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

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.

  • Houston K–12 District Opens New Elementary School

    The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (Lamar CISD) recently announced the completion of a new elementary school in a western suburb of Houston, Texas, according to a news release. Haygood Elementary School measures in at 110,000 square feet, has the capacity for 854 students, and is the first of three new schools scheduled to be built in the Cross Creek West community.

  • NWEA Report Recommends K–12 Natural Disaster Recovery Strategies

    The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a K–12 assessment and research organization, recently announced the release of a new playbook for schools and communities recovering from extreme weather events, according to a news release.

  • California K–12 District Completes Elementary School Campus Replacement

    The West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) in Richmond, Calif., recently announced the completion of a replacement campus for Lake Elementary School, according to a news release. The school has capacity for 470 students between Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and sixth grade.