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University of Notre Dame Performing Arts Center

South Bend, Indiana

HLB collaborated with Pfeiffer Partners on this 123,000 square foot facility that houses performance venues as well as the Music Department and Department of Film, Television and Theatre.  Our scope of work included a 900-seat concert hall, 350-seat main stage theater, 100-seat studio theater, 200-seat THX cinema, and 100-seat organ/choral hall, lobby, VIP founders room, offices, faculty lounge, classrooms and labs, rehearsal and practice rooms, soundstage, editing, production rooms, conference rooms, and a percussion studio.

The center occupies a prominent location at the termination of the major pedestrian axis through the university.  Distinctive custom chandeliers were designed for the concert hall.  Four cylindrical fixture assemblies connect to a central ring containing separate halogen light sources for uplighting and downlighting, providing the ability to change the perception of space from intimate to spacious by adjusting the intensity of the two light sources.  Dropped acrylic lenses mimic the geometry of the acoustical reflectors above the stage.  In the main stage theater, custom niches detailed with frosted acrylic lenses and xenon strip lights at the underside of the room overhangs emphasize the room geometry, as well as provide the general illumination below the balconies.  The detail wraps up the front of the balcony fascia reinforcing the design concept. In the organ hall, custom fixtures carry the cylindrical shape of the concert hall luminaires, but with a vibrant blue color accent.  Theatrical spotlights located at the balconies accentuate the materials and form of the organ featured above the stage.  Pipe mounted accent lights provide general illumination in the cinema.  Color filters added to the fixtures at the perimeter of the room enrich the colors of the Gothic-style decorative architectural panels.