MERIT AWARD

Represents superior accomplishment in the profession of landscape architecture.

NOORDA CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS

SUMMARY

The Noorda Center for Performing Arts is a 140,000+ square-foot center that provides a much needed and long-anticipated home for UVU’s nationally recognized arts programs. The Center will house theatre, dance, and music instruction and performance spaces including a 900-seat Concert Hall, 501-seat Proscenium Theatre, and a 150-seat Dance Venue. A key component of the project is the distinct and special entry plaza that greets students and visitors when entering the building. This plaza area seamlessly connects to the interior of the building while fitting the architecture into the surrounding context of the university campus.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Noorda Center for Performing Arts landscape is to build strong community involvement, invite collaboration through indoor/outdoor relationships, and create a sense of place. This focus provides a world-class environment for arts experience and education.

 ROLE OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

Working very closely with the architects, the landscape architect produced the idea-driven concept design of the outdoor spaces, concept imagery, and a full construction document package that coincides with the architectural plans.  A pivotal factor to this design process was to ensure that we collaborated with all stakeholders and architects on the initial conceptual and schematic design very closely to make sure that the spaces/tiered plazas flowed easily from one tier to another.  Grading collaboration and coordination of site and retaining walls as well as handicap accessibility was designed and directed by us so that the plazas could flow easily and be integrated seamlessly and noticeably by the users and so they felt like they were part of the plazas and not just add ons.  The look and feel of the plaza tiers, at first glance, may appear misleadingly simple, but effective collaboration and design exploration and coordination between the design team helped make these spaces seem as if you might wonder….what did we contribute to this project beyond the over generalized sense of just plantings and irrigation….Beyond planting and irrigation we designed every site and retaining wall, every planter, every ramp, every stair, even to the extent of the walls that come from inside the building and ensuring that they exactly extruded beyond the glass to the exterior.  We would consider it a compliment if you were left wondering...so who designed what in this plaza….because of the sense that these spaces begin to blur into one another making for true “indoor/outdoor” integration.

 IMPORTANCE

• The mission of Utah Valley University to give all students a complete university experience was compromised by the great inadequacies of the old facilities.

• The projected growth rate of the School of the Arts indicates a strong need for a new Performing Arts Complex.

• The thoughtful design of architecture, integrated with thoughtful site and landscapes and informed by its context ensures the longevity of the Noorda Center for Performing Arts and justifies its place in the campus community.

• Audiences locally and across the world will be able to better enjoy the work of UVU students.

• Students at the School of the Arts will finally have a place to learn and perform that better represents their abilities.