The Dr. P. Phillips Orlando Performing Arts Center today unveiled interior renderings of its 2,700-seat theater, 1,700-seat multiform hall, and 300-seat community theater following a vote this morning by the board of directors approving the phased construction of the three theaters. The renderings were unveiled at the State of Downtown Address by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and mark the latest step toward a projected spring 2010 groundbreaking.
“The interiors bring the magnificence and impact of the performing arts center to life. Not only is this building an architectural and technological masterpiece; it is now a warm and inviting gathering place for this community,” said Dr. P. Phillips Orlando Performing Arts Center Chairman Jim Pugh, “Barton Myers Associates was able to tailor the interiors to Orlando’s lifestyle and environment while also reflecting a glorious new sensibility for Central Florida.”
Each space has been designed with consideration for the space’s specific purposes. The 2,700-seat theater space, to be named by Disney, is meant to give the patron the feeling of sitting in an outdoor amphitheater. The 1,700-seat multiform hall is conceived as a warm, intimate flexible hall with the capability for opera, dance, drama and concert in multiple configurations. The community theatre is designed as a vibrant welcoming space with 300 seats distributed between an orchestra and parterre at the ground level, one balcony, and articulated boxes on both levels.
“The exterior of our performing arts center is a crowning architectural statement for Orlando. But the interiors are the jewels in the crown. We had our future patrons, artists and visitors in mind throughout the entire design process,” said Dr. P. Phillips Orlando Performing Arts Center President Kathy Ramsberger.
To create a design that would meet the needs of the Central Florida community, the specialized design team performed in-depth observation and research of the City of Orlando, its people, and its surroundings. After touring facilities and historic landmarks, the team created a design inspired by the city’s natural environment, culture and architecture.
“Barton Myers Associates designed the space in a way that arouses the senses, but also relaxes the mind,” added Ramsberger, “These spaces are designed in a way to complement, optimize and enhance the experience of participating in a performance.”
The arts center’s design architect, Los Angeles-based Barton Myers Associates, has designed a number of performing arts centers, including the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, N.J., the Tempe Center for the Arts in Tempe, Ariz., and the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in Cerritos, Calif. Myers’ award-winning architectural designs are considered to be among the finest in the world.
Renderings are available for viewing.