Richards Dance and Music Building Addition and Remodel, Brigham Young University - Provo, Utah

Dance and Music are performing arts that speak to movement, the movement of body and the movement of air to create sound. Such facilities require special spatial and acoustic considerations in order to increase performance creativity and execution. Our design of the Richards Dance and Music Building addition and remodel addressed these key elements. Program requirements for the project included new dance studios, teaching space, a recording studio, storage, prop shop, costume shop, administrative offices and loading areas.

The Music studios and teaching studios were given special acoustic attention not only to contain sound within their spaces but to keep out the noise from other music studios and dance studios. The juxtaposition of the dance and music studios allows for the best solution of integrating squarefootage needs with the functional relationship of spaces.

The architectural form takes root from the functionality of the dance studios and their function of instruction and preparation for performance. The large boxed windows at the ends of the dance studios are symbolic of a stages proscenium opening. These large butt glazed windows will extend the visual canvas on which the creative dancer will paint a collage of choreography.