LA Design Award, 2021 SCDF Design and Philanthropy Award, 2020 AIA San Fernando Valley Design Award, 2020 AIA San Fernando Valley People's Choice Award