Reed’s new Performing Arts Building, which opened September 2013, represents a major step forward in the college’s commitment to the important role the arts have played throughout Reed’s first 100 years. For the first time in Reed’s history, the departments of music, dance, and theatre are housed in one building that includes rehearsal and performance space, offices, scene and costume studios, collaborative spaces, and a multimedia lab.
Opsis Architecture of Portland and Fischer Dachs Associates of New York worked extensively with members of the Reed community in designing the 80,000 square foot building. The design process focused on creating a facility that would be academic, student-centered, welcoming to the community, and collaborative. Main access to the building is through glass doors into the Atrium, a large open space filled with natural light that invites gatherings both impromptu and planned. Performances are staged in either the 99-seat black box theatre or the 180-seat studio theatre. The plans provide for the eventual addition of a 450-seat proscenium theatre.
Performing Arts Building at a Glance
- 180-seat studio theatre with movable seating platforms
- 99-seat black box theatre with a barn door that opens to the lobby
- Dance studio with sprung wood floor
- Theatre/dance rehearsal room
- Music/choir rehearsal room
- The Atrium lobby with natural ventilation, radiant heat and chilled concrete floors
- Rooftop patio for gatherings and functions
- Classrooms, practice rooms, technology center, multimedia library, scene studio, costume studio, and offices
- Bioswales and Eco-roof designed to collect all rainwater on site with zero discharge to city's storm water system
- Windows and skylights reduce dependence on artificial light and provide better options for teaching and learning
- New public entry on the west edge of campus with elevator access to the Kaul/Gray Campus Center quad level
More information
Architectural renderings of the Performing Arts Building
Video of the ceremonial groundbreaking
Reed magazine articles about the performing arts:
- Rhapsody in Brick (June 2011)
- One Year at Reed and $1 for Performing Arts (Summer 2008)
- $1.5 Million Mellon Grant to Boost Performing Arts (Summer 2007)
- Enhancing Performing Arts: A Q&A with President Diver (Summer 2007)
- Into the Limelight (Spring 2006)