On the Boards: Theatre School at DePaul University by Pelli Clarke Pelli

Project: The Theatre School at DePaul University
Location: Chicago, IL
Designer: Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects
Completion Date: 2013

In 2013, students at DePaul University’s Theatre School (at the Lincoln Park campus) will receive a new Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects-designed home for their 40-play seasons. The 165,000-square-foot, five-story, limestone and glass building will provide an intimate look at rehearsals and performances. On the ground floor, a scene shop, student lounge, and 250-seat theater lobby will be on view thanks to floor-to-ceiling glass. A rectangular box projects from the northeast corner of the building and houses a 100-seat theater, partly visible from behind a glass curtain wall. The project broke ground on June 1. The voyeuristic theme is reminiscent of other performing arts centers and schools where the city is a backdrop to talent, such as Jazz at Lincoln Center's Allen Room, with its double-glazed window behind the stage, and the Juilliard School, where the work is definitely on display. 









Images courtesy of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects