Stagecraft

In this studio, we were tasked with creating a facility for the Los Angeles Dance Project, to be located in Pico Union. We drew from the forum typology of Frank Gehry’s Loyola Law School. One of its primary design goals was to encourage casual encounters between students through small, individual structures placed around the site. Our proposal seeks to spark casual interaction between LADP, its patrons, and the community of Pico Union. We created a pedestrian corridor that draws community members and LADP members into its courtyard. The passage aligns with the grid of the streets, embedding the campus within the neighborhood. Different programs are assigned to individual buildings and arranged around the courtyard. This proposal also blurs the lines between front and back of house: we arranged the back of house spaces, such as the fabrication shop and rehearsal studio, around the outside of the theater with large glass doors that engage the community with the process of theater-making.

Fall 2024, Faculty: Devyn Weiser, Partner: Basar Onal