2016 USITT Architecture and Theatre Student Design Competition Sponsored by American Seating

Transcription

1 2016 USITT Architecture and Theatre Student Design Competition Sponsored by American Seating Competition Documents Available June 1, 2015 Application, Intent to enter due October 30, 2015 Submissions due January 19, 2016 More than any other building type, theatres are three dimensional from the first design sketch, with spaces stretching up and down through more than one story, encompassing balconies, mezzanines, vomitories, orchestra pits, scenery handling spaces, gridirons and elements found in no other facility. Theatres are three dimensional puzzles weaving together building systems, complex theatre equipment, expansive functional requirements, special acoustical needs and a strong architectural character. All of these conditions must merge within narrow parameters to create a successful performance venue. Too often the requirements and technological needs of creating theatre are lost in the building s design process. Either the architect is not aware of them or the users are not involved in the design process. Open communication between the theatre users and theatre designers is critical for a successful venue. The goal of this competition is to bring together future theatre professionals and architects to develop an understanding of the complexity of issues needed to design their ideal theatre. Introduction The United States Institute for Theatre & Technology (USITT) Architectural Commission with support from American Seating has organized this Architectural Design Competition to allow teams of college and university students enrolled in architectural and theatre programs to define and design their ideal theatre. Each entry will be judged by a Professional jury made up of leading Theatre Architects, theatre consultants, acousticians, scenic designers and other theatre professionals. The Architectural Commission will exhibit the entries and honor the winners at the 2016 USITT Conference & Stage Expo in Salt Lake City, March 16-19, Space, Place, Story Unlike film and television, theatre takes place in real time and space. Actors and audiences come together in a place that has been devised and prepared for telling a particular story with the intention of sharing an extraordinary experience together. The issue of space its character, Page 1 of 6

2 its geometry, its materiality and the impact that this space has on the way the story is told and received is central to live theatre. Today more and more theatre artists are increasingly interested in finding or creating the right environment in which to present drama in a compelling way. The goal of this competition is to encourage young architects to work with young theatre artists to explore the emotive power of space, how space can aid storytelling, and how it can be manipulated to achieve a dramatic purpose. We also hope that architects will enjoy the kind of creative collaboration that is common in the theatre, and will relish the opportunity to think about space-making in a different way than they typically are asked to do. This is a problem about how physical environments shape experiences over time; it's about places rather than spaces. Competition Goal The competition poses the design question: What is the ideal theatre for your client? This question is to be explored and answered by a Team composed of at least one theatre artist and one young architect. They can be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university theatre and architecture program or have recently graduated (18 months max.) from accredited architectural college or university and theatre program. History proves the most successful theatre design solutions take into account all aspects and needs of theatre production, artist presentation and audience interaction. Each team member has a defined responsibility. The theatre students will act as the Client and the architectural students as the Designer. The Client is responsible to teach the Designer about the workings and artistry of Theatre. The Client will define the detailed needs of the theater complex and provide critiques of the design produced by the Designer. As in professional practice the Client will remain an active member of the design process. The design solution MUST be the result of an ongoing dialogue between the Client and Designer. Larger teams are encouraged. For example, the Designer team could be expanded to include students of engineering, acoustics and construction technology. The Client represents all areas of theatre study, including; actors, directors, lighting technology, stagecraft, costume design, makeup, stage managers, house managers, etc. In addition, the front-of-house needs of the audience and the overall fit to site must be addressed. The Client should also define the type of live performance venue (opera, dance, drama, music, etc.) which fits their particular educational program. The Problem Statement, Use as a guide. Each team must make this work for their ideal theatre. Your University has been given a major gift to construct a new Center for the Performing Arts. The new Center is to reflect your department s educational goals and the technological needs for your area of performance specialty. The audience chamber should be between 400 to 600 seats. The intimacy of the live performance must be expressed and the layout is to be defined by your University s performance specialty. Additional front and back of house areas must be defined by the Client to meet the department needs. The Center maybe a free standing building, an infill building or reuse and repurpose an existing non-theatre building into a new Performing Center. An existing theatre can be used if it is substantially altered. The Art Center Spaces The program detail, areas, stage type and audience arrangement must be developed by the Client to reflect their department needs. The Client is to provide a written statement describing their University s Theatre Department s educational goals and needs of the teaching program. This can be made up or patterned after a real program. Page 2 of 6

3 At minimum the following theatre spaces must be included; Performance support areas Stage Area: (for a maximum of 40 performers) Stage set up area Material loading area Dressing Room: (for an average of 30 performers) At least one shop space for the production of stage sets, props, or costumes Green room area (performer assembly) Control booths (lighting, followspot, sound/video) One rehearsal space Front of house areas to include Lobby area for the chosen audience size Public Restrooms adequate for heavy use during intermission Box Office Additional spaces should include Two classroom for teaching theatre crafts. These could be lighting, design, theory, stagecraft, etc. Client must define use. Facility Offices: at least 3, Client to determine department needs. Special Needs Additional spaces WILL BE required to meet the Client s specially defined needs. These could be additional back stage areas such as: shop space, trap room, orchestra pit, student lounge, catwalks (front-of-house lighting positions), material storage, private dressing rooms, storage areas, etc. Front of House areas could include: concession areas, donor rooms, gallery space, volunteer room, house manager stations, café/gift shop and the like. The relationship between actors and audience will be defined by the artistic goals of the Client s department. The stage type could be formal proscenium, modified thrust, flexible courtyard or even flexible Black Box. The Client must define the type of stage that matches their stated educational goals. The shape, type and size of the audience chamber will be defined by the stage relationship. A seating range between 400 and 600 allows for a variety of audience chamber configurations, single level, multi-level, balconies, fixed seating or flexible are all possible and can still maintain an intimacy between performers and audience. General Requirements It is estimated that with a $35 million budget and a construction cost of $400 per square foot the Theatre Center would be a maximum of 70,000 gross square feet. Keep in mind that 40% to 60% of the gross building area will be allocated to circulation, miscellaneous areas for mechanical equipment, structure and walls. Building codes, ADA requirements, life safety and constructability needs should be kept in mind by the Designer. However, this competition IS intended to be a theoretical design study. So do not get caught in the details of the building code. Team Composition A Team is comprised of one or more architecture students enrolled in an accredited architectural college or university program and one or more theatre students (director, dramaturg, actor, writer, or designer) currently enrolled in a college or university theatre Page 3 of 6

4 program. The Team can enter as individuals or as part of a structured class. Team members can be at any level in their college or university careers. The students experience and knowledge of their chosen area of study will be an asset in developing the team s solutions. Upper level and graduate students are encouraged to compete. USITT may be able to assist with procedural requirements if the Team s school is willing to give formal credit for participation. Contact information is at the end of this form. Professional Jury The jury will include a practicing architect, a theatre director, a scenic designer, and/or a theatre consultant. The adjudicators look forward to seeing all ideas! Submission Requirements 1. A Team Name, chosen by the team, must appear on all materials submitted for the Jury to review. The name of the competitors college or university or individual team members CAN NOT appear anywhere on the materials the Jury will review. 2. An Entry Form (available for download on the USITT website) in a plain sealed business envelope with the Team Name clearly marked on the outside. This must be attached to the back of the Concept Booklet. 3. A Concept Booklet of up to TWELVE (12) 11 x 17 sheets (can be double sided) that must include: 1. A strong Design Statement describing your project. 2. The building program your team based the design on. 3. Documentation of the design process the "Client" and "Designer" use to create the building. Think of the booklet as a film treatment or a movie pitch. Explain the underlying ideas behind the design concept. Then explain how the concept led to the specific set of spatial/architectural choices which are proposed. Finally document the collaboration between the "Designer" and "Client". Cite examples of how specific choices, such as materiality, size, and character contribute fundamentally to a compelling experience of the story. Use text, photos, drawings or model photos to explain the ideas. Note this booklet is NOT a smaller version of the presentation panels. The Team Name must be on each sheet. Submit digital and printed copy of Concept Booklet. 4. Digital Submission of 36 x 48" Presentation Panel, in either a horizontal or vertical orientation. Use the boards to show plan and section drawings, interior perspectives, and rendered images as required to explain the space(s) and illustrate your design. Drawings can be black and white or color. Models can NOT be submitted, but photographs of models may be part of the presentation. Any text presented on the boards must be in a legible font of not less than 12 pt. Text should not exceed 300 words total on the boards (not including tiles, room labels, or drawing keys). Required drawings include; At least one plan with rooms labeled, one longitudinal section and one site plan showing the building in the campus context. Submit digital image of panel and an 11" x 17" printed copy of the panels. (DO NOT send 36" x 48" boards) 5. Digital Submissions: 1 Compact Disc (CD) or USB drive, containing 2.pdf files. File 1 - the Presentation Board, not to exceed 20 MB. These images must be of high quality for use in PowerPoint presentations. Screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, 100 dpi, 16:9 aspect ratio. File 2 of Concept Booklet not to exceed 9 MB. The CD or USB drive must have the Team Name marked on it. 6. All submissions will be PROJECTED for Jury review. Jury will also review printed 11" x 17" booklets and presentation boards. Page 4 of 6

5 7. A selected number of teams will be asked to submit high quality files for printing of panels for display. Competition Rules 1. The Jury will be English-speaking, and all text MUST be in English. 2. USITT reserves the right to use the submitted designs and photos of designs and team members for publication, promotional and archival purposes. 3. The Design submission must be the results of a Team effort between currently enrolled or recently graduated college/university students of theatre and architecture. 4. Team is defined as at least two individuals; one student of architecture and one student of theatre. There is no limit to the number of members on a team. 5. The competition is open to architecture and theatre students currently enrolled in accredited university architecture and theatre programs, anywhere in the world. 6. Architecture and theatre students Do Not need to be from the same college or university. 7. Students who graduated after December 2014 with an Architecture or theatre degree are eligible to enter this competition. 8. A Team can enter as individuals or as part of a structured class. Team members can be at any level in their college or university careers. 9. Each Team must appoint a team leader. All correspondence will be with the team leader. The team leader is responsible for distribution of information and if successful, distributing award money to all team members. 10. All teams are responsible for costs and shipping of their entries. 11. The Honor winners are responsible for transportation and housing at the USITT Conference. 12. International teams are responsible for obtaining any required travel visas. USITT will send a Conference Invitation to each Team to be used for visa applications. Competition Schedule 1. Competition entry documents are available June 1, requests for information to: info@office.usitt.org or info@landb.com Subject line: USITT Competition. 2. Questions on the competition are due by September 15, All questions must be submitted in writing to: info@landb.com Subject line: USITT Competition. 3. Intent to enter the competition application form is due September 30, application form to: info@usitt.org Subject line: USITT Competition. 4. All competition entries must be received by 5 p.m., EST. on January 19, 2016 Submissions must be sent to: 2016 USITT Architecture and Theatre Student Design Competition 315 South Crouse Avenue Suite 200 Syracuse, New York 13210, USA 5. The Professional Jury will select three Honor winners early in January All teams will be notified of the jury's selection soon after judging. 6. The (3) three Honor winners will be asked to present to the Architecture Commission at the 2016 USITT Conference & Stage Expo March 16-19, 2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. 7. A Commissioner s Award will be selected from among the three Honor Winners. Page 5 of 6

6 The Entries will be judged on: Understanding of the complexities of theatre design Evidence of a strong collaboration between the theatre artist and architect Clear relationship between the design and program Powerful use of space to embody and enhance theatre production Theatrical and design innovation Awards 1. Three Team Honor Awards will be selected by the jury. These "Teams" are asked to present their design to the USITT Architecture Commission at the 2016 USITT Conference & Stage Expo. 2. Each Honor Award Team will be awarded $1,000 (one thousand dollars) US. Each team will receive two complimentary registrations to attend the USITT Conference & Stage Expo March 16-19, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Stage Expo passes will be available for additional team members and school members who wish to attend the final judging ceremony. 3. The Commissioner s Award will be selected from among the Honor Award Teams presenting at the USITT Architecture Commission Student Design Competition Session. All session attendees will vote for the Commissioner's Award. 4. The Commissioner s Award winner will be awarded an additional $500 (five hundred dollars) US. In the case of a tie the money will be split equally between each team. 5. Additional Merit Awards may be given at the discretion of the Jury or the Architecture Commission. 6. The college or university of each awarded team will also receive recognition. 7. Submissions will be displayed by the Architecture Commission at the 2016 USITT Conference & Stage Expo. USITT reserves the right to use the submitted designs and photos of designs and team members for promotional and archival purposes. For Additional Information: requests: info@landb.com Subject line: USITT Competition. Website Competition managed by USITT Architecture Commission, Raymond Kent, Chair, Rose Steele, Landry & Bogan, Theatre Consultants, Competition Committee Chair Competition sponsored by American Seating Page 6 of 6