Ballet Oklahoma
The renovation of an existing gallery to be turned into Ballet Oklahoma's main headquarters.
Prior to renovation, the space was a patchwork of growth and change over a 17-year period. The pre-engineered metal building was located in an industrial area and was originally used for the display of warehousing and sail boats. It was inadequate; the company had grown dramatically over the last five years. The space was poorly organized, lacking natural light, and dingy.
The functional criteria included 7 key points: first, was to separate administrative and school entries; second, was to create a dancer’s lounge; third, was to create a volunteer work area; fourth, was to make sure materials selected were durable; fifth, was to make sure that we had planned to meet the growing needs of the company; sixth, was to create a fresh, exciting and inspiring space; and last, was to bring all the other six ingredients together on a very small budget.
The concept is about movement, high energy and artistic form. We left the existing industrial aesthetic in place, and “let the bones show.” The space is the ultimate in a high-tech, high-touch approach.
The space is now filled with light from skylights above with the installation of glass block where overhead doors once were. The crisp black and white palette is punctuated with the company’s signature red tulips, and allows the space to showcase performance posters.
The 11-foot tall “string wall” was created to provide both functional and aesthetic benefits. The soft, ethereal material is intended to provide semi-private space while introducing a soft background “curtain” for the central work area.
Bryan Pitts, Artistic Director of Ballet Oklahoma has commented, “The space has become an inspiration to this company, as the art of dance and the power of architecture embrace. Each one takes inspiration from the other.”
