Architects:Trahan Architects

Area:70000ft²

Year:2019

Photographs:Greg Mooney,James Babin

Manufacturers:CW Keller

Lead Architects:Trey Trahan, Leigh Breslau, Brad McWhirter

Lighting Designer:Fisher Marantz Stone

Structural Engineer:Uzun + Case

Electrical Engineer:DLB Associates Consulting Engineers

Mechanical Engineer:DLB Associates Consulting Engineers

General Contractor:Hogan Construction Group

Project Management:Cost Plus

Design Team:Robbie Eleazer, Scott Melançon, Ayesha Husain, Conway Pedron, Sarah Hussaini, James Babin

Theater Consultants:Theatre Projects

Acoustics:Talaske

Plumbing Engineer:DLB Associates Consulting Engineers

Graphic Design:Thirst

Life Safety:Jensen Hughes

Vertical Transportation:Lerch Bates

Clients:Chuck Winstead

Cost Management:Cost Plus

City:Atlanta

Country:United States

Text description provided by the architects. The Alliance Theatre, founded in 1968, is a Tony award-winning regional theatre located within the celebrated Woodruff Arts Center campus. The initial phase of work focused on the chamber, its lobby and artistic support facilities which were gutted to the original concrete enclosing walls. The transformation pulled the 650 seat chamber 10’ closer to stage. The planning of the chamber optimized site lines, utilized ramping in lieu of lifts and integrated stairs to provide access to all levels. Each surface was tuned acoustically to deliver world class theatre to its patrons.

The design team felt a responsibility to remove the separation between balcony and orchestra – challenging historic notions of segregation and discrimination. All seating zones can be accessed from every entrance within the chamber – a unifying planning feature of the Alliance Theatre Transformation.

The Firm assembled a world class team to implement handcrafted steam bending techniques and artistry on an architectural scale. From concept to construction the project demonstrates innovation through collaboration between Artist, Architect, & Fabricator. The result is a series of beautiful steam bent millwork guardrails and balconies that merge hand craft with mass production. The synthesis of acoustic performance, hand driven artistry, and sophisticated laser positioning are all carefully choregraphed to execute the complex steam bent millwork without the need for wasteful CNC molds. Delivered for $330/sf, the product has proven to be both economical and stunning.

Project gallery

Project location

Address:Atlanta, Georgia, United States