PITTSBURG, KS – When the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts at Pittsburg State University opened its doors Dec. 7, those in attendance may have been surprised to know that, despite the stunning glass edifice, or setting foot in the beautiful wood-trimmed auditorium, and exploring its numerous versatile facilities, that the entire building was completed at the cost of $33 million.
More details from Theatre Projects (www.theatreprojects.com):
Cost–effective planning and design by Theatre Projects went a long way in creating the first performing arts facility on the Pittsburg State University campus since 1978. The long-overdue building is a collaboration between Theatre Projects, ACI/Boland (executive architect), and William Rawn Associates (design architect).
At the heart of the 96,000 square foot center is the Linda & Lee Scott Performance Hall, a 1,100-seat, multi-purpose theatre that can accommodate symphony, opera, drama, dance, amplified music and more, providing the university with countless opportunities for both student performances and outside touring groups.
With a flexible mainstage theatre, adjustable acoustics, and a sizable seating capacity, the university can anticipate a myriad of rotating events throughout the year, enhancing the school’s cultural influence and drawing revenue from outside patrons.
Down the hall from the Linda & Lee Scott Performance Hall sits the Bicknell’s courtyard theatre, a flexible and intimate 250-seat space, which will serve as the mainstage for the university’s drama department. With a comfortable setting, the young actors-in-training are provided the perfect environment to gradually find their voice, learn their range, and step out onto a modest stage rather than into a cavernous auditorium. The courtyard theatre features an adjustable stage, which can be arranged in endstage or thrust configurations.
In an effort to keep costs down, the facility was built in large part with pre-cast concrete panels, affording the construction team the luxury of not pouring concrete on site. The quick and cost-effective method was used in two previous Theatre Projects buildings: the Shaw Center for the Arts in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Lafayette, Louisiana.
The modest price tag of the Bicknell Center is all the more astonishing when taking into account all the other facilities included in the building. A scene shop, costume shop, dressing rooms, and technical rooms provide a robust infrastructure for a constant stream of shows and events, while a 3,000 square foot multi-purpose rehearsal room doubles as a warm-up room for waiting performers. Additionally, the center features an art gallery, donor display room, donor lounge for private receptions, and a workshop for artists-in-residence. Future plans call for a garden courtyard and reception area to the south of the building.
The center’s expansive glass edifice, grand lobby, and the natural light pouring into the courtyard theatre, scene shop, and costume shop, may belie what was at heart a very carefully-planned and cost-effective design. The design team worked intensively to create a beautiful, modern and deceptively simple building that could not only be built efficiently, but also function flawlessly.
With the opening of the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts, Pittsburg State University aims to take a spot as one of the Midwest’s premier destinations for music, theatre, art, lectures, and more. Not only will the center provide a lasting home for student-actors and artists, but it will enrich the surrounding community and be a catalyst for the arts and culture of Pittsburg, Kansas for decades to come.
