University of Denver, Robert and Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts, Lamont School of Music

Auerbach Pollock Friedlander provided full-scope theatre consulting for the School of Music and live performance facilities, including the 1,000-seat June Swaner Gates Concert Hall for concerts and opera, the 350-seat flexible Elizabeth Eriksen Byron Theatre (“The Flex”), the 300-seat Frederic C. Hamilton Family Recital Hall, a 100-seat mini recital room and practice facilities.

The team configured Gates Hall with variable architectural elements in the design and planning to create the acoustical response of this warm and intimate environment. Rendered in plaster, mahogany and stone in the style of a European opera house, Gates Hall features dance performances, concert events and fully-staged operas produced by the Lamont School of Music.

“The Flex” is a modified rectilinear space arranged with tiers of three fixed “U-shaped” gallery levels. These are enclosable for arena-style productions within a surround of multi-story gallery towers. When not in use, the towers move on air-bearing casters to a central platform lift that allows towers to be stored in the trap room below.

Providing the University of Denver’s music students with a formal, yet intimate recital space, Hamilton Hall was designed to accommodate the William K. Coors organ – a 2,500-pipe European tracker action instrument, designed and built by Berliner Orgelbau. The Hall is a relatively shallow yet tall room with layered side galleries for seating or choral performance.

Architect: Anderson Mason Dale Architects
Acoustics: Kirkegaard Associates
Size: 125,000 SF
Cost: $67,000,000
Completion: 2003