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Building PACE

The ability of any performing arts center to excel in its mission is rooted in an organic connection between its programmatic vision and its architecture. A great cultural facility requires a unique personality and a functional design that enables this vision. A great orchestra needs great acoustics. A great dance company requires the right combination of stage and lighting. And Broadway shows need it all: lights, sound, and a lot of space above, below, behind, and to the side of the stage, with enough power to light up Cincinnati. The first two phases of architectural design for PACE established the location, orientation, and basic elements of the building.

The third architectural stage, Design Development, was completed in March 2009 and is the phase in which the personality of PACE really began to emerge. The fundamental principles that guided the final design include:

Creating an iconic presence

More than just another new building, PACE promises to enliven the fabric of the city, creating a great community gathering-place with an iconic presence. Its asymmetrical interplay of volumes and surfaces distinguishes it immediately from the more regular facades of the surrounding architecture. It announces its cultural purpose with alternating "curtains" of glass and stone that mimic the stage and curtains within. The interior features warm, inviting lobbies with a "river of glass" overhead that draws visitors toward a central atrium. The exterior surfaces of the Concert Hall itself will be sheathed in five stories of illuminated, articulated glass, creating a glittering visual drama for patrons and passersby alike.

Designing with the future in mind

Using groundbreaking new research on changing patterns of cultural engagement, especially among younger audiences, Executive Director and CEO John Haynes, architect Norman Pfeiffer, and the PACE Building Committee, chaired by Board Director Maxine Barnard, have developed a plan that melds the best aspects of traditional theatre design with the most visionary thinking on audience engagement and technology. The resulting design, which emerged from a unique charette process involving 11 performing arts professionals from across the country, includes a state-of-the-art, 2,000-seat Concert Hall and an intimate, 250-seat Cabaret. PACE is designing a cultural venue with the ability to offer unusually diverse and sophisticated community experiences ranging from a black-tie night at the opera to Indian classical dance to an evening rendezvous with friends at a blues club.

Developing a truly versatile facility

A unique feature of the design is the care with which the building has been conceived as a multipurpose presenting facility. The ability to accommodate events of any size and complexity ensures a rich diversity of PACE-presented performances, from string quartets to Broadway extravaganzas. The Concert Hall is scalable from as few as 400 seats to its full capacity of 2,000. The Cabaret will seat up to 200 on the main level and another 50 in the Donors Loge on the mezzanine level. (The Donors Loge will be reserved for the exclusive use of donors for pre-show and intermission hospitality during PACE-presented performances in the Concert Hall.) The performance venues emphasize flawless sound quality, comfortable interiors, unobstructed sightlines, efficient and functional backstage spaces, a Mainstage spacious enough to accommodate virtually any production, a Cabaret with flexible staging and seating, and state-of-the-art technical controls. Every detail is planned to meet the exacting standards required of a world-class performing arts center. The multipurpose design will also enable area arts organizations to grow effortlessly into larger venues as their audiences expand. The flexibility of its venues will also permit PACE to serve as an outstanding resource for civic and community uses such as education programs, lectures, receptions, corporate meetings, and conferences.

Unique elements of the building design include:

• The Cabaret – Offering a casual environment of intimate seating on two levels, both including bar service, the Cabaret will present a regular schedule of performances staged for smaller audiences such as jazz ensembles, world music, singer-songwriters, spoken word artists, and comedy. Designed to offer a high-quality cultural experience in the context of a hip, social-networking environment, the Cabaret will appeal especially, but not exclusively, to the "Millennial Generation." The Cabaret will also provide concessions for Concert Hall audiences during major events, serve as one of the primary locations for pre- and post-show lectures, and as a unique venue for private events as well.
• The PACE Concierge – A "river of glass" leads from both entrances to a centrally-located Concierge Desk, which replaces the traditional box office. The concierge concept recognizes that audiences increasingly purchase tickets online or by phone and is intended to provide peerless, face-to-face customer service that goes far beyond a ticket transaction.
• The Patrons Lounge – Located on the lower level and accessible from the Main Lobby by both the Grand Staircase and by elevator, the Patrons Lounge is designed to be a spacious and comfortable area for audiences to gather and relax. The lounge will provide access to restrooms that serve the main level and will feature a large bar, visual connections to the floors above and to the outside, and more than 4,000 square feet of public space. In addition to providing pre-show and intermission hospitality, the Patrons Lounge is designed with the technical infrastructure to support board meetings, arts education events, pre- and post-show lectures, and community events.
• The Star Suite – Consisting of a star dressing room and the adjacent Star Lounge, we added the Suite during Design Development as a complement to the Conductor's Dressing Room and Green Room on a lower level. Located immediately offstage, the Star Suite is designed to serve the needs of major touring artists and to keep them as close to the stage as possible. The Star Lounge will be an elegant location in which donors, students, and others will have the opportunity to meet our performers.
• Green Building Design: An important feature of the PACE design is the intention to receive a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. This rating system is a voluntary national effort to develop high-performance, sustainable buildings that emphasize qualities such as energy efficiency, water savings, and indoor environmental quality. PACE will be one of the first LEED-certified performing arts centers in America.

Location

PACE will be located in the center of the Bellevue business and shopping district at the corner of NE 10^th Street and 106^th Avenue NE, an easy drive from I-405, I-90, and SR-520, along a major bus route, four blocks from the downtown transit center, and two blocks from a planned light rail terminal. This central location offers thousands of people who live, work, and visit downtown Bellevue convenient access to the performing arts. A network of sky bridges, sidewalks, and underground tunnels will connect PACE with 200 retail stores, 30 fine restaurants, and 1,000 first-class hotel rooms, all within walking distance, making PACE a 'one-stop shopping' model for arts and entertainment. This robust, pedestrian-friendly urban center, with new mixed-use high-rises, office buildings, condos, hotels, retail shops, and restaurants, promises an exciting atmosphere for an unforgettable theatre experience. PACE also offers more choice to Seattle residents, particularly those working on the Eastside or living near the SR-520 and I-90 bridges.

Project Size

• 135,000 square feet and five stories
• Two venues for live performance - 2,000-seat Concert Hall and 250-seat Cabaret
• Access to 10,000 underground parking spaces
• Seating capacity in the Concert Hall ranges from fewer than 400 to its full capacity of 2,000
• Seating will be on three levels: Orchestra (1,000), Mezzanine (500), and Balcony (500)
• Seating capacity in the Cabaret is 200 on the main level and 50 on the upper level

Stage Specifications

• Large 110' by 50' stage, with capacity to present full-scale productions;
• 55' by 35' proscenium framing the stage, with advanced masking capability to reduce the width for smaller shows;
• Fly tower reaching 100' from stage to roof, permitting complex set and lighting design;
• Orchestra shell designed for optimal acoustic control and aesthetic staging;
• Large orchestra pit for up to 40 musicians;
• State-of-the-art technical systems and auditorium acoustics;
• Acoustic isolation between Cabaret and Mainstage; and
• Flexible Cabaret staging and seating.

Project Cost

$160,000,000:

• $8,000,000 in Land
• $11,000,000 in Design and Engineering
• $114,000,000 in Construction
• $2,000,000 in Furnishings and Equipment
• $6,000,000 in Soft Costs
• $9,000,000 in Fundraising and Administration
• $10,000,000 in Endowment

Project Team