The Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts Washington building, WA architecture development images
The Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts, WA
Public Architecture Development in WA design by LMN Architects, USA
April 10, 2023
Design: LMN Architects
The Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts Building
Location: 200 Madison Ave. North, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110, USA
Photos by Adam Hunter/LMN Architects
LMN Architects celebrates the Expansion and Construction Progress of the New Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts.
The Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts by LMN Architects
The project preserves the building’s original tectonic identity and scale while enhancing the center’s capacity to expand its mission and support greater inclusivity.
Seattle, Washington – April 10, 2023 – LMN Architects is pleased to celebrate the design and construction progress of The Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts in Washington. A beloved community theater in Bainbridge Island, the Buxton Center expansion and renovation inaugurates a new era for performers and the arts community on the island.
The new Buxton Center will facilitate a stronger connection to the civic heart of the island by reorienting its entry sequence to the axial plan of Town Square and encouraging more organized circulation to the new entry lobby and vestibule. A wood and glass curtain wall encloses the new two-story lobby space, immersing patrons in the lush woodland landscape below a canopy of towering conifers, and at night, creating a welcoming beacon of activity within. The flexible adjacent studio will serve as a separate performance venue as well as the primary home of the Bainbridge Performing Arts Theatre School program.
Erik Perka, Associate, LMN Architects, comments: “The original theater was a civic treasure for the island and a vital gathering space to celebrate the arts in the local community. Throughout the design of the new building, our main goal was to preserve the intimacy of the theater while strengthening the connections with the public through a more transparent façade and expressive building form. With construction nearing completion, it is exciting for us to imagine all the performances and events that the new building will host in a familiar location.”
A dramatic wave-form roof and ceiling plane of expressed wood structure ties together the new program spaces and gives the building a clear identity. The auditorium has been fully overhauled with a reconfigured seating bowl with sound and light locks, better sightlines, and improved accessibility for all patrons. The redesign of the auditorium also includes new finishes and energy-efficient lighting, along with an overhaul of the support spaces and building systems.
Sustainability and connection to the island’s history and ecology were prioritized during the design process. The project is characterized by natural tones and material choices that celebrate Bainbridge Island’s landscape and architectural history. The lobby ceiling and floors are emphasized with wooden hues and accents, contrasted by blackened steel fixtures while red highlights the auditorium entrances.
The center of this new community gathering space will be furnished with a custom-built bar and concessions area, produced by a local woodworker using salvaged timber from the Bloedel Reserve. The second level features a small communal area that overlooks the studio and lobby below. Targeting LEED Gold certification, the Buxton Center will utilize a rooftop solar array, an expanded raingarden, and a more efficient HVAC system.
Mark Tumiski, Principal, LMN Architects, comments: “Located in the heart of the historic Winslow neighborhood, The Buxton Center expansion has been designed to celebrate the woodland setting and enhance a beloved community space. Our stakeholders’ goal was to create a welcoming gathering space likened to a ‘family room’ that would establish a true home for the performing arts on Bainbridge Island. We are thrilled to see how the spaces are starting to feel both intimate and expansive, reaching out into Town Square and the surrounding landscape through the wood and glass lobby. We can’t wait to experience the building full of patrons and brimming with energy on Opening Night.”
The renewed Buxton Center aims to strengthen the public connection within the downtown—creating a cultural and civic campus, including City Hall, Town Square and its weekly farmer’s market, and the Island’s Historical Museum. After the pandemic challenged the very idea of gathering for live performances, the Buxton Center is set to reinvigorate the local arts community and continue enriching the cultural heart of Bainbridge Island. The two-story building broke ground in the fall of 2021 and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023. Visitors are currently welcome for an inside look at the new Buxton Center as it is being built, and tours of the construction site are available by free registration.
Building ground floor plan:
LMN Architects is recipient of the 2016 AIA National Architecture Firm Award and is widely recognized for its design of projects that support smart, sustainable, cities. The firm has designed several important civic and cultural projects in Washington, including Benaroya Hall, McCaw Hall, the Seattle Convention Center Summit Building, and the Seattle Asian Art Museum, and are currently designing the Seattle Aquarium Ocean Pavilion to be located on the waterfront. The firm’s ongoing dedication to communities at all scales is underscored by its important, iconic work across Washington state and beyond.
Building second floor plan:
The Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts – Building Information
Design: LMN Architects
Project Title:
The Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts.
Location:
200 Madison Ave. North
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Client:
Bainbridge Performing Arts.
Design Years:
2020-2021.
Construction Years:
2021-2023.
Major Building Materials:
Concrete, glulam timber, cedar siding, and wood framing.
Program:
Renovation of main auditorium and support spaces, and expansion of restrooms. New addition of Main lobby, 2nd floor balcony and auditorium entry, new administrative offices, and multipurpose studio theater. Major focus on accessibility upgrades throughout.
Site Area: 32,000 SFT (2,973 s.m.)
Total Floor Area: 16,717 SFT (1,553 s.m.)
Existing Floor Area: 11,330 SFT (1,052.5 s.m.)
New Addition Floor Area: 5,387 SFT (500 s.m.)
Building Height: 35 FT
Number of Floors: 2 stories
Notable Sustainability Facts:
To reduce cooling needs, existing native tree cover has been preserved and the building incorporates deep roof overhangs; Operable windows provided in office spaces to promote natural ventilation; LED lighting throughout; decoupled heating and cooling system with VFDs to reduce fan energy during non-peak hours; Low flow plumbing fixtures coupled with heat pump water heaters; Enhancements and expansion of existing rain garden; 55 kW Solar array; Targeting LEED Gold.
Project Images
Photography Credit: Adam Hunter/LMN Architects
Renderings and Publication Drawings: Courtesy LMN Architects
Project Credits
Architect:
LMN Architects
801 Second Avenue, Suite 501
Seattle, Washington 98104
LMN Project Team:
Vanessa Abin-Fuentes
John Aldredge
Julie Adams, Assoc. AIA
John Aldredge
Kjell Anderson, FAIA
David Backs
Dean Clark, AIA
Michael Day
Cameron Irwin, AIA
Veronica Macalinao, AIA
Chris Patterson, AIA
Wendy Pautz, FAIA
Erik Perka, Assoc. AIA
Todd Schwisow, AIA
Mark Tumiski, Assoc. AIA
Jenni Whitney, AIA
Structural Engineer: Lund Opsahl, LLC
Civil Engineer: SCE Engineering
Landscape Architect: Groundswell
MEP Engineer: PAE Consulting Engineers
Lighting Design: LUMA Lighting
Theatrical/AV Consultant: Shalleck Collaborative
Acoustic Consultant: Arup
Envelope Consultant: Morrison Hershfield
General Contractor: Carley Construction
Commissioning: Engineering Economics Inc.
The Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts, Washington images / information received 100423 from LMN Architects
Location: 200 Madison Avenue North, Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA
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