Diller Scofidio + Renfro have been selected to renovate Frank Lloyd Wright's Kalita Humphreys Theater in Dallas. Home to the Dallas Theater Center since its opening in 1959, the renovation project will include a master plan for the nine-acre Kalita Humphreys site, which will include new theater spaces and a connection to the Katy Trail.
The Kalita Humphreys Theater is the only free-standing theater Wright designed that was built during his lifetime. As Wright stressed integration with nature, the theater was built into a limestone bluff overlooking Turtle Creek. Charles Renfro will lead the design of the project in collaboration with his partners at Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and Hillwood Urban will be the project manager.
"As a native Texan, I am particularly excited to contribute to our state’s architectural heritage and partner with Dallas Theater Center, whose bold productions are equally matched by their bold commitment to architectural innovation,” Charles Renfro said. “This project is an opportunity to restore the Kalita Humphreys - one of Dallas's most overlooked pieces of architecture - to its rightful place in the pantheon of design masterpieces in the city. Not only is it Frank Lloyd Wright's only built theater, but it has also made significant contributions to the way theater has been presented and seen.”
“All of us at Dallas Theater Center have been proud to call the Kalita Humphreys Theater our home since it was completed 61 years ago,” said DTC Artistic Director Kevin Moriarty. “As we look to the future, we are thrilled to partner with the architects at Diller Scofidio + Renfro as well as the city of Dallas and the entire community to restore the Kalita to its original glory, and expand opportunities for theater artists, students and audiences. By creating new spaces and opening up the site, the new master plan will boost the natural beauty of the theater’s surroundings and improve its ability to serve as a welcoming, accessible space for all.”
DTC and its partners intend to present a plan to the City’s Office of Arts and Culture by the end of 2020. The Dallas City Council will be asked to give final approval of the plan.
News via Diller Scofidio + Renfro
