Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

New Mexico State University

  • 01/01/15
New Mexico State University

PHOTOS © TOM KESSLER PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

Located at a prominent entry point to the New Mexico State University campus in Las Cruces, the Center for the Arts serves as a gateway for the community and stimulates a connection between the previously introverted university and the surrounding community. The first phase in a planned arts district, the 59,800-gross-square-feet Center is adjacent to the existing Music Building and offers the potential to establish a cultural environment where indoor and outdoor spaces are clustered together.

The main performance venue is a 450-seat proscenium theater configured in a horseshoe shape with two balconies that bring all audience members within 50 feet of the stage. To create an environment that feels intimate at any audience size, the room can be scaled by opening seating sections as needed, with 300 seats in the orchestra, 85 in the first balcony and 96 in the second.

The rehearsal room — a glass-enclosed space facing the university — is appropriate for dance, theater and music rehearsals. The flexible space is also capable of holding classes and receptions. Internal circulation through the “arroyo,” the main circulation pathway, inspired by a land formation typical to the New Mexico desert, allows for spontaneous interactions between students and teachers across multiple disciplines.

By applying energy-saving techniques; utilizing photovoltaic panels, 50 percent diversion of waste materials from landfill sites, daylight harvesting and the application of regional materials and recycled content, the Center for the Arts was successful in achieving LEED Gold certification.

Holzman Moss Bottino Architecture, New York, NY, was Architect-of-Record; also ASA Architects, Las Cruces, NM was Architect-of-Record. The facility was completed in February 2014.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Washington State University Debuts New Engineering Hall

    Washington State University recently celebrated a dedication ceremony for the new Schweitzer Engineering Hall on its Pullman campus in Pullman, Wash., according to university news. The facility measures 66,288 square feet, and its completion marks the first milestone in a larger university effort to modernize the engineering and design district.

  • Wenger Names New Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts, Controls

    Wenger Corporation, which provides products and solutions for music and theater education, performing arts and athletic storage, recently announced the hiring of a new Vice President of Sales for Performing Arts and Controls.

  • Lawrence Group Announces Three New Hires

    Integrated planning and design firm Lawrence Group, based in St. Louis, Mo., recently welcomed three new staff members, according to a news release.

  • GeoCam and UCLA: Modernizing Campus Accessibility Mapping

    In early 2025, UCLA partnered with GeoCam to capture and modernize its pedestrian infrastructure data. The goal was ambitious but clear: to produce a high-accuracy, imagery-backed digital map of every sidewalk, pathway, ramp, and ADA-related feature on UCLA’s 419-acre campus.