Salt Lake City is about to get a new, state-of-the-art performing arts center designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects (PCPA), in collaboration with HKS Architects. The 2,500-seat venue “will capture the spirit of its place” and serve as the region’s premier entertainment venue, while anchoring a vibrant arts district on the city’s main street downtown.
The selection committee of the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City chose the PCPA/HKS team from a competitive pool that included designers of some of the most prestigious theaters in the world. “We are honored to be selected to design the Utah Performing Arts Center,” said Cesar Pelli, senior principal of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. “Salt Lake City’s attractive downtown, vibrant cultural life, and wonderful views will all shape our design for what will be an important new venue for the entire city and state.”
The Utah Performing Arts Center will be designed to attract first-run touring Broadway shows and concerts, while providing an additional venues for Utah performance groups, such as Ballet West and Utah Opera.
Design of the project is expected to take about a year, with construction planned to begin in December 2013 and the opening of the theater projected for March 2016.
The Connecticut-based firm, PCPA, has extensive experience in designing world-class theaters, including the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, Overture Center for the Arts in Madison (Wisconsin), and the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall and Samueli Theater in Orange County (California).
Reference: Reuters, Utah Performing Arts Center, SLC’s Desert News
