Seattle, Oct. 21, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LMN Architects is pleased to celebrate the design and construction of the Field Arts & Events Hall in Port Angeles, Washington. The new cultural center aspires to strengthen the creative community of Port Angeles and establish a place for all to feel welcome, while embracing the natural beauty of the site.
The Field Arts & Events Hall, the first of three buildings dedicated to arts, culture and science planned for the Port Angeles Waterfront Center, provides a new performing arts space and community gathering place on the city’s waterfront. Aspiring to enhance the broader creative community of Port Angeles, the building is specifically designed to support numerous community arts organizations, Peninsula College, and the City.
Chris Fidler, Executive Director Field Arts & Events Hall, comments: “LMN Architects and the team of consultants they assembled gave real definition to the word collaboration. They understood our community’s needs, listened to our aspirations, and responded with a project that celebrates the Port Angeles Waterfront.
Our mission is to provide a home for the arts that bring people together and strengthens our community. The board made an early decision to create a flexible building, but with the caveat that they had to capture vistas of both the Straits of Juan de Fuca to the North and the Olympic Mountains to the South. LMN managed to create a holistic design that is appropriate for the organization, the site conditions and is highly effective. When complete, the Field Hall will provide a cultural hub unavailable elsewhere on the Olympic Peninsula.”
The spectacular natural environment of Port Angeles, framed by the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains, is captured within the architectural gestures of the building. Public space that rises from the street to a second level provides wrap-around views of the city, the water, and the mountains. Aqua green tones and textures, wood ceilings and curtainwall mullions, and forest and waterfront beach inspired landscape materials connect the experience of the building with its broader surroundings.
Wendy Pautz, Design Partner, comments: “Rooted in a place where you can experience both the water and mountains, the new Field Arts & Events Hall is designed to be reflective of its striking, natural surroundings. Pacific Northwest timber wood is utilized throughout the building and glass materials and textures are highlighted extensively. Referential to water hues and patterns, the interior spaces feature organic textures and blue and gold colors, reminiscent of light reflectivity and the changing nature of water. A combination of flexible arts and meeting spaces allow for a variety of programming, with a coffeeshop and fine art gallery creating a vibrant, welcoming space infused with daily life.”
The 40,140 square-foot building features a 500-seat multi-purpose Performance Hall designed with an acoustical environment and theatrical systems to accommodate orchestral music, dance, dramatic theater, and amplified music events and festivals. A flexible Conference Center composed of a large meeting area with 3 break-out spaces and a Founder’s Room, convertible to 300 seats in banquet setup or 375 seats in a meeting format, complement the Performance Hall.
Wendy Pautz, Design Partner, comments: “The project reaffirms the important role of art, music, dance and dramatic theater in Port Angeles. The flexibility of the building program in conjunction with the clear interior circulation and the expansive views of the city and the waterfront create a welcoming environment for all and aspires to create a new sense of place for the community. The unifying strategy for the whole project is the consistent introduction of natural light, and the establishment of visual corridors with views to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains. This dialogue between the arts and the nature around the site supports the notion of the Field Arts & Events Hall as a unique destination anchored in the cultural history of its place, and we hope it offers a platform for the arts and a catalyst for artistic activity.”
Dressing rooms and other performance related spaces, a catering kitchen, and an administrative suite support the operations of the building. An art gallery and coffee shop invite visitors and the community to engage in activities throughout the day. The Field Arts & Events Hall project serves as a new cultural hub for Port Angeles, rooted in the region’s natural beauty, and serving as a center for artistic activity and creativity within the community.
LMN Architects is recipient of the 2016 AIA National Architecture Firm Award and is widely recognized for its design of projects that support smart, sustainable, cities. The firm has designed a number of important civic and cultural projects in Washington, including Benaroya Hall, McCaw Hall, the Washington State Convention Center Expansion, the Museum of History and Industry, and the Seattle Asian Art Museum Expansion & Renovation, and are currently designing the Seattle Aquarium Ocean Pavilion to be located on the waterfront. The firm’s ongoing dedication to communities at all scales is underscored by its important, iconic work across Washington state and beyond.
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