Christopher Newport University, Ferguson Center for the Arts
Newport News, Virginia, USA
Robert Benson Photography
A combination of new construction and renovation, this 250,000 square foot, multi-venue arts center was completed in two phases. The first phase included new construction of a studio theatre, dance studio, rehearsal and support spaces, and the renovation of an old high school gymnasium into a versatile multipurpose theatre.
The second phase, completed a year later, included a larger, 1,750-seat multipurpose theatre. With intimate seating arrangements and demountable orchestra shells in both theatres, the university can accommodate nearly any user, no matter the type or size—including everything from student symphonies and choral ensembles to full-scale national touring acts.
Robert Benson Photography
owner:
Christopher Newport University
architect:
Pei Cobb Freed Architects | Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas + Company
acoustician:
Kirkegaard Associates
users:
Touring performances and university users
spaces:
- 1,750-seat multipurpose theatre
- 550-seat multipurpose theatre
- 200-seat studio theatre
construction type:
Mixed
theatre type:
Arts & cultural centers, Auditorium design/seating, College & university, Concept design, Feasibility & needs assessments, Flexible & studio theatres, Multipurpose theatres, Program development
services:
Feasibility study, programming, concept design, theatre planning, and theatre equipment design and specification
completion:
2005
Robert Benson Photography