District Performing Arts Center

Placentia, CA

Mason Contractor: Frazier Masonry Corporation
Architect: SVA Architects, Inc.
General Contractor: Swinerton Builders, Inc.
Owner: Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District

Project Description

Architect’s Commentary: The District Performing Arts Center, located on the El Dorado High School campus in the City of Placentia, serves music, dance and theater students throughout the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District. Designed as a multi-use concert hall and theater venue, the Center provides a stage large enough for over 120 performers and can accommodate 635 spectators. It features an advanced multi-point sound system, variable acoustics, an adaptive orchestra shell, and a multipurpose green room. Numerous design workshops and charrettes were held with the School and District program coordinators in the early design stages, allowing the project design to evolve and provide the flexibility necessary for the diverse performance shows within the District.   Why Masonry? The Performing Arts Center was designed chiefly with concrete masonry because it accomplished the design vision for the facility: the concrete masonry units both harmonize with the existing buildings on campus and reflect the essence of the musical performances that take place within, all in a cost-effective manner. Concrete masonry units are affordable, durable, and sustainable. By integrating them into the building design, they provide thermal mass to help moderate the facility’s temperature, resulting in reduced energy usage and increased savings in maintenance costs over the life of the building. Moreover, concrete masonry comes in several forms; it can be a very flexible material when color and texture are used creatively. Along with a series of screen panels that wrap around the exterior, the design team used various types of concrete masonry units and projected block patterns to create a subtle, yet dynamic façade. The new Performing Arts Center is a versatile and attractive, yet truly economical, venue for the performing arts, and sets the standard for future campus development using concrete masonry.

Date of Project Completion: July 2013

Awards

2015 NCMA/ICPI Concrete Masonry Design Award of Excellence

Photography by Dale Lang