Victoria Gardens Cultural Center

The Victoria Gardens Cultural Center includes the 536-seat Lewis Family Playhouse proscenium theatre, a rehearsal hall, the 4,500-square-foot Celebration Hall Conference Center and the Paul A. Biane Library. Auerbach Pollock Friedlander was instrumental in the programming, planning and design of the project; the goal of which was to provide venues for family-oriented entertainment to the surrounding community.

Home to a resident professional children’s theatre company and a guest artist series which brings touring professional performers to the community, the Lewis Family Playhouse has a fully-rigged fly loft, comprehensive theatrical lighting system, trapped stage floor and a robust audio-video system to support production needs. A configurable forestage platform system allows use as a stage extension, additional audience seating or as an orchestra pit, while in-house side stages allow the performance area to extend out into the audience.

The library features an overhead, large rear projection system for display of media, information and digital art. Celebration Hall is equipped with distributed sound, playback devices, touch screen controls and special lighting integrated with room dividers for use as a single large assembly hall or to function as three separate smaller halls. Portable audio and lighting equipment in conjunction with distributed power provide technical support for informal performance and presentation throughout the adjacent outdoor courtyard and Mainstreet lobby.

Architects: WLC Architects and Pitassi Architects
Acoustics: McKay Conant Hoover
Size: 89,000 SF
Cost: $33,800,000
Completion: 2006