Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

California Private High School Completes New Community Performing Arts Center

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/16/24

Sonoma Academy—a private, co-ed college preparatory school in Santa Rosa, Calif.—recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 350-seat Community Performing Arts Center, according to a news release. The facility will play home to the school’s music, theater, and film productions and host various types of programming for the community at large. The school partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and WRNS Studio for the project’s design, DPR Construction for construction, and The Shalleck Collaborative as a theatrical consultant.

“The opening of the Community Performing Arts Center marks the start of a new era for our school,” said Tucker Foehl, Head of School at the Sonoma Academy. “This beautiful, state-of-the-art facility will provide a gathering place for our school community and a home for our stellar theater, music and dance programs. The high-tech features and thoughtfully designed spaces will allow us to stage more ambitious productions and involve more student performers than ever before. Equally exciting is the opportunity we have to welcome the surrounding community to our campus, as we expand our roster of events and develop partnerships with other local organizations.”

The facility measures in at 27,500 square feet and includes amenities like a 350-seat theater, stage, full orchestra pit, and supporting spaces. The AV system uses a Dolby Laboratories sound system and a Christie Digital 4K laser projector. Other amenities include an Actors Studio with a classroom and rehearsal space, a scene ship for backdrops and stage scenery, dressing rooms, additional classroom and storage space, and a lobby and box office, according to the news release. Sustainability features include energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems, as well as a displacement heating and cooling system for audience seating.

“It has been a remarkable experience to work alongside Sonoma Academy and the collaborative project team to design this truly remarkable and cutting-edge performing arts building,” said Steve Kwok, QKA Principal Emeritus. “The various spaces will allow students to participate in the complete production of a performance, and it will certainly be an invaluable community asset.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Rowan University, HPE Partner on New Learning Initiative

    Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J., recently announced that it has expanded its partnership with enterprise technology provider HPE to improve research capabilities and hands-on learning opportunities, 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.

  • UNH Marks Construction Milestone on Oceanic Exploration Facility

    The University of New Hampshire in Durham, N.H., recently celebrated a major construction milestone with a beam-signing ceremony for the new Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping, according to a news release. The facility’s ultimate goal is to support research, training and technical assistance in ocean mapping.

  • Phoenix School District Breaks Ground on New Prep Academy

    The Creighton Elementary School District near Phoenix, Ariz., recently broke ground on a campus replacement for Biltmore Preparatory Academy, according to a news release. The new space will allow the school to expand its enrollment by 50 percent for K–8 students and accommodate modern, collaborative learning styles.