Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2006 - 55

The Mesa Arts Center complex, under the direction of
DWL Architects + Planners (prime architect) and BOORA Architects (project architect), is a mix of angular shapes, glass,
steel, and natural materials that, according to the center's fact
sheet is "an oasis by day and a luminous beacon by night." The
color palette inside and out reflects the nearby Sonoran Desert
and local cultural traditions. The Shadow Walk is a cool garden in which to gather and relax amid trees, architectural
canopies, and a boulder-filled arroyo through which an occasional pulse of water simulates the aftermath of desert rainstorms. This landscape feature of the Mesa Arts Center is
described by BOORA Architects as "an earthbound channel
lined with travertine tiles and rough cut blocks of lava. In one
sense it creates a cooling element and a place for play at the
heart of the site. But it also contains a subtle reference to the
danger of an arroyo with those flash floods that can appear
suddenly. It's that sense of a place that is both inviting and a bit
mysterious, inviting you to explore that gives it magic." To
bring the largest performing arts complex in Arizona to life,
the creative team was assisted by the combined talents of
Auerbach Pollock Friedlander, theater consultants, McKay
Conant Brook Inc., acoustics and media systems, Paragon Structural Design, Martha Schwartz, Inc., landscape architects, and
Lowry Sorenson Wilcoxson, MEP.
Public art blends and contrasts with its surroundings
with such works as iridescent shades in the lobby that mimic
water and swirling sand dunes by artist Ned Kahn. Other art
includes colored glass panels to reflect a turbulent stormy
desert sky at sunset by Beth Galston. These panels cast multicolored light on the bridged walkway. Outdoor courtyard kilns
and a glass-blowing glory hole visible through the large glass
studio windows also highlight how the creation of art is integral to the center's design.
Michael Tingley, from BOORA Architects, commented on
why this arts center was conceived and constructed: "A fundamental strategy for the Mesa Arts Center project was to create a
new image and identity for the city of Mesa in the twenty-first
century that would spur economic investment in the downtown core. Transitioning this suburban community into a sustainable city for the new millennium requires establishing a
sense of place, of pride and identity. A central goal of the
project was to help this city and its citizenry see themselves in
a different light, recognize they are the 43rd largest city in the
country and reconsider what they're capable of. This project
was ninety percent publicly funded and when a community
with a conservative reputation makes that kind of investment
it's an amazing statement about the transformative potential of
the arts." While some citizens of Mesa see the center as a symbol of overspending, according an article in the East Valley
Tribune, 5 May 2006, the gala opening and several subsequent concerts sold out and the center has received national
and local recognition for its advanced design. As Steve Pollock, from Auerbach Pollock Friedlander, said, "It certainly
has created a 'there' there in the heart of Mesa..." Tingley
added, "It's not a passive environment like a park nor a formal
54

THEATRE

DESIGN

&

LOBBY

one like a courthouse, rather it's a challenging, invigorating
place for people to meet, to explore, to share experiences. The
arts become an ever-present and powerful voice in the public
realm with locations for outdoor performance, visual arts classes,
and exhibits [which are ] all visible from the exterior."
When asked what would have been done differently had
budget, programming, and time not been a constraint,
members of the design team expressed some disappointment that the interior lobby space was reduced during
value engineering exercises. The lobby had several requirements including the melding of the energy and vitality of the
center into an urban environment, and, as Tingley puts it, to
"create a dialogue between the performing and visual arts."
The circulation of the interior/exterior lobbies does indeed
work, however concession and ticket lines often get crowded.
Along with this, food and coffee shop areas would have been a
nice addition to the facility especially in its infancy while the
nearby downtown area strives to catch up with the center. With
the pace of growth in this city, though, it won't be long before
those gaps are filled by Mesa's entrepreneurs who are culturally diverse and vibrantly young (thirty-two years old is the average age).

TECHNOLOGY
SUMMER

2006

ARROYO
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2006
