S. Leonard Auerbach, FASTC, MIES, IALD

As founder and director of design of Auerbach Pollock Friedlander and Auerbach Glasow, Len brings over 50 years of professional experience and international expertise in theatre consulting to his practice. His approach to theatre, architectural lighting, audio-video and multi-media consulting combines a background in architecture with his scenic and theatrical lighting design experience gained in New York and at leading regional theatres. With hundreds of projects to his credit, his experienced leadership and personal involvement assures the highest level of design and quality of work.

In 1968, he left his position as resident lighting designer at the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis and joined the consulting firm of Bolt, Beranek, and Newman in New York, ultimately becoming director of their theatre consulting services in San Francisco.  In 1972, he formed, Piacentini/Auerbach which became S. Leonard Auerbach & Associates, Inc. in 1973.  In 2002, the growth of the firm culminated in its reorganization into Auerbach Pollock Friedlander and Auerbach Glasow.

Selected Project Experience
  • Al Habtoor City, La Perle by Dragone Theatre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • American Museum of Natural History, Rose Center for Earth and Space, Hayden Planetarium, New York, New York
  • Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts District Core Area, Beijing, China
  • Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley, California
  • Carnegie Hall, Judy and Arthur Zankel Hall, New York, New York
  • Conference Center for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Cyprus Cultural Center, Nicosia, Cyprus
  • Esplanade Phase Two Planning Study, Singapore
  • Griffith Observatory, Samuel Oschin Planetarium, Los Angeles, California
  • Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
  • Mandalay Bay, Michael Jackson ONE™ for Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • MGM City Center, Cirque du Soleil Viva ELVIS™ Theatre, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • MGM City Center, Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, KÀ™ for Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • MGM Mirage, Cirque du Soleil LOVE™ Theatre, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • New-York New York Hotel and Casino, Zumanity™ for Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Opera Idaho, Pre-architectural Study, Boise, Idaho
  • Ordway Music Theatre, St. Paul, Minnesota
  • San Francisco Conservatory of Music, San Francisco, California
  • San Francisco War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, California
  • SFJAZZ Center, San Francisco, California
  • Sonoma State University, Green Music Center, Rohnert Park, California
  • Studio City Entertainment Center, Macau, China
  • The Academy of Music, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • The Santa Fe Opera, Crosby Theatre, Santa Fe, New Mexico
  • The Venetian Macao, ZAIA™ for Cirque du Soleil, Macau, China
  • The Venetian Orient, Ltd, Multi-purpose Theatre, Cotai Headliner Theatre and Presentation Theatre, Macau, China
  • Xishuangbanna International Resort, The Dai Show Theatre, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China
  • Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, California
Education
  • Master of Fine Arts, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Theatre Architecture with a Heinz Fellowship for the Fine Arts
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts, Carnegie Institute of Technology, Drama
Professional Affiliations
  • Allied Member of AIA San Francisco
  • American Society of Theatre Consultants, President 1983 – 1987, Founding Member
  • International Association of Lighting Designers,
  • Illuminating Engineering Society
  • International Society for the Performing Arts, Board of Directors, 2010 – 2013
  • Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers
  • United States Institute for Theatre Technology, Fellow
Professional Activities
  • Carnegie Mellon University, School of Architecture
    • Visiting Lecturer
    • 2001 FitzGibbon Chair
    • Led development of curriculum for Theatre Architecture
  • Architecture Department of the University of California at Berkeley, Assistant Instructor
  • Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, Continuing Education, Lecturer
  • Numerous lectures, articles and publications world wide