University of Southern California, Glorya Kaufman School of Dance

The new Glorya Kaufman School of Dance gives the University of Southern California a home for the dance department. Made possible by a large donation from the venue’s namesake, the building is a visual anchor for the campus from the outside and stunning from the inside as well. The interior was inspired by the movement of dance with lots of natural light and open space central to the design intent.

Auerbach Pollock Friedlander provided theatre consulting for the new building from the earliest stages of planning and design. The 3,592-square-foot Performance Studio converts to a theatre space with the aid of blackout curtains, a retractable seating system for 140 patrons and an overhead pipe grid that has full theatrical performance lighting with the latest LED technology. The firm designed theatrical systems for the studio with flexibility and minimal staffing in mind.

Five additional dance studios range in size from 2,300 to 2,500 square feet, with 25-foot ceilings, that offer ample space for rehearsals, lectures, informal performances and dance classes. Specific details enhance all six studios including resiliently-mounted “floating floors” by Harlequin that isolate sound and the impact of movement.

A training and fitness zone, collaborative workspace, dressing rooms, classrooms and offices round out the new building.

Architect:  Pfeiffer Partners Architects, Inc.
Acoustics:  McKay Conant Hoover, Inc.
Size:  54,000 SF
Cost:  $43,000,000
Completion: 2016