Project Description
FROM THE AIA TENNESSEE:
The first and only black
repertory theater in Memphis sought to relocate from its start-up space to an
existing parking lot in an urban entertainment district currently undergoing a
resurgence. The new building allows the
theater to have its own identity and establish a presence on the corner of a
main artery into the district.
Working with a tight budget, the
design team formulated an early strategy with two goals: First, define
components that were permanent and components that could be added over time
based on continued fundraising and profit (this would allow the theater to add
lighting, etc., but not sacrifice building quality); and second, keep it
simple.
The building is divided into two main
programmatic volumes: the performance volume, featuring two black box theaters and support spaces, and an administration volume. Conceived as windowless
boxes, the two theaters occupy the northern edge of the site, abutting a
neighboring parking lot. The irregular massing is reflective of the required
internal volumes, yet both boxes are clad in a shingled siding that lends
continuity and texture to an otherwise blank façade. The lower volume houses
the entry lobby, ticketing and administrative spaces, and presents a welcoming
pedestrian scale along the southern edge of the secondary street (Monroe
Avenue). Cor-Ten cladding was used for its ability to weather and oxidize over
time while adding to the unique character of the entertainment district.