DG 1110.3.120
DESIGN GUIDE: MUSIC AND DRAMA CENTERS
CHAPTER 5: A SMALL DANCE THEATER
JANUARY 1981
5-4. A SMALL DANCE
THEATER
Built for a small progressive college in a rural
setting, Simon's Rock Art Center occupies a
former dairy farm complex and houses both vis-
ual and performing arts in adjoining barns. It is
part of a plan for program expansion to include
Drama and Music, but present teaching involves
dance movement.
By placing the leading edge of the Stage diag-
onally in the 30 foot wide barn, 10 feet were
added to its dimension. The rest followed logi-
cally-extensions in the same geometry to pro-
vide six different ways to enter the Stage, and
a parallel seating pattern that emphasizes some-
thing new and interesting is going on. Another
unusual element is the use of natural light called
for by the director; it enters through a skylight
over the seating area and through an angled
window behind the stage.
There is a conscious consistency in the way new
elements have been added to complement the
existing fenestration, structure and materials of
the barn which remains intact except for the cat-
tle stanchions. Detailing is simple and low cost.
A small but adequate shop and dressing area is
tucked into the lower level (originally for farm
wagons). Mechanical equipment is housed in-
dependent of the structure as an element of an
outdoor terrace. Since most access to the com-
plex is literally footpath pedestrian in nature, the
outward changes have been kept small in scale
and visually engaging at low-speed ambulation.
5-6
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