Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts
Davis, Calif.
BOORA Architects

A performing arts center raises the bar on flexibility and sustainability

© Robert Canfield

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This project represents a dramatic new image for the University of California-Davis both visually and symbolically. Located on a prominent edge of campus, it is visible to the entire Sacramento region. Its state-of-the-art acoustical and theatrical design demonstrates UC Davis’s commitment to the arts.

The glass, multileveled lobby links the 250-seat studio theater and the 1,800-seat Jackson Hall, while opening the building to the entry quad and the arboretum via a giant trellised canopy and a two-story colonnade. The street in front of the lobby can be closed off to allow events to spill into the park.

Adjustable architectural and acoustical elements within the performance spaces create a variety of configurations for multiple uses in both halls. Although designed primarily for symphonic orchestra and choir, the hall can be configured to accommodate drama, opera, dance, and convocation. The studio theater has similar flexibility with added multiform capability. Its connection to the arboretum terrace through a 40-foot-wide, operable window wall allows outdoor performances and receptions.

The center is one of the most sustainable performance halls in the country. Recycled fir logs recovered from the bottom of Ruby Lake in British Columbia were used to create the exquisite wall paneling, cabinetry, and furniture throughout the facility. Exterior solar screening protects all glazing and shades the lobby porch and pedestrian walkways. The exterior walls of the parking garage are clad in trellises with climbing vines. Additionally, under-floor plenums are used for the energy-saving displacement ventilation system. The result is a design that respects the campus’s commitment to the arts, advances its stewardship of the land, and provides a forum for campus and community interaction.

Formal name of Project:
Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

Location:
Davis, Calif.

Gross square footage:
103,637 sq. ft.

Total construction cost:
$46.3 million

Owner:
University of California, Davis

Architect:
BOORA Architects
720 S.W. Washington St., Suite 800
Portland, Oregon 97205
Ph. 503-226-1575
Fx. 503-283-7941
www.boora.com